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{{Short description|1346 English victory during the Hundred Years' War}}
{{Redirect2|Crecy|Crécy}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
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| coordinates = {{coord|50|15|23|N|01|53|16|E|type:event_region:FR-80|display=inline,title}}
| result = English victory
| combatant1 =
| combatant2 = {{plainlist|
*
*
| commander1 = {{plainlist|
*
*
*
| commander2 = {{plainlist|
*
*
*
*
*
*
*[[Charles I, Lord of Monaco]]
*[[Antonio Doria]]{{KIA}}}}
| strength1 = 7,000–15,000
| strength2 = 20,000–30,000<br>• 8,000 [[Man-at-arms|men-at-arms]]<br>• 2,000–6,000 crossbowmen<br>• Unknown infantry
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| map_type = France
| map_relief = yes
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Philip sent orders to Duke John of Normandy insisting that he abandon the siege of Aiguillon and march his army north, which after delay and vacillation he did on 20 August – though he would ultimately not arrive in time to change the course of events in the north.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|pp=512–513, 514, 519, 539}} The French army outside Paris consisted of some 8,000 [[men-at-arms]], 6,000 crossbowmen, and many infantry [[Feudal levies|levies]]. Philip sent a challenge on 14 August suggesting that the two armies do battle at a mutually agreed time and place in the area. Edward indicated that he would meet Philip to the south of the Seine, without actually committing himself. On 16 August the French moved into position; Edward promptly burnt down Poissy, destroyed the bridge there, and marched north.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|pp=517–519, 520}}{{sfn|Harari|1999|p=385}}
The French had carried out a [[scorched earth]] policy, carrying away all stores of food and so forcing the English to spread out over a wide area to forage, which greatly slowed them. Bands of French peasants attacked some of the smaller groups of foragers. Philip reached the River Somme a day's march ahead of Edward. He based himself at [[Amiens]] and sent large detachments to hold every bridge and ford across the Somme between Amiens and the sea. The English were now trapped in an area which had been stripped of food. The French moved out of Amiens and advanced westwards, towards the English. They were now willing to give battle, knowing they would have the advantage of
Edward was determined to break the French blockade of the Somme{{sfn|Ormrod|2012|p=277}} and probed at several points, vainly attacking [[Hangest-sur-Somme|Hangest]] and [[Pont-Remy]] before moving west along the river. English supplies were running out and the army was ragged, starving and beginning to suffer from a drop in morale.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|p=521}} On the evening of 24 August the English were encamped north of [[Acheux-en-Vimeu|Acheux]] while the French were {{convert|6|mi|km|sigfig=1}} away at [[Abbeville]]. During the night the English marched on a tidal ford named [[Blanchetaque]]. The far bank was defended by a force of 3,500 French. [[English longbow]]men and mounted men-at-arms waded into the tidal river and after [[Battle of Blanchetaque|a short, sharp fight]] routed the French. The main French army had followed the English, and their scouts captured some stragglers and several wagons, but Edward had broken free of immediate pursuit. Such was the French confidence that Edward would not ford the Somme that the area beyond had not been denuded, allowing Edward's army to plunder it and resupply.{{sfn|Hardy|2010|pp=64–65}}{{sfn|Burne|1999|pp=156–160}}
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The English army was divided in three battalions, or "[[Battle (formation)|battles]]", deployed in a column.{{sfnm|1a1=Rogers|1y=2000|1p=266|2a1=Prestwich|2y=2007b|2pp=143–144|3a1=Sumption|3y=1990|3p=527}} The King's son, [[Edward the Black Prince|Edward, Prince of Wales]], aided by the earls of [[William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton|Northampton]] and [[Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick|Warwick]] (the 'constable' and 'marshal' of the army, respectively), commanded the vanguard{{sfn|Ayton|2007c|p=163}} with 800 men-at-arms, 2,000 archers and 1,000 foot soldiers including Welsh spearmen.