The Siege of Rouen (1418–1419) The city of Rouen under attack by English forces under King Henry V. From a 15th century manuscript illumination. The History Collection/Alamy. (more) Siege of Rouen French history [1418–1419] Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/siege-of-Rouen-1418 Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Simon Adams Simon Adams is a historian and writer living and working in London. He studied history and politics at universities in London and Bristol and has written numerous books for adults and children about... Simon Adams Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Dec 3, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Quick Facts Date: July 31, 1418 - January 19, 1419 (Show more) Location: France Haute-Normandie Normandy Rouen (Show more) Participants: France England (Show more) Context: Hundred Years’ War (Show more) Key People: Henry V (Show more) See all related content In his campaigns to capture Normandy during the Hundred Years’ War, Henry V of England besieged and took the city of Rouen. With more than 70,000 inhabitants, it was one of the most important cities in France, and its capture—carried out from July 31, 1418 to January 19, 1419—was a major success for the English army.

　　After his dramatic victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, Henry V returned to England. He spent the next year building up a powerful fleet to clear the English Channel of Genoese ships supporting the French, at the same time forming an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor, who was previously a supporter of the French king.

　　Hundred Years’ War Events keyboard_arrow_left

　　Battle of Sluys June 24, 1340

　　Battle of Crécy August 26, 1346

　　Battle of Neville’s Cross October 17, 1346

　　Combat of the Thirty March 27, 1351

　　Battle of Poitiers September 19, 1356

　　Jacquerie May 21, 1358 - June 10, 1358

　　Battle of Agincourt October 25, 1415

　　Siege of Rouen July 31, 1418 - January 19, 1419

　　Siege of Orléans October 12, 1428 - May 8, 1429

　　Battle of Formigny April 15, 1450

　　Battle of Castillon July 17, 1453 keyboard_arrow_right In 1417 Henry returned to France and in three campaigns captured all of Normandy except Mont-Saint-Michel. The highlight of these campaigns was the seizure of Rouen. Expecting an attack, the French had strengthened the city’s defenses, with a force of 25,000 soldiers within its walls. Those walls were studded with towers and lined with crossbowmen. Cannon were trained at the English army.

　　With only a small force at his disposal, Henry could not attempt to breach the walls and storm the city, so he settled down to a long siege with the object of starving the defenders into submission. The siege began at the end of July 1418. By December the inhabitants were reduced to eating dogs, cats, horses, and mice, if they could catch them. More than 12,000 poor people were expelled from the town to save food. Henry refused to allow them passage, so they were forced to huddle in defensive ditches recently dug around the walls. Two priests gave them food on Christmas Day, but that was the limit of English largesse. The French garrison tried to break the English siege on several occasions, but to no avail. In January 1419, the French surrendered, with an estimated 50,000 people having starved to death within the city during the siege. Henry imposed an indemnity of 300,000 crowns on the survivors, a sum that he doubtless knew could never be met and that was therefore seemingly intended as mere humiliation.