Editing Battle of Poitiers (section)

===1356===
{{more|Lancaster's Normandy chevauchée of 1356}}

The English troops resumed the offensive from Gascony after Christmas{{sfn|Sumption|1999|pp=191–192}} to great effect. More than 50 French-held towns or fortifications were captured during the following four months,{{sfn|Burne|1999|p=259}} including strategically important towns close to the borders of Gascony,{{sfn|Curry|2002|p=43}} and others more than {{convert|80|mi}} away.{{sfn|Sumption|1999|pp=191–193}} Local French commanders did not attempt countermeasures.{{sfn|Sumption|1999|p=192}}{{sfn|Madden|2014|p=359}} Several members of the local French nobility changed allegiance to the English; the Black Prince received [[Homage (feudal)|homage]] from them on 24{{nbs}}April 1356.{{sfn|Sumption|1999|p=193}}{{sfn|Madden|2014|p=347}}
[[File:JeanIIdFrance.jpg|thumb|upright=0.78|alt=A bearded man with long red hair|{{center|Contemporary image of John{{nbs}}II}}]]

Money and enthusiasm for the war were running low in France.{{sfn|Sumption|1999|p=102}} The modern historian [[Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption|Jonathan Sumption]] describes the French national administration as "fall[ing] apart in jealous acrimony and recrimination".{{sfn|Sumption|1999|p=111}} A contemporary chronicler recorded "the King of France was severely hated in his own realm". The town of [[Arras]] rebelled and killed loyalists. The major nobles of [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]] refused to pay taxes. On 5{{nbs}}April 1356 John arrested the notoriously treacherous [[Charles II of Navarre|Charles{{nbs}}II, king of Navarre]], one of the largest landholders in Normandy{{sfn|Rogers|2014|pp=332–334}}{{#tag:ref|Known as "Charles the Bad", he had repeatedly plotted with the English and in 1354 had murdered the [[constable of France]], one of John's closest advisers, in his bedroom and boasted of it.{{sfn|Sumption|1999|pp=124–125}}{{sfn|Wagner|2006b|pp=93–94}}|group=note}} and nine more of his more outspoken critics; four were summarily executed.{{sfn|Rogers|2014|pp=332–334}} The Norman nobles who had not been arrested turned to Edward for assistance.{{sfn|Rogers|2014|p=334}}

Seeing an opportunity, Edward III diverted an expedition planned for Brittany under Henry of Lancaster to Normandy in late June. Lancaster set off with 2,300 men{{sfn|Rogers|2014|p=341, 341 n.70}} and pillaged and burnt his way eastward across Normandy.{{sfn|Rogers|2014|pp=342, 344}} King John moved to [[Rouen]] with a much stronger force, hoping to intercept Lancaster.{{sfn|Rogers|2014|p=345 n. 83}} After relieving and re-victualling the besieged fortifications of [[Breteuil, Eure|Breteuil]] and [[Pont-Audemer]] the English stormed and sacked the town of [[Verneuil-sur-Avre|Verneuil]].{{sfn|Fowler|1969|p=152}}{{sfn|Burne|1999|pp=265–267}} John pursued, but bungled several opportunities to bring the English to battle and they escaped.{{sfn|Rogers|2014|pp=346–347}}{{sfn|Burne|1999|p=268}} In three weeks the expedition had, with few casualties, seized a large amount of loot including many horses, cemented new alliances, and damaged the French economy and prestige. The French King returned to Breteuil and re-established the siege, where he continued to be distracted from the English preparations for a greater {{lang|fr|chevauchée}} from south-west France.{{sfn|Fowler|1969|p=153}}{{sfn|Rogers|2014|pp=342, 345, 347}}