The siege of Calais (4 September 1346 – 3 August 1347) marked the conclusion of the Crécy campaign, during the Edwardian phase of the Hundred Years' War. On 26 August 1346, an English army under King Edward III (effigy pictured) inflicted a heavy defeat on a large French army led by King Philip VI at the Battle of Crécy. A week later they invested the well-fortified port of Calais, which had a strong garrison under the command of Jean de Vienne. Edward made several unsuccessful attempts to breach the walls or to take the town by assault. During the winter and spring the French were able to run in supplies and reinforcements by sea, but in late April the English established a fortification which enabled them to command the entrance to the harbour and cut off the further flow of supplies. On 3 August Calais capitulated. The town provided the English with an important strategic lodgement, and was not recaptured by the French until 1558. (This article is part of a featured topic: Hundred Years' War, 1345–1347.).

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_topics/Hundred_Years%27_War,_1345%E2%80%931347

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1903:

Macedonian rebels in Kruševo proclaimed a republic, which existed for ten days before Ottoman forces destroyed the town. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kru%C5%A1evo_Republic

1913:

An agricultural workers' strike in Wheatland degenerated into a riot, becoming one of the first major farm-labor confrontations in California. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatland_hop_riot

1940:

World War II: Italian forces began a conquest of British Somaliland, capturing the region in 16 days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_British_Somaliland

1997:

The Sky Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 m (1,076 ft), opened in Auckland, New Zealand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Tower_%28Auckland%29

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

fine-tooth comb: 1. A comb with fine, closely spaced teeth, especially one used for removing head lice and their nits (eggs) from the hair; a nit comb. 2. (figuratively) A means of making a thorough search. 3. (dated) To comb or go through (hair, an animal's fur, etc.) with a comb having fine, closely spaced teeth. 4. (figuratively) To search (something or somewhere) meticulously. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fine-tooth_comb

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

My fellow Americans, on Saturday, at my direction, the United States successfully concluded an airstrike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed the emir of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. … People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer.  The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm. … After relentlessly seeking Zawahiri for years under Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, our intelligence community located Zawahiri earlier this year. … After carefully considering the clear and convincing evidence of his location, I authorized a precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield once and for all. This mission was carefully planned and rigorously minimized the risk of harm to other civilians.  And one week ago, after being advised that the conditions were optimal, I gave the final approval to go get him, and the mission was a success.  None of his family members were hurt, and there were no civilian casualties.   --Joe Biden https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joe_Biden