The English won a decisive battlefield victory over the French in the first decade of the Hundred Years' War. At the Battle of Crécy, an outnumbered English army went up against thousands of French mounted knights, the finest cavalry in Western Europe at that time. Relying on their famed longbowmen, The English under Edward III weathered French cavalry charges until the forces of King Philip VI were forced to retreat. The victory paved the way for the capture of Calais, which gave the English a foothold in France for over two centuries.

In this very special episode Dan teams up with Tim Harford, host of the 'Cautionary Tales' podcast. Tim and Dan delve into the details of this crucial battle to learn about the catastrophic mistakes that were made, and why.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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