Pale of Calais

Pale of Calais
1347–1558
Motto: Veritas Temporis filia
"Truth, the daughter of Time"
The Pale of Calais (yellow) in 1477.
The Pale of Calais (yellow) in 1477.
StatusOverseas possession of England
CapitalCalais
Common languagesEnglish, Dutch, French, Picard
Religion
Official:
Catholic (until 1534); (from 1553)
Church of England (1534-1553)
Others:
Judaism
Lord 
• 1347–1377
Edward III (first)
• 1553–1558
Mary I (last)
Governor 
• 1353
Reynold Cobham (first)
• 1553–1558
Thomas Wentworth (last)
Historical eraLate Middle Ages
3 August 1347
8 May 1360
8 January 1558
2 May 1598
CurrencySterling
Preceded by
Succeeded by
County of Boulogne
Kingdom of France
Today part ofFrance

The Pale of Calais[1] was a territory in northern France ruled by the monarchs of England from 1347 to 1558.[2] The area, which was taken following the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the subsequent siege of Calais, was confirmed at the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360. It became an important economic centre for England in Europe's textile trade centred in Flanders.

The Pale, which was historically part of Flanders, also provided England with a permanent strategic, defensible outpost from which it could plan and launch military action on the continent. Its position on the English Channel meant it could be reinforced, garrisoned and supplied over the short distance by sea. The territory was bilingual with English and Flemish commonly spoken.[3][4][5] It was represented in the Parliament of England by the Calais constituency.

During the reign of Mary I of England, the Pale was unexpectedly retaken by the French following a siege in 1558 during their campaigns against the Spanish (whose king was also married to queen Mary) in the County of Flanders. Subsequently, the English textile trade abandoned Calais and moved to the Habsburg Netherlands.

  1. ^ (Middle English, Cales /ˈkæləs/; West Flemish: Kales; French: Calaisis)
  2. ^ Rose, Susan (2008). Calais: An English Town in France, 1347–1558. pp. 107, 156.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dumitrescu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Rose, Susan (2008). Calais: An English Town in France, 1347–1558. pp. passim.
  5. ^ Sandeman, George Amelius Crawshay (October 2009). Calais under English Rule. BiblioBazaar. pp. 48, 61, 81. ISBN 9781115448154.

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