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
_______________________________ 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
_____________________________ 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
___________________________ 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