THE BATTLE OF CRÉCY
The Chronicles of Froissart
THE BATTLE OF CRÉCY
A translated extract from Froissart's Chronicles on history of the Hundred Years' War written in the 14th century by Jean Froissart
OF THE ORDER OF THE ENGLISHMEN AT CRESSY, AND HOW THEY MADE THREE BATTLES AFOOT
On the Friday, as I said before, the king of England lay in the fields, for the country was plentiful of wines and other victuals. If need had been, they had provision following in carts and other carriages. That night the king made a supper for all his chief lords of his host and made them good cheer. When they had all departed to take their rest, the king entered into his oratory and kneeled down before the altar, praying to God devoutly that if he fought the next day, he might achieve the journey to his honour. Then about midnight he laid himself down to rest, and in the morning, he rose early and heard mass. The prince, his son, was with him, and most of his company were confessed and housel. After the mass was said, he commanded every man to be armed and to draw to the field to the same place previously appointed.
The king caused a park to be made by the wood side behind his host, and all carts were set and carriages, and within the park were all their horses, for every man was afoot. This park had but one entry. He then ordained three battles. In the first was the young prince of Wales, with him the earl of Warwick and Oxford, the lord Godfrey of Harcourt, sir Raynold Cobham, sir Thomas Holland, the lord Stafford, the lord of Mohun, the lord Delaware, sir John Chandos, sir Bartholomew de Burghersh, sir Robert Nevill, the lord Thomas Clifford, the lord Bourchier, the lord de Latimer, and various other knights and squires that I cannot name. They were eight hundred men of arms and two thousand archers, and a thousand others with the Welshmen. Every lord drew to the field appointed under his own banner and pennon. In the second battle was the earl of Northampton, the earl of Arundel, the lord Ros, the lord Lucy, the lord Willoughby, the lord Basset, the lord of Saint-Aubin, sir Louis Tufton, the lord of Multon, the lord Lascelles and various others, about eight hundred men of arms and twelve hundred archers. The third battle had the king, with seven hundred men of arms and two thousand archers.
The king then leapt on a hobby with a white rod in his hand, one of his marshals on one side and the other on the other side. He rode from rank to rank, asking every man to heed that day to his right and honour. He spoke so sweetly and with such a good countenance and merry cheer that all those who were discomfited took courage in seeing and hearing him. When he had thus visited all his battles, it was then nine of the day. He caused every man to eat and drink a little, and so they did at their leisure. Afterward, they ordered their battles again; then every man lay down on the earth with his salet and bow beside him, to be fresher when their enemies should come.
The Battle of Crécy, from a 15th-century illuminated manuscript of Jean Froissart's Chronicles
THE ORDER OF THE FRENCHMEN AT CRESSY, AND HOW THEY BEHELD THE DEMEANOUR OF THE ENGLISHMEN
This Saturday, the French king rose early and heard mass in Abbeville in his lodging in the abbey of Saint Peter, and he departed after sunrise. When he was two leagues out of the town, approaching his enemies, some of his lords said to him: 'Sir, it would be good if you arranged your battalions, and let all your footmen go slightly ahead so they are not hampered by the horsemen.' The king then sent four knights, the Moine of Bazeilles, the lord of Noyers, the lord of Beaujeu, and the lord d'Aubigny, to view the English host; they rode so close that they could see part of their behavior. The Englishmen noticed them and understood they had come to observe them. They made no gesture towards them and let them return as they came.
When the French king saw these four knights returning, he waited until they reached him and asked: 'Sirs, what news?' The four knights looked at each other, as none wanted to speak before his peers. Finally, the king addressed the Moine, who was associated with the king of Bohemia and was reputed as one of the bravest knights in the world, and said: 'Sir, you speak.' The Moine replied, 'Sir, since it pleases you, and with respect to my companions, I will speak. We have ridden and observed the behavior of your enemies. You should know they are arranged in three battalions waiting for you. I advise, for my part and with all due respect, that you and all your company rest here tonight. By the time the rearguard arrives, and your battalions are properly arranged, it will be very late. Your troops are weary and disordered, while you'll find your enemies fresh and ready. In the early morning, you can arrange your battalions with more leisure and observe your enemies more deliberately, deciding how best to engage them. They will surely wait for you.'
