Battle of Caen

Significance

The Battle of Caen in 1346 was part of Edward III's chevauchée through Normandy during the opening phase of the Hundred Years' War. The English force of 12,000 faced a French garrison of 1,500 under Raoul, Count of Eu, and inflicted approximately 5,000 casualties on the French side, a disproportion that reflects the scale of the English operational success. The fall of Caen, a major Norman city, gave Edward III a significant early victory in his campaign and demonstrated the vulnerability of French territorial holdings to sustained English military pressure. The engagement formed part of the broader strategic momentum that would carry Edward's army toward the decisive confrontation at Crécy later that summer.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)