Battle of the Spurs

Battle of Guinegate
Part of the War of the League of Cambrai
Date August 16, 1513 Location Guinegate, France Result Decisive English victory
Belligerents
France	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Jacques de la Palice	Henry VIII
Strength
40,000	30,000

The Battle of the Spurs or Battle of Guinegate took place on August 16, 1513. As part of the Holy League under the on-going Italian Wars, English troops under Henry VIII defeated a French army under Marshal La Palice.

The English Army that fought at the Battle of Guinegate were Provided by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Wolsey was also responsible for the strategy used to defeat the French. The English forces included cavalry,artillery, infantry and longbows using hardened steel arrows designed to penetrate armour more effectively. The French forces were mostly companies of gendarmes and pikemen.

Called "Battle of the Spurs" because of the haste of the French to leave the battlefield, it took place at Guinegate (now Enguinegatte, France). According to myth there was no actual battle, the English only saw the spurs of the fleeing French cavalry.

At the end of the battle the citys of therouanne and tournai were in the hands of Henry VIII of England