Edward remonstrated in vain against these outrages.  At length, having concluded an alliance with Ghent, the chief Flemish city, he boldly claimed the crown of France as his lawful right,[1] and followed the demand with a declaration of war.  Edward based his claim on the fact that through his mother Isabelle he was nephew to the late French King, Charles IV, whereas the reigning monarch was only cousin of that monarch.  To this the French replied that since their law excluded women from the throne, Edward’s claim was worthless, because he could not inherit the crown of France from one who could not herself have worn it.

[1] Claim of Edward III to the French Crown

Philip III (of France)*
(1270-1285)
H
=============H------------------
H                              |
Philip IV                    Charles, Count of
(1285-1314)                    Valois, d. 1325
H                              H
==========================------             Philip VI
H          H        H          |            (of Valois)
Louis X    Philip V  Charles IV  Isabelle       (1328-1350)
(1314-1316) (1316-1322) (1322-1328) m.  Edward II      H
H                            of England        H
John I                            |             John II
(15 No.-19 Nov. 1316)             Edward III       (1350-1364)
of England, 1327

The heavy lines indicate the direct succession.

238.  Battle of Cr’ecy; the “Black Prince,” 1346.

For the next eight years, fighting between the two countries was going on pretty constantly on both land and sea, but without decisive results.  Edward was pressed for money and had to resort to all sorts of expedients to get it, even to pawning his own and the Queen’s crown, to raise enough to pay his troops.  At last he succeeded in equipping a strong force, and with his son, Prince Edward, a lad of fifteen, invaded Normandy.

His plan seems to have been to attack the French army in the south of France; but after landing he changed his mind, and determined to ravage Normandy, and then march north to meet his Flemish allies, who were advancing to join him.  King Edward halted on a little rise of ground not far from Cr’ecy (or Cressy), near the coast, on the way to Calais.  There a desperate battle took place. (See map facing p. 128.)

The French had the larger force, but Edward the better position.  Philip’s army included a number of hired Genoese crossbowmen, on whom he placed great dependence; but a thunderstorm had wet their bowstrings, which rendered them nearly useless, and, as they advanced toward the English, the afternoon sun shone so brightly in their eyes that they could not take accurate aim.  The English archers, on the other hand, had kept their long bows in their cases, so that the strings were dry and ready for action (S270).

In the midst of the fight, the Earl of Warwick, who was hard pressed by the enemy, became alarmed for the safety of young King Edward.  He sent to the King, asking reenforcements.