Pale of Calais

The Pale of Calais (French: Calaisis) is a historical region of France that was controlled by the Kingdom of England.

After the Battle of Crécy in 1346, Edward III of England, having renounced the throne of France, kept some territory within France, namely Aquitaine and the area around Calais, under the Treaty of Brétigny, signed on the 8 May 1360. The area of the Pale of Calais comprised the communes of: Andres, Balinghem, Bonningues-lès-Calais, Calais, Campagne-lès-Guines, Coquelles, Coulogne, Fréthun, Guemps, Guînes, Hames-Boucres, Hervelinghen, Marck, Nielles-lès-Calais, Nouvelle-Église, Offekerque, Oye-Plage, Peuplingues, Pihen-lès-Guînes, Sangatte, Saint-Pierre (Calais absorbed Saint-Pierre-lès-Calais inhabited with 33 290 habitants in 1885, now southern part of Calais), Saint-Tricat, and Vieille-Église.

By 1453, at the end of the Hundred Years' War, it was the only part of France to remain in English hands. It was controlled by England until the area was finally ceded to France in 1558 by Mary of England after French troops, led by Francis, Duke of Guise, took the town of Calais.

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