Jean de Dunois

Timeline

1. 1451Bordeaux · FranceIn 1451 Dunois was ordered by Charles VII to lead the main army south into Guyenne (present-day Aquitaine). Using efficient siege tactics he captured several English-held cities in succession, forcing Bordeaux to surrender in June of that year. This was a major French strategic breakthrough in the Hundred Years' War, driving English power out of southwestern France. England then sent John Talbot with a counteroffensive in 1452, briefly recovering Bordeaux.
2. 1453Castillon-la-Bataille · FranceOn 17 July 1453 Dunois commanded the French army at Castillon, using artillery superiority to meet the hasty charge of the English commander John Talbot. French cannon fire killed Talbot and his son, and the English army collapsed entirely. This was the decisive battle of the Hundred Years' War. In October of the same year Bordeaux again surrendered to the French, and English rule on the French mainland came to an end.
3. 1454–1460Tours · FranceAfter the Hundred Years' War, Dunois remained at Charles VII's side as a meritorious servant, assisting in reforms to modernize the standing army and artillery. He took part in court affairs, maintained military administration over Normandy and the newly recovered territories of southwestern France, and attended royal councils on several occasions. During this period he received additional honors, cementing the legal basis of his noble status.