The Battle of Sluys, 1340 A contemporary illustration of the naval battle of Sluys, taken from Jean Froissart's Chronicle. (more) Battle of Sluys European history [1340] 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/Battle-of-Sluys Feedback External Websites 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 Navy Historical Society of Australia - The Battle of Sluys Warfare History Network - Edward III and the Battle of Sluys BritishBattles.com - Battle of Sluys 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: Nov 27, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Quick Facts Date: June 24, 1340 (Show more) Location: English Channel Flanders Netherlands (Show more) Participants: France England (Show more) Context: Hundred Years’ War (Show more) Key People: Edward III (Show more) See all related content In 1337 Edward III of England laid claim to the French throne, thus starting the lengthy series of conflicts known as the Hundred Years’ War. The first major contact between the two sides was the Battle of Sluys, a naval battle fought off the coast of Flanders on June 24, 1340. England’s victory ended the threat of a French naval invasion and brought it dominance of the English Channel.

　　In June 1340 a large English fleet commanded by Edward III set sail across the Channel to assert his claim to the French throne. Opposing him was a large French fleet, reinforced with galleys from Genoa and a Norman flotilla, that was drawn up in the inlet of Sluys in Flanders. (The inlet, on the Dutch-Belgian border about 14 miles northeast of Bruges, is now silted in.) The French placed their fleet in a defensive position, their anchored ships lashed together with cables to create a floating platform on which to fight. The Genoese commander, Egidio Boccanegra, kept his galleys free behind the French lines. In response, the English placed one of their ships, smaller and faster than the French vessels even when unchained, filled with knights and swordsmen between two ships packed with longbowmen. Ships of both sides were filled with soldiers because, at this time, naval battles were only fought on the restrictive confines of the ships’ decks.

　　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

　　Battle 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 Battle started at around noon and continued for most of the day and night. Both sides used grappling hooks to hold an enemy ship fast while it was boarded, but it was the English who eventually got the better of the battle. This was because their ships were free to attack the anchored French ships as and when required, and also because their longbowmen produced a more rapid and accurate rate of fire than the French and Genoese crossbowmen. According to the French historian Jean Froissart, as many as 8,000 Flemish militiamen lined the banks of the inlet, killing any French fighters to attempted to flee on land, while English springalds hurled flaming pitch at the French fleet. The result was a disaster for the French, with almost all their 190 ships captured or sunk and both their commanders killed, one of them hanged after the battle. As many as 18,000 French, Norman, and Genoese sailors were killed or wounded in the battle, against English losses of fewer than 4,000. Only the Genoese managed to gain something, seizing two English ships even as most of their galleys were able to escape.

　　Losses: English, 2 ships captured of 210; French and Genoese, 170 ships captured or sunk of 190.