The English Capture of Caen (1417)

In 1417, during the second phase of Henry V's campaign in France, Caen, one of the largest and most strategically important cities in Normandy, fell to English forces, marking a major expansion of English rule in northern France.

I. The Context: Henry V’s Renewed Offensive in France

• Following his victory at Agincourt (1415) and the subsequent consolidation of English control over Calais and Harfleur, Henry V launched a full-scale invasion of Normandy in 1417.
• This campaign was part of his broader strategy to conquer northern France, undermine the weakened French monarchy, and press his claim to the French throne.
• By mid-1417, English forces landed in Normandy, methodically capturing towns and fortresses along the Norman coast and interior.

II. The Siege and Capture of Caen (August–September 1417)

• In August 1417, Henry V laid siege to Caen, a major stronghold in western Normandy and a center of political, military, and economic activity.
• The city was well-defended by French forces, but its defenses were weakened by internal divisions stemming from the Armagnac-Burgundian civil war.
• After weeks of intense fighting, Caen fell to the English in September 1417.

III. The Aftermath: English Rule Over Normandy

• The fall of Caen secured a critical foothold for England in Normandy, paving the way for the further conquest of northern France.
• The English continued their Norman campaign, capturing Alençon, Argentan, and Falaise in the following months.
• By 1419, the English had completed their conquest of Normandy, leading to Henry V’s recognition as heir to the French throne in the Treaty of Troyes (1420).

IV. Impact and Legacy

• The capture of Caen was a significant victory that cemented English power in northern France, leading to the occupation of Normandy until 1450.
• The city became a key English administrative center, used to govern occupied French territories.
• The English conquest of Normandy strengthened Henry V’s claim to the French crown, further destabilizing the already weakened French monarchy.

The fall of Caen in 1417 was a major turning point in Henry V’s conquest of Normandy, marking the expansion of English control in France and paving the way for the Treaty of Troyes and the height of English power in the Hundred Years’ War