The attacks were part of the Hundred Years' War, and led to concerns for the safety of London, just 20 miles away.

The new Trastámara king joined with the French under Jean de Vienne in a series of naval attacks and incursions into England.

During these attacks, the towns of Dartmouth, Folkestone, Hastings, Lewes, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Rottingdean, Rye, Southampton, Wight, and Winchelsea[1][2][3][4] were looted, and many were burned.

In 1379, Henry II died and left his throne to his son, Juan I of Castile, who soon ordered a naval raid in 1379 against the Kingdom of England.

Before it moved to attack the eastern English seaboard, the islands of Jersey and Guernsey were also subject to raids by the fleet.