The king agreed. His two marshals rode, one in the front and the other behind, instructing each banner: 'Wait here, in the name of God and Saint Denis.' Those at the front waited, but those behind kept pushing forward, refusing to wait. They continued to move haphazardly until they could see their enemies. As soon as the front lines saw the English, they retreated in disorder, causing confusion among those behind. They could have advanced in an orderly manner if they had wished. Some pushed on while others hesitated. The common soldiers, who filled the paths between Abbeville and Cressy, unsheathed their swords, shouting: 'Attack! Let's kill them all!' The disarray among the French was indescribable, given their enormous numbers. The events I recount here were told to me by the Englishmen who keenly observed their adversaries, and by certain knights of Sir John of Hainault who always stayed near King Philip and relayed events as they witnessed them.
Battle of Crécy, as envisaged 80 years after the battle
OF THE BATTLE OF CRESSY BETWEEN THE KING OF ENGLAND AND THE FRENCH KING
The Englishmen, who were in three battalions resting on the ground, rose to their feet orderly and calmly as they saw the French approach. They arranged their ranks. The first, which was the prince's battalion, had archers arranged in the form of a harrow with the men-at-arms at the bottom of the formation. The Earl of Northampton and the Earl of Arundel with the second battalion were on a wing, prepared to support the prince's battalion if needed. The French lords and knights did not assemble in good order; some arrived early while others came later, so disorganized that they disrupted one another.
Upon seeing the English, the French king's mood shifted, and he instructed his marshals, "Send the Genoese forward and let them initiate the battle in the name of God and Saint Denis." There were about fifteen thousand Genoese crossbowmen. Exhausted from a six-league march while armed with their crossbows, they told their commanders, "We are not prepared to fight today; we're too fatigued. We need rest." The Earl of Alencon, hearing this, remarked, "It is a heavy burden having such cowards who falter in our greatest time of need."
Around the same time, there was a downpour, accompanied by lightning and thunder. Before the rain, a large number of crows flew over both armies, seemingly spooked by the impending storm. After the rain, the skies cleared, and the sun shone brightly, blinding the French while illuminating the English from behind.
As the Genoese advanced, they shouted to intimidate the English, who remained unmoved. The Genoese repeated their tactic thrice but the English stood their ground. Upon coming within shooting range, the Genoese fired their crossbows. The English archers took one step forward and unleashed a barrage of arrows so dense it resembled a snowstorm. Many Genoese were wounded and retreated, discarding their crossbows. Seeing this, the French king ordered, "Kill these cowards! They're obstructing us without reason." The French men-at-arms charged and killed many of them. However, the English kept firing arrows into the thick of the fight, leading to many casualties among both the French and the Genoese. On the English side, some foot soldiers with large knives attacked the fallen, killing many, which displeased the English king who would have preferred to take prisoners.
The valiant King of Bohemia, Charles of Luxembourg, despite being nearly blind, inquired about his son's whereabouts. Being informed that his son was probably in combat, he asked his men to lead him into battle to land at least one blow. They tied their reins together, placing the king at the forefront. However, the king's son, also named Charles and claiming the title King of Almaine, left the battlefield upon seeing their unfavorable position. The elder Charles did manage to land several blows before he and his company were slain. They were discovered the next day, with all their horses still tied together.
The Earls of Alencon and Flanders engaged the English bravely, but they too were eventually killed, along with many other lords and knights, including the Earls of Blois, Auxerre, and Saint-Pol.
In the evening, with only about sixty men left around him, the French king was advised by Sir John of Hainault to retreat. The king sought refuge in the castle of Broye. When they reached the locked gates, the king identified himself, saying, "Open your gates; this is the fate of France." Recognizing the king's voice, the captain opened the gates. After a brief respite, the king departed for Amiens, where he rested.
