Battle of Blanchetaque

Overview

The Battle of Blanchetaque was fought on 24 August 1346 between an English army under King Edward III and a French force commanded by Godemar du Fay. The battle was part of the Crécy campaign, which took place during the early stages of the Hundred Years' War. After landing in the Cotentin Peninsula on 12 July, the English army had burnt a path of destruction through some of the richest lands in France to within 20 miles (32 km) of Paris, sacking a number of towns on the way. The English then marched north, hoping to link up with an allied Flemish army which had invaded from Flanders. They were outmanoeuvred by the French king, Philip VI, who garrisoned all of the bridges and fords over the River Somme and followed the English with his own field army. The area had previously been stripped of food stocks by the French, and the English were essentially trapped.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Blanchetaque was fought on 24 August 1346 as a critical passage engagement during the Crécy campaign of the Hundred Years' War. Following their landing in the Cotentin Peninsula on 12 July, the English under Edward III had driven through some of France's richest territories, reaching within 20 miles of Paris before turning north to link with an allied Flemish army invading from Flanders. Philip VI countered by garrisoning every bridge and ford over the River Somme and pursuing the English with his field army while the surrounding area had been stripped of food stocks, effectively trapping the English force. The crossing at Blanchetaque, held by Godemar du Fay's 3,500-strong force, was therefore a strategic necessity rather than an opportunistic engagement. With French casualties recorded at 2,000 against an English force of 5,000, the English forced the crossing and broke the encirclement, freeing Edward III to continue north. The battle was a direct prerequisite for the subsequent engagement at Crécy, where the broader campaign would reach its decisive conclusion.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)