Philip VI of Valois: A New Dynasty, A War Begins (1328–1350) · HIGH MIDDLE AGES
In 1346, the French army suffers a resonant defeat at Crécy. The battle becomes a symbol: it reveals command weaknesses and coordination failures, and marks the effectiveness of new ways of fighting.
Crécy shows that a numerous army is not enough. Discipline, tactics, and the use of missile weapons play a decisive role. The warrior nobility suffers trauma, and the image of Capetian power is damaged.
The English victory opens the road north. In the logic of siege warfare, the objective is to establish a durable base on the coast: Calais becomes the major target.