battle of castillon first battle to use tanks

This would be the first time most of the French had seen such a weapon used in the field.Įdward chose his ground carefully, digging pits in front of his archers and throwing caltrops (sharp spikes designed to stick in horses’ hooves) forward from the English line. A well-trained longbowman could shoot ten aimed arrows per minute, and recent analysis has proven beyond doubt that the special bodkin arrowheads used by the English could penetrate plate armor at a distance greater than 200 meters. The longbow was made of yew and averaged six feet in length. The French host was undoubtedly larger, 20-30,000, and contained the best heavy cavalry in Europe.īut the English had one major advantage – the longbow. The English probably had a little over 10,000 men. To do that, he would have to decisively defeat French field armies and potentially siege Paris.Īfter a short truce arranged by the Pope, Edward once again landed in France and by the summer of 1346 had goaded the main French army into battle near the village of Crecy. Crecy 1346: The Longbow Ascendant English at Battle of Crecy, 1346, via Weapons and WarfareĮdward may have won a naval victory, but victory at sea would never let him gain control of French territory and win the Hundred Years’ War. Edward sustained minor wounds to his hands and thigh during the engagement but was otherwise unhurt.Ģ. There were probably around 10,000 French sailors killed, wounded, and captured, as opposed to a few hundred English.

Most of the French fleet was captured, sunk, or run aground. In the end, it was a very one-sided affair. English arrows were sweeping the decks of French ships even before the English men-at-arms boarded.

The longbow had a much faster rate of fire – a serious advantage in the pell-mell nature of medieval naval combat. But it soon became obvious that the French crossbowmen were no match for the English longbowmen. He drew his fleet up, according to one chronicler, “ so that the wind was on their starboard quarter, in order to have the advantage of the sun.”Īs the English closed the distance, a duel between both forces’ missile troops began. The English were personally led by Edward on board the cog Thomas. It was fought at sea off the coast of Flanders and pitted approximately 200 French ships against a smaller number of English vessels. Sluys was not the traditional medieval battle. Sluys may not be as famous as Crecy, Poitiers, or Agincourt, but it is arguably more important and has cast its shadow over European history ever since. Sluys 1340: First Battle of the Hundred Years’ War Battle of Sluys by William Lionel Wylie, 1340, via National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Battle of castillon first battle to use tanks