Key Facts
- English landing force
- ~10,000 men in northern Normandy
- Siege of Calais duration
- 11 months (Sep 1346 – Aug 1347)
- Truce of Calais duration
- Initially 9 months, extended to 1355
- Calais held by England
- 1347–1558 (211 years)
- Battle of Crécy date
- 26 August 1346
Strategic Narrative Overview
Henry, Earl of Derby, achieved swift successes in Gascony from 1345. In 1346 Edward III landed 10,000 troops in Normandy, ravaged the region, sacked Caen, and advanced to within 20 miles of Paris. Turning north, the English crushed Philip VI's army at Crécy on 26 August 1346. Exploiting this victory, Edward immediately besieged Calais, stretching both kingdoms' resources through an eleven-month siege before the port finally surrendered.
01 / The Origins
The Hundred Years' War began in 1337 when England and France clashed over territorial rights and the French crown. After a major flare-up in 1340 and a subsequent lull, Edward III resolved in early 1345 to renew full-scale operations. England sought to press its dynastic claim to the French throne and to defend and expand its holdings in Gascony and northern France against a French monarchy determined to expel English influence.
03 / The Outcome
Calais fell to England in August 1347, providing a vital foothold for English trade and military access into northern France. The Truce of Calais was then agreed, initially for nine months to July 1348 but repeatedly extended until formally set aside in 1355. Calais remained in English hands until 1558, and the broader war continued intermittently until 1453, when England was expelled from all French territory except that port.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Edward III of England, Henry, Earl of Derby.
Side B
1 belligerent
Philip VI of France, John, Duke of Normandy.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.