Patay, Battle of

Battle fought on 18 June 1429 at the village of Patay, 21 km/13 mi northwest of Orléans, France, during the Hundred Years' War, in which the French under the Duke of Alençon and Joan of Arc surprised the English, captured John Talbot, and inflicted heavy casualties.

In the wake of their failure to take Orléans, Lord Talbot and John Fastolf mustered 3,500 men in a good defensive position at Patay. They were surprised by the French, who charged into the vanguard of archers unprotected by stakes. Talbot was wounded and captured, with the loss of 2,000 men; Fastolf escaped with the remnant.