THE SIEGE OF TOURNAI (1340).
After the naval victory gained by Edward III of England near Ecluse [see
Battle of Sluys] that prince presented himself before Tournai. French authors say
his army amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand men, which appears an immense number for that period; but
Edward was assisted by so many Belgians, and other nations at feud with France, that his forces were great,
though principally composed of foreigners. Proud of his strength, he feared no obstacles. But Godemar Dufay,
the governor of the city, had prepared for a long defence, and Edward's plans being known, Dufay had a
numerous and well-disciplined garrison. He was likewise assured of the good-will of the inhabitants, and was
seconded by the élite of the chivalry of France.
Philip VI soon came himself to animate his brave subjects and with several battalions
encamped between Lille and Douay As soon as he began operations Edward became aware of the rashness of his
enterprise; and he sent a challenge to the French king to fight him in single combat, a hundred against a
hundred, or in a general battle. This letter was addressed to Philip de Valois, without any other title. Philip
replied, "A letter has been brought to our camp, addressed to Philip de Valois, in which letter were several
requests which you make to the said Philip de Valois. As it is not for us, we do not reply to it; but we take
advantage of the coming of your herald to remind you that you are our liegeman; that by attacking us, and
raising the cities of Flanders against their count and against us, their sovereign and yours, you commit an act
of rebellion, perjury, and felony, and for which, with the help of God, we hope to subdue you and to punish you.
Besides, you propose a duel on very unequal terms; you offer to hazard your own person only against both the
kingdom of France and the person of its king. If you
will
increase the stake, and put also the kingdom of England on the issue of that duel, we will, though the terms
would be then very unequal, willingly accept of the challenge." All this was intended, no doubt, to stimulate
the troops on both sides; we do not believe that
either of these royal heroes was in earnest. Both sides were tired of the contest after a siege of about twelve
weeks. The inhabitants grew short of provisions, and Edward's forces decreased daily by death and desertion. In
this situation, they listened to the friendly intercession of Joan, countess dowager of Hainault; a truce was
concluded, and Tournai was saved.
Dazzled with the glories of Crecy and Poitiers, we English
are accustomed to be too proud of the reign of Edward III, that "mighty victor, mighty lord;" whereas few
events in our history produced more or longer-endured misery to two great countries than Edward's unjust claim
to the crown of France: unjust, because it was in opposition to the laws of that country, by which all such
cases must be settled. This calamitous war lasted a hundred years, and, we have no
doubt, by the enmity being thus carried down from father to son, created that unnatural antipathy between two
neighbouring nations.
Excerpted from:
Robson, William. The Great Sieges of History.
London: G. Routledge & Co., 1855. 289-91.
Other Local Resources:
Books for further study:
Allmand, Christopher. The Hundred Years War: England and France at War.
Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Seward, Desmond. The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453.
Penguin, 1999.
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