That Saturday, the English held their positions without pursuing the fleeing enemy. They defended themselves against all attackers until evening.
Edward III counting the dead on the battlefield of Crécy
HOW THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE BATTLE, THE ENGLISHMEN DISCOMFITED DIVERS FRENCHMEN
On this Saturday, when night had fallen and the Englishmen heard no more noise from the Frenchmen, they considered themselves victorious, believing the Frenchmen to be defeated, slain, or fled. They made large fires and lit torches and candles due to the darkness. The king descended from the small hill where he had been stationed; throughout the day, he had not once donned his helmet. He proceeded with his troops to his son, the prince, embraced and kissed him, saying, "Fair son, may God grant you continued success. You are my true son, having conducted yourself admirably. You are fit to govern a realm." The prince bowed deeply, showing reverence to his father, the king.
That night, they expressed gratitude to God for their successful endeavor, refraining from boasting. The king instructed everyone to remain humble, refraining from boasting, and instead, to offer thanks to God. On Sunday morning, a thick mist enveloped the land, so dense that one couldn't see farther than the width of an acre. Following the king's command, five hundred spearmen and two thousand archers departed from the main force to investigate any potential assembly of French forces.
That same morning, the residents of Abbeville, Saint-Riquiers in Ponthieu, Rouen, and Beauvais, unaware of the previous day's defeat, ventured out. They encountered the Englishmen, mistaking them for fellow Frenchmen. The English, upon seeing them, attacked without hesitation. The ensuing battle was intense, but eventually, the French forces scattered in disarray. Over seven thousand were killed, hidden within hedgerows and behind bushes. Had visibility been better, none would likely have escaped.
Shortly after, the English encountered another French group, including the Archbishop of Rouen and the Grand Prior of France. They too were uninformed of the prior day's defeat and were en route to join the French king for a presumed battle on Sunday. When they clashed with the English forces, despite their numbers, they could not withstand the English onslaught. Nearly all were killed, including the two aforementioned lords. Throughout the morning, English forces also encountered numerous Frenchmen who had become separated and lost during Saturday's battle. All those who were found were killed. It was reported that the casualties among the commoners and foot soldiers from the French cities and towns exceeded by fourfold those from the great battle on Saturday.
HOW THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE BATTLE OF CRÉCY, THE DEAD WERE COUNTED BY THE ENGLISHMEN
On Sunday, after attending mass, King Edward received reports from the scouting parties detailing their observations and actions. They assured the king of the absence of any remaining enemies. The king then commissioned a tally of the dead and their identities. Sir Raynold Cobham, Sir Richard Stafford, and three heralds embarked on this grim task, surveying the battlefield and surrounding areas throughout the day. Returning as the king was about to dine, they reported that eleven major princes had perished, alongside eighty banners, twelve hundred knights, and over thirty thousand other men. (Note: Some sources estimate the casualties among non-knighted ranks to be between 15,000 to 16,000, including townsmen. Both figures might be exaggerated. According to Michael of Northburgh, 1,542 perished in the battle, with approximately 2,000 more on the subsequent day. Among the notable deceased were the King of Bohemia, the Duke of Lorraine, the Earls of Alençon, Flanders, Blois, Auxerre, Harcourt, Saint-Pol, Aumale, as well as the Grand Prior of France and the Archbishop of Rouen.) The English maintained their position on the battlefield that night.
On Monday morning, the king began his departure. The bodies of significant lords were transported to Montreuil for burial in sacred grounds. A three-day truce was proclaimed, allowing locals to scour the Crécy battlefield to inter the dead. The king then approached the town of Montreuil-by-the-Sea. His marshals moved towards Hesdin, setting Waben and Serain ablaze, though the castle remained untouched due to its impressive fortifications and its defenders. They camped that evening near the Hesdin river, close to Blangy. The following day, they advanced towards Boulogne, eventually reaching the town of Wissant. The king and prince rested there for a day, allowing their troops to recuperate. By Wednesday, they stood before the fortified town of Calais.
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