Siege of Breteuil

A siege is like a super long game of keep-away! Imagine a big castle, and a whole army surrounds it, trying to get inside. They don't let anyone in or out! The people inside have to be very brave and have lots of food. This happened a long, long time ago in a town called Breteuil in France. It was a big deal because whoever controlled the town was like the boss of that area!

In 1356, French soldiers decided they wanted Breteuil. They built a big camp all around it, like a giant circle. But the people inside were super prepared! They had food for a whole year, which is like having enough snacks for all of school! An English army even snuck in to help them with more food. The French tried to dig tunnels under the walls, but it didn't work!

The French army had some really cool, but scary, toys! They brought a giant wooden tower on wheels, so tall it was probably taller than a giraffe! They pushed it up to the castle walls to try and climb over. But the brave defenders inside were ready! They set the giant tower on fire, and the French soldiers had to run away. Ouch!

After a long time, the French king decided it was too hard to get into Breteuil. He gave the people inside some money and let them leave. Then, the French army went to fight another English army. This fight was super important and ended with the French king being captured! So, even though the French didn't get Breteuil, they had a much bigger problem later.