Scheldt campaigns (1339-1340)

The Scheldt campaigns of 1339–1340 were a series of manoeuvres by opposing French and Flemish forces during the Hundred Years' War.

Scheldt campaigns (1339-1340)
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date December 1339 – June 1340 Location Picardy, France Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Flanders England	France
Commanders and leaders
William, Count of Hainaut	King Philip VI
Strength
Unknown	Unknown

Background

Following a series of disagreements between Philip VI of France (r. 1328–1350) and Edward III of England (r. 1327–1377) regarding the status of English-held lands in south-west France, on 24 May 1337 Philip's Great Council in Paris declared that they were forfeit. This marked the start of the Hundred Years' War, which was to last 116 years.[1][2] Edward attempted to assemble an alliance of nobles and small states to the north and east of France, including Flanders, which at the time was a province of France. Many of Edward's would-be allies had acknowledged Philip as their liege lord and were reluctant to renege on this. To overcome this, on 26 January 1340 Edward revived a claim to the French throne and had himself crowned king of France.[3]

Campaign

The French assembled an army, which based itself in the city of Cambrai, on the Scheldt. Several Flemish forces, supplemented by some English troops and leaders, manoeuvred against the French city of Tournai, with little success.[4]

Citations and sources

Citations

1. Wagner 2006a, pp. 157–158.
2. Wagner 2006b, p. 163.
3. Sumption 1990, pp. 300–302.
4. Rogers 2014, pp. 187–190.

Sources

• Rogers, Clifford (2014) [2000]. War Cruel and Sharp: English Strategy under Edward III, 1327–1360. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press. ISBN 978-0851158044.
• Sumption, Jonathan (1990). Trial by Battle. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-20095-5.
• Wagner, John A. (2006a). "Hundred Tears' War, Causes of". Encyclopedia of the Hundred Years War. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Greenwood. pp. 157–159. ISBN 978-0313327360.
• Wagner, John A. (2006b). "Hundred Tears' War, Phases of". Encyclopedia of the Hundred Years War. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Greenwood. pp. 160–164. ISBN 978-0313327360.