Hundred Years War
In 1066 a Norman duke became king of England and the fates of England and France became entwined for the next four hundred years.
ANGLIA is pleased to offer an alternative to schools studying medieval history – the opportunity to visit the locations that shaped the future Conqueror, and to which his successors returned to claim their rights.
Crécy
The first of the great English victories of the 100 Years War took place on a small hill beside the great forest of Crécy in August 1346.
Superior English weaponry and tactics, allied to overconfidence and disorganisation on the part of the French, enabled Edward III's army to defeat a force three times its size. it is thought that as many as 10,000 Frenchmen were killed, including perhaps a third of the knights; Edward III may have lost as few as 300 men.
A brutal conflict, this short battle is seen as marking the beginning of the end of the Age of Chivalry. In addition to the killing of the wounded and prisoners, the battle also marked the first occasion when lowly peasants triumphed over the nobility - which at the time was considered 'unsporting'.
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: Agincourt
Day 2: Crécy
Siege of Calais
Agincourt
'Once more unto the breach, dear friends...'
Immortalised by William Shakespeare, the battle of Agincourt is the ultimate story of an unexpected victory against the odds. Henry V's beleaguered troops, vastly outnumbered, weakened by hunger and dysentery, and stranded in a barren, hostile country, stood face to face with a French army possibly five times its size.
In October 1415, on a muddy field in Picardy, they proceeded to demonstrate what could be achieved by a small band of desperate men: taking advantage of French impetuosity, disorganisation and poor leadership, and utilising the devastating fire power of the English long bow, Henry's original 'band of brothers' produced one of the most extraordinary and decisive victories in English military history.
Specifications/topics supported by this tour
KS3 > the Normans, the 100 Years War > Medieval Realms 'The Hundred Years War'
Edexcel Unit 1 > Anglo-French Rivalry, 1413-1453
These tours are suitable for schools studying Medieval European history, at Key Stage 3, GCSE or A’ level.
