The Battle of Crécy was fought on 26 August 1346 in north-east France
during the Hundred Years' War. It resulted in a victory for a greatly
outnumbered English army led by King Edward III over the French led by
King Philip VI and heavy loss of life among the French. The English
prepared a defensive position on a hillside near Crécy-en-Ponthieu.
After the French mercenary crossbowmen were routed by English
longbowmen, French cavalry made repeated charges. They had to force
their way uphill over muddy ground across pits dug by the English, while
taking heavy casualties from the longbowmen. The ensuing hand-to-hand
combat against the English men-at-arms was described as "murderous,
without pity, cruel, and very horrible". The French charges continued
late into the night, all with the same fierce fighting, until the French
were repulsed. The battle established the effectiveness of the longbow
as a dominant weapon on the Western European battlefield.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1071:
Byzantine–Seljuq wars: Seljuk Turks led by Alp Arslan
captured Byzantine emperor Romanos IV at the Battle of Manzikert.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manzikert>
1914:
First World War: The German colony of Togoland surrendered to
French and British forces after a 20-day campaign.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togoland_Campaign>
1970:
Betty Friedan and the National Organization for Women organized
the Women's Strike for Equality in New York City, in which 50,000 women
protested the continuing lack of gender equality.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Strike_for_Equality>
1980:
A bomb was planted at Harvey's Resort Hotel (detonation
pictured) in Stateline, Nevada, which the FBI later described as the
most complex improvised explosive device ever created.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey%27s_Resort_Hotel_bombing>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
doldrums:
1. Usually preceded by the: a state of apathy or lack of interest; a
situation where one feels boredom, ennui, or tedium; a state of
listlessness or malaise.
2. (nautical) Usually preceded by the: the state of a sailing ship when
it is impeded by calms or light, baffling winds, and is unable to make
progress.
3. (nautical, oceanography, by extension) Usually preceded by the: a
part of the ocean near the equator where calms, squalls, and light,
baffling winds are common.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/doldrums>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then
there is no hurt, but only more love.
--Mother Teresa
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa>