On September 19, 1356, the English army, led by Edward the Black Prince, decisively defeats the French forces under King John II at the Battle of Poitiers, a major engagement of the Hundred Years' War. The English capture King John, triggering a political crisis in France and leading to the disastrous Treaty of Brétigny in 1360. The battle showcases the tactical superiority of English longbowmen and deepens the feudal destabilization of France.

The Battle of Poitiers becomes a subject of medieval chronicle poetry and ballads in both England and France, celebrating English heroism and French misfortune. It appears in the works of poets like Jean Froissart, who romanticizes chivalric valor, and influences the political poetry of Eustache Deschamps. The event's dramatic narrative of capture and ransom enriches the thematic palette of later epic and historical poetry, underscoring the intersection of war and literature.