Battle of Sandwich (1217)

Overview

The Battle of Sandwich, also called the Battle of Dover took place on 24 August 1217 as part of the First Barons' War. A Plantagenet English fleet commanded by Hubert de Burgh attacked a Capetian French fleet led by Eustace the Monk and Robert of Courtenay off Sandwich, Kent. The English captured the French flagship and most of the supply vessels, forcing the rest of the French fleet to return to Calais.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Sandwich was the decisive naval engagement of the First Barons' War, cutting off the Capetian French forces supporting Prince Louis's campaign in England. The English fleet under Hubert de Burgh attacked and captured the French flagship along with most of the supply vessels commanded by Eustace the Monk and Robert of Courtenay. The loss of the flagship and the bulk of the supply fleet forced the remaining French vessels to withdraw to Calais, severing the logistical connection between Louis's land forces in England and their French base. By denying Louis the reinforcements and supplies the fleet was carrying, the battle effectively ended French prospects of sustaining the campaign, contributing directly to the collapse of the Capetian intervention and the conclusion of the First Barons' War.

Commanders (5)