Siege of Orleans in the Hundred Years War

The Siege of Orlà ©ans began October 12, 1428 and ended May 8, 1429, and took place during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Fought during the later stages of the conflict, the siege represented Frances first major victory since the defeat at Agincourt in 1415. Advancing on Orlà ©ans in 1428, English forces commenced a loose siege of the city. Possessing immense strategic value, the French moved to reinforce the garrison. The tide turned in 1429 when French forces, aided by Joan of Arc, were able to drive the English away from the city. Having saved Orlà ©ans, the French effectively turned the tide of the war. Background In 1428, the English sought to assert Henry VIs claim to the French throne through the Treaty of Troyes. Already holding much of northern France with their Burgundian allies, 6,000 English soldiers landed at Calais under the leadership of the Earl of Salisbury. These were soon met by another 4,000 men drawn from Normandy by the Duke of Bedford. Advancing south, they succeeded in capturing Chartres and several other towns by late August. Occupying Janville, they next drove on the Loire Valley and took Meung on September 8. After moving downstream to take Beaugency, Salisbury dispatched troops to capture Jargeau. Siege of Orlà ©ans Conflict: Hundred Years War (1337-1453)Date: October 12, 1428 to May 8, 1429Armies Commanders:EnglishEarl of ShrewsburyEarl of SalisburyDuke of SuffolkSir John Fastolfapprox. 5,000 menFrenchJoan of ArcJean de DunoisGilles de RaisJean de Brosseapprox. 6,400-10,400 The Siege Begins Having isolated Orlà ©ans, Salisbury consolidated his forces, now numbering around 4,000 after leaving garrisons at his conquests, south of the city on October 12. While the city was located on the north side of the river, the English were initially confronted by defensive works on the south bank. These consisted of a barbican (fortified compound) and twin-towered gatehouse known as Les Tourelles. Directing their initial efforts against these two positions, they succeeded in driving out the French on October 23. Falling back across the nineteen-arch bridge, which they damaged, the French withdrew into the city. Occupying Les Tourelles and the nearby fortified convent of Les Augustins, the English began to dig in. The next day, Salisbury was mortally wounded when surveying French positions from Les Tourelles. The Earl of Salisbury is mortally wounded during the Siege of Orleans. He was replaced by the less aggressive Earl of Suffolk. With the weather changing, Suffolk pulled back from the city, leaving Sir William Glasdale and a small force to garrison Les Tourelles, and entered winter quarters. Concerned by this inactivity, Bedford dispatched the Earl of Shrewsbury and reinforcements to Orlà ©ans. Arriving in early December, Shrewsbury took command and moved troops back to the city. The Siege Tightens Shifting the bulk of his forces to the north bank, Shrewsbury built a large fortress around the Church of St. Laurent west of the city. Additional forts were built on the Ile de Charlemagne in the river and around the Church of St. Prive to the south. The English commander next constructed a series of three forts extending northeast and connected by a defensive ditch. Lacking sufficient men to fully surround the city, he established two forts east of Orlà ©ans, St. Loup and St. Jean le Blanc, with the goal of blocking supplies from entering the city. As the English line was porous, this was never fully achieved. Reinforcements for Orlà ©ans the Burgundian Withdrawal When the siege began, Orlà ©ans possessed only a small garrison, but this was augmented by militia companies that were formed to man the citys thirty-four towers. As the English lines never fully cut off the city, reinforcements began to trickle in and Jean de Dunois assumed control of the defense. Though Shrewsburys army was augmented by the arrival of 1,500 Burgundians during the winter, the English were soon outnumbered as the garrison swelled to around 7,000. King Charles VII of France. Public Domain In January, the French king, Charles VII assembled a relief force downstream at Blois. Led by the Count of Clermont, this