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Siege of Mercq

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Siege during the Hundred Years' War
Siege of Mercq
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date6 May 1405
LocationMercq, Pas-de-Calais, France50°27′49″N 2°8′30″E / 50.46361°N 2.14167°E / 50.46361; 2.14167
Result English Victory; French attack army routed
Belligerents
Kingdom of France Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Richard Aston
Robert de Berengeville †
Strength

~800

  • 400-500 men-at-arms
  • 50 Genoese crossbowmen
  • 300 Flemish soldiers
 ~500
Casualties and losses
Heavy Light
Hundred Years' War

On 6 May of 1405, a French army under the command of Waleran III, Count of Ligny and Saint-Pol besieged the English castle at Mercq in Pas-de-Calais.

Siege

The French siege proved futile as English reinforcements under Lieutenant of Calais Sir Richard Aston arrived with the Calais garrison to counterattack and lift the siege. Although surprised by the English attack the French troops manned the trenches, but the Genoese crossbowmen had no bolts and St. Pol's army suffered losses from English archers. The first to flee were the Flemings, quickly followed by the French and Genoese. Waleran III escaped with remnants of his army, but most were either killed or captured. The English captured all the French artillery, four standards, 60-80 prisoners including Jean de Hangest.

French Nobles Killed

  • Andrieux de Rambures, the captain of Boulogne and Gravelines, Governor of West Flanders
  • Jean de Rambures, Governor of Arras
  • Morel de Saveuse
  • Guy Divrigny
  • Courbet de Renty
  • Martel de Vaulhuom
  • Lord of Faiel
  • Lord of Cresecques

French Nobles taken Prisoner

References

  1. Purton 2009, p. 212.
  2. ^ Sumption 2017, p. 161.
  3. Given-Wilson 2008, p. 37.

Sources

  • Given-Wilson, Chris (2008). ""The Quarrel of Old Women": Henry IV, Louis of Orleans, and Anglo-French Chivalric Challenges in the Early Fifteenth Century". In Dodd, Gwilym; Biggs, Douglas (eds.). The Reign of Henry IV: Rebellion and Survival, 1403-1413. York Medieval Press.
  • Purton, Peter Fraser (2009). A History of the Late Medieval Siege, 1200-1500. Boydell & Brewer.
  • Sumption, Jonathan (2017). The Hundred Years War, Volume 4: Cursed Kings. Vol. 4. University of Pennsylvania Press.161
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