FACTS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF CRECY

1. It was the first significant land battle of the Hundred Years War. The war began when British King Edward III claimed the throne of France after the death of Philip IV.  Edward invaded France on July 12, 1346 after the French had threatened to take back British-held lands in France.  He launched a chevauchee which was a march through enemy territory doing as much looting and destruction as his army could.
2. Edward made a stand when a large French army led by King Philip VI approached. Edward had 4,000 and 10,000 longbowmen.  Philip had over 20,000 men. 
3. Edward positioned his army on a slope with his flanks protected by woods. This forced the French to make a frontal attack.  His archers were formed into harrows (v-shaped) on the wings and in the middle.  In between were his dismounted knights, including one unit led by his 16-year-old  son, The Black Prince.  The British dug pits in front to disable the horses.
4. The French rushed into the battle although Edward was going nowhere, they were exhausted, and reinforcements were coming.
5. The French led with their mercenary Genoese crossbowmen to soften up the British, but the longbowmen outranged them and could fire more rapidly. To make matters worse, the crossbowmen did not have their palises (wooden shields) for protection, having left them with the baggage train.  After a few minutes of pelting, the Genoese retreated.  The impatient French knights proceeded to hack their way through the Genoese, considering them cowards and traitors.
6. The French knights were hit with a blizzard of arrows. Each longbowman had 72 arrows. It is estimated that as many as half a million arrows might have been fired in the battle.  The bodkin tips could penetrate plate armor at 200 yards, but most of the damage was done to the unarmored horses.  Many a knight was spilled onto the ground and trampled. 
7. The French may have launched up to 16 separate charges. Some French knights made it through the blizzard of arrows to reach the British knights.  The British used pole-arms to knock the French down and then the longbowmen could kill them with knives (usually to the face after lifting their visors).  At one point the Black Prince was in the thick of the fighting.  When someone reported this to his father and asked if he wanted to lead the reserve to rescue his son, Edward famously said:  “Let the boy win his spurs”.
8. Towards the end of the day, blind King John of Bavaria insisted on being led into battle by his retainers. They were all killed.  Philip had two horses killed and took an arrow to the jaw.
9. This may be the first use of gunpowder weapons with the British using some small guns that fired stone balls or metal arrows.
10. The British lost only about 200 dead. The French lost 4,000, including 1,500 of their best knights.
11. The British battle cry was “God and St. George” and the French was “God and St. Denis”.

https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-the-battle-of-crecy/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy

https://www.britishbattles.com/one-hundred-years-war/battle-of-crecy/