army elected to attack an English supply train on February 12, 1429 and was routed at the Battle of the Herrings. Though the English siege was not tight, the situation in the city was becoming desperate as supplies were low. French fortunes began to change in February when Orlà ©ans applied to be put under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy. This caused a rift in the Anglo-Burgundian alliance, as Bedford, who was ruling as Henrys regent, refused this arrangement. Angered by Bedfords decision, the Burgundians withdrew from the siege further weakening the thin English lines. Joan Arrives As the intrigues with the Burgundians came to a head, Charles first met with the young Joan of Arc (Jeanne dArc) at his court in Chinon. Believing that she was following divine guidance, she asked Charles to allow her to lead relief forces to Orlà ©ans. Meeting with Joan on March 8, he sent her to Poitiers to be examined by clerics and Parliament. With their approval, she returned to Chinon in April where Charles agreed to let her lead a supply force to Orlà ©ans. Riding with the Duke of Alencon, her force moved along the south bank and crossed over at Chà ©cy where she met with Dunois. While Dunois mounted a diversionary attack, the supplies were barged into the city. After spending the night in Chà ©cy, Joan entered the city on April 29. Over the next few days, Joan assessed the situation while Dunois departed to Blois to bring up the main French army. This force arrived on May 4 and French units moved against the fort at St. Loup. Though intended as a diversion, the attack became a larger engagement and Joan rode out to join the fighting. Shrewsbury sought to relieve his beleaguered troops, but was blocked by Dunois and St. Loup was overrun. Orlà ©ans Relieved The next day, Shrewsbury began consolidating his position south of the Loire around the Les Tourelles complex and St. Jean le Blanc. On May 6, Jean sortied with a large force and crossed to the Ile-Aux-Toiles. Spotting this, the garrison at St. Jean le Blanc withdrew to Les Augustins. Pursuing the English, the French launched several assaults against the convent through the afternoon before finally taking it late in the day. Dunois succeeded in preventing Shrewsbury from sending aid by conducting raids against St. Laurent. His situation weakening, the English commander withdrew all of his forces from the south bank except for the garrison at Les Tourelles. On the morning of May 7, Joan and the other French commanders, such as La Hire, Alencon, Dunois, and Ponton de Xaintrailles gathered east of Les Tourelles. Moving forward, they began assaulting the barbican around 8:00 AM. Fighting raged through the day with the French unable to penetrate the English defenses. In the course of the action, Joan was wounded in the shoulder and forced to leave the battle. With casualties mounting, Dunois debated calling off the attack, but was convinced by Joan to press on. After praying privately, Joan rejoined the fighting. The appearance of her banner advancing spurred on the French troops who finally broke into the barbican. Joan of Arc at the Siege of Orleans. Public Domain This action coincided with a fire barge burning the drawbridge between the barbican and Les Tourelles. English resistance in the barbican began to collapse and French militia from the city crossed the bridge and assaulted Les Tourelles from the north. By nightfall, the entire complex had been taken and Joan crossed the bridge to re-enter the city. Defeated on the south bank, the English formed their men for battle the next morning and emerged from their works northwest of the city. Assuming a formation similar to Crà ©cy, they invited the French to attack. Though the French marched out, Joan counseled against an attack. Aftermath When it became apparent that the French would not attack, Shrewsbury began an orderly withdrawal toward Meung ending the siege. A key turning point in the Hundred Years War, the Siege of Orlà ©ans brought Joan of Arc to prominence. Seeking to maintain their momentum, the French embarked on the successful Loire Campaign which saw Joans forces drive the English from the region in a series of battles which culminated at Patay.

