Siege of Mercq

On 6 May of 1405,[2] a French army under the command of Waleran III, Count of Ligny and Saint-Pol besieged the English castle at Mercq in Pas-de-Calais.[3]

Siege of Mercq
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date6 May 1405
Location
Mercq, Pas-de-Calais, France
50°27′49″N 2°8′30″E
Result English Victory; French attack army routed
Belligerents
Kingdom of France Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
 Richard Aston
Robert de Berengeville †
Strength

~800

  • 400-500 men-at-arms
  • 50 Genoese crossbowmen
  • 300 Flemish soldiers
 ~500
Casualties and losses
Heavy[1] Light

Siege

The French siege proved futile as English reinforcements under Lieutenant of Calais Sir Richard Aston arrived with the Calais garrison to counterattack and lift the siege.[2] Although surprised by the English attack the French troops manned the trenches, but the Genoese crossbowmen had no bolts and St. Pol's army suffered losses from English archers.[2] The first to flee were the Flemings, quickly followed by the French and Genoese.[2] Waleran III escaped with remnants of his army, but most were either killed or captured. The English captured all the French artillery, four standards, 60-80 prisoners including Jean de Hangest.[2]

French Nobles Killed
  • Andrieux de Rambures, the captain of Boulogne and Gravelines, Governor of West Flanders
  • Jean de Rambures, Governor of Arras
  • Morel de Saveuse
  • Guy Divrigny
  • Courbet de Renty
  • Martel de Vaulhuom
  • Lord of Faiel
  • Lord of Cresecques

French Nobles taken Prisoner

References
  1. Purton 2009, p. 212.
  2. Sumption 2017, p. 161.
  3. Given-Wilson 2008, p. 37.

Sources
  • Given-Wilson, Chris (2008). ""The Quarrel of Old Women": Henry IV, Louis of Orleans, and Anglo-French Chivalric Challenges in the Early Fifteenth Century". In Dodd, Gwilym; Biggs, Douglas (eds.). The Reign of Henry IV: Rebellion and Survival, 1403-1413. York Medieval Press.
  • Purton, Peter Fraser (2009). A History of the Late Medieval Siege, 1200-1500. Boydell & Brewer.
  • Sumption, Jonathan (2017). The Hundred Years War, Volume 4: Cursed Kings. Vol. 4. University of Pennsylvania Press.161
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