>The siege of Calais was fought in early 1558 during the Italian War of 1551–1559. The Pale of Calais had been ruled by England since 1347, during the Hundred Years’ War. By the 1550s, England was ruled by Mary I of England and her husband Philip II of Spain. When the Kingdom of England supported a Spanish invasion of France, Henry II of France sent Francis, Duke of Guise, against English-held Calais, defended by Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth. Following failure in mid-1557, a renewed attack captured the outlying forts of Nieullay and Rysbank and Calais was besieged.
>Thomas, Lord Wentworth, completely overwhelmed by a lightning attack (2500 English vs 27,000 French), handed the keys of the city to the French on 7 January. The booty taken by the French was more than they had hoped for: food for three months and nearly 300 guns. The English defences of Guînes and Hames soon also fell. Henry II of France arrived at Calais on 23 January 1558. France had reconquered the last territory it had lost in the Hundred Years’ War and put an end to two centuries of fighting between England and France.
>In England there was shock and disbelief at the loss of this final Continental territory. The story goes that a few months later Queen Mary, on her death bed, told her ladies: “When I am dead and cut open, they will find Philip and Calais inscribed on my heart.”
>The pale of Calais was a territory in what is now France, whose sovereigns were the monarchs of England following the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
>While English, the province was democratically represented in the Parliament of England by members elected by the free Calais constituency. Historically part of Flanders, the Pale was bilingual: English and Flemish were commonly spoken before the siege.
> During English governance, the weavers of the Pale maintained their output, which industry was a distinctive mark of Flemish culture. At the same time, the Pale performed as an integral part of England in election of its members to Parliament, and as English citizens the Pale sent and received people to and from various parts of the British isles
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>The siege of Calais was fought in early 1558 during the Italian War of 1551–1559. The Pale of Calais had been ruled by England since 1347, during the Hundred Years’ War. By the 1550s, England was ruled by Mary I of England and her husband Philip II of Spain. When the Kingdom of England supported a Spanish invasion of France, Henry II of France sent Francis, Duke of Guise, against English-held Calais, defended by Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth. Following failure in mid-1557, a renewed attack captured the outlying forts of Nieullay and Rysbank and Calais was besieged.
>Thomas, Lord Wentworth, completely overwhelmed by a lightning attack (2500 English vs 27,000 French), handed the keys of the city to the French on 7 January. The booty taken by the French was more than they had hoped for: food for three months and nearly 300 guns. The English defences of Guînes and Hames soon also fell. Henry II of France arrived at Calais on 23 January 1558. France had reconquered the last territory it had lost in the Hundred Years’ War and put an end to two centuries of fighting between England and France.
>In England there was shock and disbelief at the loss of this final Continental territory. The story goes that a few months later Queen Mary, on her death bed, told her ladies: “When I am dead and cut open, they will find Philip and Calais inscribed on my heart.”
>The pale of Calais was a territory in what is now France, whose sovereigns were the monarchs of England following the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
>While English, the province was democratically represented in the Parliament of England by members elected by the free Calais constituency. Historically part of Flanders, the Pale was bilingual: English and Flemish were commonly spoken before the siege.
> During English governance, the weavers of the Pale maintained their output, which industry was a distinctive mark of Flemish culture. At the same time, the Pale performed as an integral part of England in election of its members to Parliament, and as English citizens the Pale sent and received people to and from various parts of the British isles
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1558)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1558))
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_of_Calais](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_of_Calais)
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