Climate Change Is A Collective Action Problem - 1712 Words

Introduction While industrialization has been strongly associated with greenhouse gas emissions, it is premature, however, to conclude that economic growth is the independent factor responsible to climate change. Neumayer (1998) contended that there is no sound scientific evidence documenting consequences of economic development on the environmental degradation in the long term (p. 4). There is also no linear association between economic growth and environmental deterioration, as maintained by Ferguson et al. (1996, p. 28) that the existing evidence â€Å"cannot be used to justify a view that economic growth (†¦) will automatically be good or bad for the environment† (cited in Neumayer 1998, p. 16). The climate change impacts of greenhouse gases threaten the economic development and environmental quality. These threats indicate that all nations regardless their economic growth should work collaboratively to reduce the emission to a certain level. Hare et al. (2011) argued that â€Å"climate change is a collective action problem† thus requires a global coordination from all countries. This indicates that actions from several countries would never be sufficient to address the climate change problem. If a global target to limit warming to 2 °C or below is about to achieve (UNFCCC 2010, p.4) a broad range of participation is required (Hare et al., 2011). However, the increasing complexity of negotiation processes is inevitable. Each country will pursue its own interests during theShow MoreRelatedTransnational Issues And The Global Community1486 Words   |  6 Pagesthat collective action is a critical component in resource governance, adaptation to various forms of environ mental change, and resilience (Adger, 2010). The firm ability to collectively gather and work towards a cause relies on principles of communication, trust and most importantly, a shared vision (Beitl, 2014). 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Rob Nixon of the New York Times called Naomi Klein’s â€Å"This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate† â€Å"a book of such ambition and consequence that it is almost unreviewable.[1]† Naomi Klein researches the impact of Climate change and its relationship with free market capitalism. She discusses capitalism as failed economic system. She goes into great depth on theRead MoreGlobal Warming And Global Climate Change1531 Words   |  7 PagesIn the last twenty years, the issues surrounding global climate change have become increasingly dominant in the international community, as the implications associated with the global issue pose many threats to the environment and humanity as a whole. Beginning in the 1970’s, scientific research regarding pollution led scientists to discover that chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) where destroying the ozone layer, posing threats to plant and animal life, and humans as a rise in skin cancer followed. Luckily

Human rights Essay Example For Students

Human rights Essay The rights of humans? The previous question is what individuals protest for and what large organizations are focused on. But does the term Human rights Essay make sense? What is it exactly? Is it the end result of the gathering of the most powerful men in the world? Or is it the conclusion of most protestors cries for equality within their country? Human rights is the most important gift given at birth. It allows us to speak and commit legal and constitutional acts freely. But when a strong term such as this is protested for, we must ask ourselves if all humans are allowed to practice it in every country. If so, to what extent? The main focus of human rights writers and activists is in concern to the extent of unlawful treatment such as conquering of land from indigenous people in most if not all third world countries. We have learned that most problems in the world are blamed on one word, globalization, but it takes several words to fix the ongoing problem of globalization and its affects. The capital and injustice in Latin America has shown to be one of the reasons for such concern of the extent globalization has taken with the lack of correspondence of human rights. Urbanization has expanded to this extent at the exploitation of the indigenous peoples human rights. The affect of modernizing countries (globalization) is thought to be a main contributor to the lack of human rights in most third world countries. Richard L. Harris in his article on Capital, inequality and injustice in Latin America, believes that The globalization or increasing integration of the region into the global capitalist system has not propelled the Latin American peoples into a new era of post-modernity(3). In his essay Harris attempts to provide a global perspective on the major structures that have shaped and are currently shaping the political, economic and culture in Latin America. He feels that the The contemporary effects of globalizing have aggravated the most chronic problems of the Latin American region(1). Harris then explains that these problems are also included in economic exploitation, social and economic inequality, and social and political injustice that has taken place since the indigenous people were forced to adapt the culture of the west in the sixteenth century. The origination of westernization began from Columbuss voyage to the Americas. With the settling of slaves, animals and western ideas, Latin America would soon become a fulfilled dream of Europe, but now it has affected indigenous groups such as the Zapatistas of southern Mexico. Their land, culture and society has been practically erased by the settlers. The affects of the settling provided Mexico and other southern countries with close to nothing in royalties and little to nothing in cultural awareness. Considered as one of Harriss most disturbing realities, inequality in Latin America is thought to be best revealed as the inequality of income between the upper and lower income-earners(5). While only 20 percent of people own that large amount of land, the rest of the population is considered the lower class that receives low wages, little to no health care affordability and the lack of basic fundamentals such as sewage systems or running water. The rates of illiteracy and infant mortality are unacceptably high (particularly in rural areas). In a general study, it was found that the rural population exhibits rates of illiteracy that was found 50-75 percent greater than that in urban areas. Harris then explains the reasons for the extent of poverty that has increased in the largest cities as a result of recent wage declines, downsizing in the private sector, the reduction of the public sector work force, and the decline of public services and subsides(8). Nonsense EssayMORALES, P. , Ed. Towards Global Human Rights. International Centre for Human and Public Affairs, Tilburg, the Netherlands, 1996. 192 pp. JOHANNES WIER FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS. Health and Human Rights: A Course for Doctors, Nurses, and Paramedics (in Training). Johannes Wier Foundation, Amersfoort, the Netherlands, 1996. .