{{sfnm|1a1=Prestwich|1y=2007b|1p=143|2a1=Ayton|2y=2007c|2pp=163, 164–165 (note 27)|3a1=Livingstone|3a2=Witzel|3y=2004|3p=275}} To its left, the other battle was led by the [[Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel|Earl of Arundel]],{{sfnm|1a1=Prestwich|1y=2007b|1pp=143, 149|2a1=Ayton|2y=2007c|2pp=163, 164–165 (note 28)}} with 800 men-at-arms and 1,200 archers. Behind them, the King commanded the reserve battle, with 700 men-at-arms and 2,000 archers.{{sfnm|1a1=Rothero|1y=1981|1p=7|2a1=Livingstone|2a2=Witzel|2y=2004|2p=275–277}} Each division was composed of men-at-arms in the centre, all on foot, with ranks of spearmen immediately behind them, and with longbowmen on each flank and in a [[Skirmisher|skirmish]] line to their front.{{sfn|Rogers|2010|pp=438–440}}{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|p=359}} Many of the longbowmen were concealed in small woods, or by lying down in ripe wheat.{{sfn|DeVries|2015|p=317}} The [[train (military)|baggage train]] was positioned to the rear of the whole army, where it was circled and fortified, to serve as a park for the horses, a defence against any possible attack from the rear and a rallying point in the event of defeat.{{sfn|DeVries|1998|p=161}}{{sfn|Livingstone|Witzel|2004|pp=277, 278}}
Around noon on 26 August French scouts, advancing north from Abbeville, came in sight of the English. The crossbowmen, under [[Antonio Doria]] and [[Charles I, Lord of Monaco|Carlo Grimaldi]], formed the French [[vanguard]]. Following was a large battle of mounted men-at-arms led by Count [[Charles II, Count of Alençon|Charles of Alençon]], Philip's brother, accompanied by the blind King [[John of Bohemia]]. The next battle was led by Duke [[Rudolph, Duke of Lorraine|Rudolph of Lorraine]] and Count [[Louis II, Count of Blois|Louis of Blois]], while Philip commanded the rearguard.{{sfn|Neillands|2001|p=100}} As news filtered back that the English had turned to fight, the French contingents sped up, jostling with each other to reach the front of the column. The Italians stayed in the van, while the mounted men-at-arms left their accompanying infantry and wagons behind.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|p=526}}{{sfn|Strickland|Hardy|2011|p=31}} Discipline was lost; the French were hampered by the absence of their Constable, who was normally responsible for marshalling and leading their army, but who had been captured at Caen.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|pp=507–511}}{{sfn|Livingstone|Witzel|2004|pp=282–283}} Once it halted, men, especially infantry, were continually joining Philip's battle as they marched north west from Abbeville.{{sfn|Rogers|2010|pp=438–440}}{{sfn|Sumption|1990|p=526}}
After reconnoitring the English position, a [[council of war]] was held where the senior French officials, who were completely confident of victory, advised an attack, but not until the next day.{{sfn|Prestwich|2007b|p=147}} The army was tired from a 12-mile march, and needed to reorganise so as to be able to attack in strength.{{sfn|Schnerb|2007|pp=270–271}} It was also known that the [[Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy|Count of Savoy]], with more than 500 men-at-arms, was marching to join the French and was nearby.{{sfn|Schnerb|2007|pp=269, 271}} (He intercepted some of the French survivors the day after the battle).{{sfn|Schnerb|2007|p=269}} Despite this advice, the French attacked later the same afternoon; it is unclear from the contemporary sources whether this was a deliberate choice by Philip, or because too many of the French knights kept pressing forward and the battle commenced against his wishes.{{sfn|DeVries|1998|pp=166–167}} Philip's plan was to use the long-range missiles of his crossbowmen to soften up the English infantry and disorder, and possibly dishearten, their formations, so as to allow the accompanying mounted men-at-arms to break into their ranks and rout them.{{sfn|DeVries|1998|p=175}}{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|p=369}} Modern historians have generally considered this to have been a practical approach, and one with proven success against other armies.{{sfn|Mitchell|2008|pp=248–249}}
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===Cavalry charges===
