Corbeil

Corbeil stands where the Essonne joins the Seine, upstream from Paris. Its bridge and mills made the town valuable to the capital, while a great square keep overlooking the Seine and a castle on the opposite bank guarded the river crossing. These defences drew Corbeil into the struggle between Armagnac and Burgundian factions during the Hundred Years' War.

In 1418 the town was besieged by forces fighting for the French Dauphin after the Burgundians had taken control of Paris. Control of the Seine crossings mattered for the movement of armies and provisions around the capital. Corbeil's river mills also formed part of a long tradition of supplying flour to Paris, linking the fortified town to the great capital city's daily needs.