Crécy

Crécy (krāsē') [key], officially Crécy-en-Ponthieu (–äN–pôNtyö') [key], village, Somme dept., N France. A nearby forest is popular for camping. At Crécy, on Aug. 26, 1346, Edward III of England defeated Philip VI of France in the Hundred Years War. The French forces were armed with crossbows and, although outnumbering the English troops, were overwhelmed by the English longbows. The victory enabled the English to reach Calais. Among the combatants were Edward the Black Prince of England and the blind John of Luxembourg, king of Bohemia, who, fighting for the French, died in the battle. Crécy is also known in English as Cressy.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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