Key Facts
- English force size
- 12,000 troops
- Siege start date
- 18 October 1492
- Indemnity paid to England
- 742,000 crowns
- Annual indemnity payment
- 50,000 crowns per annum
- Indemnity as share of crown income
- ~5% of English crown's annual income
Strategic Narrative Overview
In autumn 1492, Henry VII crossed the English Channel to Calais at the head of an expeditionary force of 12,000 men. On 18 October he commenced the siege of the French port of Boulogne. The military pressure proved effective within weeks: rather than sustaining a prolonged siege, both monarchs entered negotiations that rapidly produced an agreement, reflecting Henry's underlying preference for a profitable settlement over a costly war.
01 / The Origins
By the early 1490s, Henry VII of England sought to reassert English interests against France, which had absorbed Brittany and was sheltering Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne. Henry had been conducting negotiations with the French king Charles VIII even before mobilising, but resolved to mount a show of military force to strengthen his diplomatic position and extract concessions.
03 / The Outcome
The siege ended with the Peace of Étaples, under which France agreed to expel Perkin Warbeck and cease supporting his claim to the English throne. France also acknowledged English acceptance of French control over Brittany. Charles VIII agreed to pay England an indemnity of 742,000 crowns at 50,000 crowns per year, representing approximately 5 percent of the English crown's annual income, delivering Henry a substantial financial windfall.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Henry VII of England.
Side B
1 belligerent
Charles VIII of France.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.