from the martyrdom of St. Stephen. The porch and exterior wall have been overrestored
in this century.
The Pont Valentré, despite the loss of its barbican, remains one of the most impressive
examples of military architecture of the 14th century.
Jean M.French
[See also: PÉRIGUEUX; QUERCY]
Bratke, Elke. Das Nordportal der Kathedrale Saint-Étienne in Cahors. Freiburg im Breisgau:
Rauscher-Druck, 1977.
Durliat, Marcel. “La cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Cahors, architecture et sculpture.” Bulletin
monumental 137(1979): 285–340.
Rey, Raymond. “Cahors.” Congrèsarchéologique(Figeac, Cahors et Rodez) 100(1937):216–65.
Vidal, Marguerite, Jean Maury, and Jean Porcher. Quercy roman. La Pierre-qui-vire: Zodiaque,
1969.
CALAIS
. Originating as a fishing village along the northern coast of France, Calais (Pas-de-
Calais) began to prosper first under Arnulf I, count of Flanders, who in 938 gave the
village and nearby land to the monks of Saint-Bertin, and later under Gérard de Gueldre,
the count of Boulogne, who in 1224 fortified it and established it as a town. In 1346,
Calais was besieged by Edward III in one of the early engagements of the Hundred
Years’ War. Fresh from victory at the Battle of Crécy, the English army besieged Calais
because of its strategic location, lying only twenty-three miles from Dover, and because
of its proximity to their allies in the southern Low Countries. The English forces, perhaps
numbering 30,000, constructed large siegeworks that completely cut the town off from all
land and most sea commerce. Calais was besieged for nearly a year. Its inhabitants held
out, hoping for relief from their king, Philip VI. Finally, in July 1347, Philip arrived at
Calais with a relief army, but he was unable to raise the siege. The French retreated to
Paris, and the town surrendered on August 4, 1347. The captors exiled all French citizens
of the town, replacing them with English merchants and soldiers.
Calais remained an English possession for more than 200 years, despite several
attempts to return it to French control, including another extended but unsuccessful siege
in 1435–36 by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy. In 1558, it was recaptured by François
de Lorraine, duke of Guise.
Kelly De Vries
[See also: CRÉCY; HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR; PHILIP VI]
Daumet, Georges. Calais sous la domination anglaise. Arras: Répessé-Crépel, 1902.
DeVries, Kelly. “Hunger, Flemish Participation and the Flight of Philip VI: Contemporary
Accounts of the Siege of Calais, 1346–47.” Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History 12
(1991):129–81.
Lennel, F. Histoire de Calais. 2 vols. Calais: Peumery, 1910.
Viard, Jules. “Le siège de Calais.” Moyen âge 40(1929):129–89.
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 306