Alençon's [[Battle (formation)|battle]] (division of the army) then launched a [[Charge (warfare)|cavalry charge]]. This was disordered by its impromptu nature, by having to force its way through the fleeing Italians, by the muddy ground, by having to charge uphill, and by the pits dug by the English.{{sfn|Bennett|1994|p=7}} The attack was further broken up by the heavy and effective shooting from the English archers, which caused many casualties.{{sfn|Rogers|1998|p=240}} It is likely the archers preserved their ammunition until they had a reasonable chance of penetrating the French armour, which would be at a range of about {{convert|80|m|ft}}.{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|p=371}} The armoured French riders had some protection, but their horses were completely unarmoured and were killed or wounded in large numbers.{{sfn|Livingstone|Witzel|2004|p=290}} Disabled horses fell, spilling or trapping their riders and causing following ranks to swerve to avoid them and fall into even further disorder.{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|p=373}} Wounded horses fled across the hillside in panic.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|pp=528–529}} By the time the tight formation of English men-at-arms and spearmen received the French charge it had lost much of its impetus.{{sfn|DeVries|1998|pp=170–171}}
[[File:Battle of Crécy - Grandes Chroniques de France (c.1415), f.152v - BL Cotton MS Nero E II.jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=A colourful and stylised picture of late-Medieval cavalry battle|{{center|Battle of Crécy, as envisaged 80 years after the battle}}]]
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How many times the French charged is disputed, but they continued late into the night,{{sfn|Rogers|2010|pp=438–440}} with the dusk and then dark disorganising the French yet further.{{sfn|Prestwich|2007b|p=157}} All had the same result: fierce fighting followed by a French retreat. In one attack the Count of Blois dismounted his men and had them advance on foot; the Count's body was found on the field.{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|p=375}} The French nobility stubbornly refused to yield. There was no lack of courage on either side.{{sfn|Prestwich|2007b|p=157}} Famously, blind King John of Bohemia tied his horse's [[bridle]] to those of his attendants and galloped into the twilight; all were dragged from their horses and killed.{{sfn|Sumption|1990|p=529}}{{sfn|DeVries|1998|p=172}} There are accounts of entire English battles advancing on occasion to clear away broken French charges milling in front of them, then withdrawing in good order to their original positions.{{sfn|Ayton|Preston|2007|pp=375, 376}}
Philip himself was caught up in the fighting, had two horses killed
==Casualties==
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|first=Michael
|date=2022
|title=Crécy:
|url=
|location=Oxford
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*{{cite journal |last=Rogers |date=1998 |first=Clifford |title=The Efficacy of the English Longbow: A Reply to Kelly DeVries |journal=[[War in History]] |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=233–242 |url=http://militaryrevolution.s3.amazonaws.com/Primary%20sources/Longbow.pdf |doi=10.1177/096834459800500205 |s2cid=161286935 |author-link=Clifford J. Rogers |access-date=22 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203143415/http://militaryrevolution.s3.amazonaws.com/Primary%20sources/Longbow.pdf |archive-date=3 February 2019 |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |last=Rogers |date=2000 |first=Clifford |title=War Cruel and Sharp: English Strategy under Edward III, 1327–1360 |publisher=Boydell Press |place=Woodbridge, Suffolk |isbn=978-0-85115-804-4 |url=https://www.academia.edu/24240867 |access-date=9 April 2016 |archive-date=15 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315000842/https://www.academia.edu/24240867 |url-status=live }}
*{{Cite book |last1=Rogers |first1=Clifford |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NpvdaSE__kC&q=battle+of+bergerac&pg=PA101 |title=The Bergerac Campaign (1345) and the Generalship of Henry of Lancaster
*{{cite book |title=Soldiers' Lives Through History |last=Rogers |first=Clifford J. |year=2007 |publisher=Greenwood |location=Westport |isbn=978-0-313-33350-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Rogers |first=Clifford J. |date=2008 |chapter=The Battle of Agincourt|editor1-last=Villalon|editor1-first=L. J. Andrew|editor2-first=Kagay|editor2-last=Donald J. |title=The Hundred Years' War (Part II): Different Vistas |location=Leiden |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-474-4283-7}}
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*''Rotuli Parliamentorum''. Edited by J. Strachey et al., 6 vols. London: 1767–1783.
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[[Category:1346 in England]]
[[Category:1346 in France]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Battles involving Bohemia|Crécy]]
[[Category:Battles of the Hundred Years' War|Crécy]]
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