Battles & Campaigns · 1562
Battle of Dreux
Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, France
What happened
The Huguenot cavalry broke the Catholic left wing and captured Montmorency. But many Huguenot horsemen stopped to raid the Catholic baggage, and Guise counterattacked with fresh troops and captured Condé. A last Huguenot attack was stopped by Catholic pikemen as darkness fell.
Why it matters
It was the first major battle of the French Wars of Religion, won by the Catholics by a narrow margin. Both commanders-in-chief were captured.
What came next
After a siege of Orléans, the first civil war ended with the Edict of Amboise, which allowed limited Huguenot worship.
Did you know?
The soldier-writer La Noue wrote that the two armies stood facing each other for two hours before fighting, because it was the first time two French armies had met.
Timeline
- 19 Dec 1562Battle of Dreux.
- 1563Siege of Orléans; the first war ends with the Edict of Amboise.
- 13 Mar 1569Battle of Jarnac.
- 3 Oct 1569Battle of Moncontour.