The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain

Table of Contents Introduction Themes in the story Writing Style Analysis Conclusion Works Cited Introduction The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is a collection of twenty-seven short stories and sketches that were initially published in several publications around the U.S. during the 1880s. The book, authored by Mark Twain, was initially published in November 18, 1865 and has assumed other titles (Connie, xvii).These titles include â€Å"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County† and â€Å"Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog† (Scott, para.1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The story takes place in one of the gold-mining camps found in Calaveras County, California. This book is said to be one of Twain’s earliest writings and he derived the story from the folklore that exist ed during the Gold Rush period. This title assisted in shaping Twain’s reputation as a humorist. In the book, the author uses various techniques to illustrate the American tall tale and it is a striking depiction concerning the delusion of the people of America during the late nineteenth century. â€Å"The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County† was initially narrated in epistolary format. Even though some later publications did not pay attention to this letter-frame convention, the favorite ideals of the author are still being portrayed in the tale. In the book, the narrator (Mark Twain) is sent on an errand to see an old man called Simon Wheeler. He is told to go and inquire on the whereabouts of an old friend of his, named Leonidas W. Smiley. Smiley had supposedly migrated to another mining settlement. Wheeler narrates to Twain a lively account about another miner called Jim Smiley who is well known for betting in almost anything. Smiley would bet on anything, à ¢â‚¬Å"If there was a dog-fight, he’d bet on it†¦ if there was a chicken-fight, he’d bet on it† (Twain, 81). Wheeler narrates to Twain a number of Smiley’s most prominent betting experiences. One of these involved a pet frog in which Smiley surprisingly lost the bet. Literary scholars usually cite this story to give an illustration of a tall tale and note how the author employs humor and exaggeration throughout the book. In addition, critics lay emphasis on the satire present in the story. The cultural differences between the western and the eastern parts of the U.S. have also been portrayed in the story. Themes in the story The major themes present in this story are culture clash, American society, and deception. One of the late 19th century aspects of the American society and culture central to the story is the idea of conflicting cultures. This is evident in the portrayal of the developed eastern part of the U.S. and the developing western part. At the time when the story was written, there was a marked culture clash between the Eastern portion and the Western portion of the U.S. The Easterners were perceived to be civilized, cultured, and advanced, while the Westerners were perceived to be less-educated and less-refined individuals. The author illustrates these ideas in a number of ways.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The talkative uneducated old man, Simon Wheeler, as a representation of the Westerners, narrates to Twain stories that are incredible and speaks in a monotone, with no techniques of keeping the listener in his seat. Wheeler’s narration of the story in the popular genre of the tall tale and use of common language with grammatical errors reinforces the idea that the Westerners were less educated than their counterparts were. In sharp contrast to the Westerner who spins a tale concerning a gambling man and his pet frog, Mark Twin is depicted as an educated with refined tastes young man. In the passages that come before Wheeler’s narration, Twain speaks in good English, which substantiates the fact that he is well educated in grammar and syntax. The story depicts the Easterners as well educated, refined, snobby, and as some people who can be duped easily. On the other hand, the Westerners are depicted as uneducated, gullible on the surface and schemers since although Wheeler was inadequately trained, he narrated very original stories. The names used in the story, such as Daniel Webster and Andrew Jackson, make the story relevant to the American audience since the people were prominent personalities in the American history (Smith, 41). In this story, the author presents a complex and a multifaceted view of the American society since it affirms that the American people can be concurrently resourceful, inventive, realistic, and strong-minded, as well as shortsighte d, small-minded, and susceptible to deceit. Deception is a fundamental component of the story and it takes place on several occasions. In the first paragraphs of the