The Battle of Crecy

France, 26th August 1346

On the 26th of August, 1346, a small English army of about 10,000 men faced a numerically superior French/Genoese army of about 24,000. At the end of the battle, Edward III's English army had killed more of Philip VI's men than there were English soldiers.

Banner of Edward III

The French army had finally faced the English near a small village called Crecy in northern France, after refusing battle the day before at Abbeville. Philip VI had unfurled the Oriflamme (a sacred banner used by the Kings of France in times of great danger). The French were so confident in their numerical superiority that they had already decided which English knights they were taking as their prisoners.

Your Humble Author at Crecy

The Genoese contingent of Philip's army were mercenary crossbowmen and they opened the battle by advancing towards the English. Before they could come within crossbow range, they were cut down and routed by the English longbowmen.

Disposition of the Armies

The leading division of French horsemen were so outraged at the actions of the Genoese, that they charged at the English vanguard and rode down the retreating crossbowmen. The English longbowmen brought this charge to a halt with their deadly rain of arrows. In the growing darkness, the rest of the French mounted troops surged forward, thinking that battle had been joined with the English. They crashed into the retreating French horsemen and the remnants of the routed crossbowmen. All the English archers had to do was fire their arrows into the mass of confusion that was the French mounted troops. Some French men-at-arms got through and engaged The Black Prince (Edward's son) in furious combat but were beaten back by the Prince and his men.

Edward's View Of Northampton's Position

Edward's View Of The Black Prince's Position

The Black Prince at Crecy

The French charged fifteen times more, during the night and four more times at dawn, the next day, but were unable to make any headway through the barriers of dead and dying who littered the approach to the English army.

King of Bohemia's Crest

The English losses were given as 40 whilst the French had lost their ally, the King of Bohemia (the Black Prince took the King's feathers and motto, 'Ich Dien' as his own and this can be seen today in the Prince of Wales' crest), 11 princes, an Archbishop, about 1,200 knights and over 8,000 others.

This battle proved the superiority of the English longbow over mounted troops and also established England as a major military power in Europe.

Home/Everest Expedition/Crecy/Agincourt/Bosworth/Sedgemoor/Waterloo

Somme/Rorke's Drift/Anecdotes/Photos/Military Relatives

Facts & Figures/V-Weapons/Purbeck Photos/Links