1346 – The Battle of Crecy – For the French, very messy!

‘On his arrival back home!

Edward falls out with the man who sits under Canterbury Cathedral’s great dome!’

However delicious Edward’s victory at Sluys may have tasted, trouble lay ahead. The war with Philip had left him heavily in debt. In a furious frame of mind, the king blamed his chief advisers, especially the Archbishop of Canterbury John Stratford, for his predicament. This was quite unreasonable as Stratford had been opposed to his French adventure. Nevertheless, Edward wrote to the Pope claiming that Stratford had deliberately withheld  funds from him in order to cause his defeat, and even death. Edward’s fury knew no bounds and so frightened was the Archbishop that he fled London to take sanctuary in Canterbury Cathedral. After a particularly nasty argument, Edward made up with the Archbishop of Canterbury in late 1340.

Brittany was the scene of Edward’s next attempt to topple King Philip VI of France. In April 1341, the Duke of Brittany died and the succession was disputed by two claimants. Edward supported John of Montfort as duke on condition that he pay fealty to him as king of France.

Brittany would give Edward a much needed foothold with which to undermine Philip, and hopefully win the French throne for himself. Edward achieved a number of victories but did not make a decisive breakthrough. In the process, he managed through his greed,  to ruin the business of many an Italian banker by his refusal to repay his loans. The king returned to England to prepare for a large-scale invasion of France. However, Edward would need the support of the English military class for such an undertaking. He embarked on a public relations campaign describing the rich pickings that lay across the Channel in France. Edward decided to appeal to their more noble instincts.

‘Come hither you lusty knights, for of you in France I have great need!

The risks are of course there, but the rich rewards will satisfy even the greatest greed!

For I intend to kick Philip VI from the throne of France with an almighty boot!

And in the process I guarantee that you will receive huge bundles of  glorious loot!’

Ever the showman, Edward held magnificent jousting tournaments at a newly rebuilt Windsor castle in 1344. The English nobility were invited to come and demonstrate their mastery of the martial arts in front of the king and the aristocracy. It was a sumptuous affair replete with references to the Arthurian legends of yore, which acted as a backdrop to the contemporary monarchy of Edward. The king and his warrior class would be the new knights of the Round Table. Of course, their first show of strength would be the armies of King Philip VI of France.

A jousting tournament.

Edward’s advertising campaign worked and the magnates of England enthusiastically backed Edward’s planned invasion of France. The English invasion force landed on the Normandy coast in July 1346. After leaving an enormous swathe of death and destruction across northern France, Edward engaged Philip’s army at the small town of Crecy-en-Ponthieu on August 26th 1346. Morale amongst the English forces was high as Edward, true to his word, had provided them with ample opportunity to loot the region to their heart’s content.

‘We the valiant knights and soldiers of King Edward’s army have lately become quite rich!

Therefore, we will fight with courage and skill, because we will not leave our valuables behind in some French ditch!’

King Edward faced an army three times larger than his own, but he was quietly confident of victory over the French. Characteristically, he visited the soldiers and encouraged them with his natural bonhomie and good humour. Probably the main reason for his sense of confidence was his faith in the skills of his bowmen. In this he would be proved correct. The range and speed of the longbow would reap a plentiful harvest of death. As for the French, Philip, against his better judgement allowed himself to be persuaded by his commanders to advance against the English immediately. As they did so, the French forces were cut down by the English archers who could despatch perhaps twelve arrows a minute. This was in contrast with the Italian crossbow men fighting with the French who could fire only four bolts a minute.

The Battle of Crecy, August 1346.

As the thousands of arrows flew through the air, they made a terrible roar!

Amongst the flower of France’s finest knights, much blood did they draw!’

The skill of the bowmen was complemented by Edward’s superb organisation. He made sure that they were adequately supplied with arrows by a relay of servants who kept the bowmen up to strength at all times. The result was carnage, pure and simple, amongst the French forces. After the volley of arrows ceased, Edward’s foot soldiers would advance and despatch the wounded French with gusto and relish. Some 12,000 or more of the French army perished on that balmy summer evening in 1346 whilst English losses numbered but a hundred.

‘So there lay the bodies of the fighting French folk!

The green fields of Crecy with their blood they did soak!

Edward was in a state of elation.