Siege of Mercq facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Mercq
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date 6 May 1405 Location Mercq, Pas-de-Calais, France 50°27′49″N 2°8′30″E / 50.46361°N 2.14167°E / 50.46361; 2.14167 Result English Victory; French attack army routed
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Waleran III, Count of Ligny David de Rambures (POW) Andrieux de Rambures  † Jean V de Hangest (POW)	Richard Aston Robert de Berengeville  †
Strength
~800 400-500 men-at-arms 50 Genoese crossbowmen 300 Flemish soldiers	~500
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Light

The Siege of Mercq was a battle that happened on May 6, 1405. It was part of the Hundred Years' War, a long series of conflicts between the French and English kingdoms. In this battle, a French army tried to capture an English castle in a place called Mercq, which is in modern-day France. However, the English forces managed to defend their castle and defeat the French army.

The Battle for Mercq Castle

On May 6, 1405, a French army led by Waleran III, Count of Ligny and Saint-Pol began to attack the English castle at Mercq. This castle was important for the English because of its location in Pas-de-Calais, France. The French hoped to take control of it.

English Reinforcements Arrive

The French attack on the castle didn't go as planned. English help soon arrived from Calais, a nearby English-controlled town. Sir Richard Aston, who was in charge of Calais, led a group of English soldiers to help their friends at Mercq. This group was known as the Calais garrison.

When the English soldiers arrived, they launched a surprise attack on the French army. Even though the French were caught off guard, they quickly got into their fighting positions in the trenches. However, some of their soldiers, the Genoese crossbowmen, didn't have enough arrows for their weapons. This made it hard for them to fight back effectively.

French Retreat

The English archers caused many problems for the French army. The first to run away were the Flemish soldiers, who were part of the French forces. Soon after, the French and Genoese soldiers also started to retreat.

Waleran III, the French commander, managed to escape with some of his remaining soldiers. But many of his men were either captured or didn't survive the battle. The English won a clear victory. They captured all the French cannons and other weapons, along with four of their battle flags. They also took about 60 to 80 prisoners, including an important French noble named Jean de Hangest.

Notable French Losses

During the battle, some important French leaders were either captured or lost their lives.

• Andrieux de Rambures, who was a captain in Boulogne and Gravelines.
• Jean de Rambures, who was in charge of Arras.
• David de Rambures was taken prisoner.
• Jean V de Hangest was also captured.

Sources

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