book, Mark Twain laments that a friend who arranged for his meeting with the Westerner cheated him. Twain’s friend told him to ask the old man about the whereabouts of another person, called Leonidas Smiley. He did not want Twain to hear the colorful story of the famous gambler: Jim Smiley. Wheeler also tricks the snobby Easterner by narrating to him the unbelievable and improbable tale of Jim, instead of Leonidas. By masking the actual humor of his narration, the Westerner originally fools Twain and persuades him to be patient and wait for a more serious story that is forthcoming. Jim Smiley’s gamble with the Stranger also portrays fraud. The Stranger used fraudulent means to win the bet through stuffing the frog with a gunshot in order to weigh it down and disapprove his competitor.Advertising We wi ll write a custom research paper sample on The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Writing Style Analysis This short story is given to us in the form a tall tale, which was a familiar and a well-liked story format in the late eighteenth century since most American frontiersman employed it to show-off their exploits as well as to deceive the gullible Easterners. The structure of the story is presented in a ‘framed story’ format, which makes it one of its most essential aspects. In a framed story, throughout the narration, one tale seems to be framed by another tale; therefore, in this instance, the outer tale concentrates on the talk between Mark Twain (the Easterner) and Simon Wheeler (the Westerner). The encounter between these people took place when Twain’s friend, called A. Ward, wanted to know the whereabouts of one of his friends. In the first few paragraph s that introduce and winds up the whole story, Twain talks in the first person narrative voice, and since this portion was initially in the form of a letter, the whole narration can also be said to be in the epistolary format. The inner tale is whereby the old storyteller narrates to his visitor about the ways of the famous gambler, Jim Smiley, and he narrates his seemingly highly exaggerated tales in a third-person narrative voice. Satire, as a way in which human folly is pointed out by the use of irony, ridicule, or humor, forms an important aspect of â€Å"The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.† The author pokes fun at many things in the American society (Krause, 562). As illustrated in the previous sections of this paper, the Eastern and the Western portions of America were viewed differently. The author challenges that perception which was held by many people then. In a satirical twist, the cultured Easterner is duped by both his friend and by the old man. Simil arly, the old man is eventually depicted not to be a rube. This is because he tells colorful stories whose deadpan delivery is only a way of duping his purportedly cultured listener. Authors usually portray exaggerated, tremendous experiences in tall tales in which characters have above normal abilities. For example, in this short story, Smiley is depicted as someone who can bet on almost everything, Dan’l Webster is shown has able to fly through the air, and Andrew Jackson can fight for a whole year. The author employs the literary technique called anthropomorphism by giving the pets in the story human characters (Mitchell, 77). The pets in the story are described by many different words, which include, but not limited to, arrogant, bad-tempered, determined and modest, and straightforward.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion When â€Å"The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County† first appeared in print, the United States of America seemed almost to be consisting of two nations in one. There was a culture clash between the Westerners and the Easterners and they held each other with contempt. In the book, Twain depicts the situation at that time by making fun of both parties. He shows that both parties were gullible, smart, and crafty. Works Cited Connie, Ann K. Mark Twain: a biography. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2004. Print. Krause, Len S. J. â€Å"The Art and Satire of Twain’s ’Jumping Frog’ Story.† American Quarterly 16. 4 (1964): 562-576. Print. Mitchell, Robert W. Anthropomorphism, anecdotes, and animals. Albany, NY: State Univ. of New York Press, 1997. Print. Scott, Michael. â€Å"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.† ThoughtAudio.com. 2008. Web. Smith, Paul. â€Å"The Infernal Reminiscence: Mythic Patterns in Mark Twainâ €™s â€Å"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.† Satire Newsletter 1.2 (1964): 41-44. Print. Twain, Mark. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. New York : Philip C. Duschnes, 1932. Print. This research paper on The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain was written and submitted by user Jamir Kirk to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.