aug 26, 1346 - Battle of Crécy
Description:
The Battle of Crécy was an English victory won by flexible tactics and the use of terrain. On August 26, 1346, the outnumbered English, Welsh, and mercenary led by Edward III divided into three “battles” one led by Edward “Black Prince” IV on the right flank, Earl of Northampton William de Bohun on the left, and Edward’s troops in reserve. The English armies took a position on the hillside of Crécy-en-Ponthieu putting the French Knights at an immediate disadvantage. Edward also placed his army so that its left flank was protected by the town of Widicourt and its richt was covered by Crécy itself and Wauters for Philip to come to him.
At about 4pm the French started its advance despite the fact that a rainstorm had occurred rendering the Genoese’s crossbows ineffective due to their wet strings. As French forces began to cross the field the English longbows were able to drive back the French assault.
As the retreating Genoeses were hailed by arrows and cannonballs, the French cavalry began to advance across the where they were hindered by the retreating forces. The cavalry’s relentless attacks on the English positions severely weakened the Black Prince’s division, and when he requested reinforcements from his father’s division the kings reply was, ”I am confident he will repel the enemy without my help. Let the boy win his spurs.”
The battle had gone well into the night when Philip withdrew from the field of battle. He had had two horses shot out from under him and had taken an arrow to the jaw. Soon after the retreat of their king the French army began to trickle away from the battlefield and it the morning a English force of 2,000 longbowmen, supported by 500 spearmen, advanced down the slope and drove away the remaining French troops.
Read more:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-crecy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years%27_War
Added to timeline:
Hundred years war/Edwardian phase
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