Philip VI Gathers His Army While Edward Pillages the Countryside

• Rather than attempting to hold territory, Edward III continued his chevauchée strategy, marching northward toward the Low Countries while pillaging towns and villages along the way.
• The French king, Philip VI, began gathering a large army to intercept him.
• As Edward advanced, he found the Seine River crossings destroyed, preventing an easy route northward.

Edward’s Bold Move: Crossing the Seine at Poissy

• Edward moved southward, coming dangerously close to Paris, forcing Philip VI to deploy forces to defend the capital.
• At Poissy, Edward’s troops found the bridge only partially destroyed.
• The carpenters in his army quickly repaired it, allowing the English army to cross safely.
• This clever maneuver enabled Edward to continue his advance toward Flanders, avoiding a direct engagement with the main French army.

The Next Challenge: The Somme River

• After crossing the Seine, Edward continued toward the Low Countries, aiming to link up with his allies in Flanders.
• However, another natural obstacle—the Somme River—stood in his way, and most of its crossings had also been destroyed by the French.

Edward’s brilliant strategic movement through France in July–August 1346 forced Philip VI to react defensively, setting the stage for one of the most significant battles of the Hundred Years’ War—the Battle of Crécy.