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Poitiers

Battles
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A 1356 English victory in the Hundred Years’ War, where King John II of France was captured.

Detailed Definition
Poitiers, like Agincourt, showcased English tactical superiority and chivalric capture. In poetry, it reflects on the paradoxes of knighthood—glory and captivity, honor and defeat—and appears in chronicles and romances as a moment of both triumph and political complication.
Example
Example in poetry:
The Battle of Poitiers (1356) is referenced in medieval chronicles and later poetic reflections on the Black Prince’s capture of King John II of France; poets use Poitiers to explore chivalric ideals and the unpredictability of war; modern historical verse dramatizes the French king’s capture and ransom; Poitiers appears in poetry as a key moment in the Hundred Years’ War; educational poems use Poitiers to teach about medieval tactics and ransom culture; some contemporary poets contrast Poitiers’ aristocratic warfare with later mass conscription.
Additional Notes
Poitiers (1356) was a major English victory in the Hundred Years’ War, where the Black Prince captured King John II of France. Though less famous in poetry than Agincourt, it appears in chronicles and later historical verse as an example of chivalric warfare and ransom culture. Students can use Poitiers to study the economics of medieval war and the role of aristocratic capture. Its tactical brilliance (dismounted men-at-arms) contrasts with later battles, offering a lens into evolving military-poetic representations.
Also Known As
Battle of Poitiers Poitiers 1356
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