I’ve been doing some research on the history of the English longbow and I came across an article which claimed that there were French archers who served in the English army during the Middle Ages. The claim seems plausible enough.The Kings of England at various times controlled large areas of modern day France, such as Normandy and Gascony and people living in those regions would have fought for their vassal, the King of England. Is there evidence to confirm some of these soldiers severed as archers and used the longbow?
u/Big-Goose3408 I apologize if I’m not replying to your post properly. The automod may have removed your reply.
Here is one of the articles I was referencing:
https://www.realmofhistory.com/2016/05/03/10-interesting-facts-english-longbowman/
While the article mainly talks about Welshmen using the longbow, the last paragraph says explicitly that French people from France, specifically Normandy and Gascony, served in the English’s archery divisions.
Additionally, Nicholas A.; Gribit’s book “Henry of Lancaster's Expedition to Aquitaine, 1345-1346” talks about the forces under the command of Bernat-Etz V, Lord of Albret and other Gascon nobles allied with the English in 1345. They are described as “a garrison force of 298 ‘armoured men on horses’ and 1200 ‘foot sergeants, both crossbowmen or archers and spearmen with shields’(pg. 90).” This quote is in the context of Gascon forces in addition to English forces being embarked to fight in Gascony. The implication is there were the French forces already in France allied with the English crown who were archers.