Guerrier_Franc
05-19-2007, 03:48 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cassel_%281328%29
Campaign and battle
The French aimed to divide the Flemish troops by advancing along the river Leie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lys_River) and by forcing the Flemings to cover the approaches from Lille (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lille) and Tournai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tournai).
The French royal army stationed itself near the abbey of Waasten. The Flemish army, lead by Nicolaas Zannekin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaas_Zannekin) and Winnoc le Fiere, had stationed 15,000 men about 4 kilometers from the French on a hill near Cassel. During three days the French and Flemish engaged in a stalemate as the French tried to lure the Flemish out of their advantageous position up the hill. On August 23, to no avail the French torched some villages in order to provoke the Flemish to come down from the hill.
On August 23, the weather was very hot and ,as the Flemings didn't seem budge, the French knights retired to their camp to shelter themselves from the heat. Zannekin used this opportunity to surprise the French and attacked the French camp. The Flemings used three divisions to attack the French army. One division was held in reserve and the other two attacked the camp. Of the attacking divisions only the one lead by Zannekin in person met a level of success, the other division was easily held by the French and then attacked in the back by the returning French raiding party. When the French knights recovered from the surprise, they counteredattacked and defeated the Flemings. Zannekin and le Fiere and about 3200 Flemings were killed in the battle.
Campaign and battle
The French aimed to divide the Flemish troops by advancing along the river Leie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lys_River) and by forcing the Flemings to cover the approaches from Lille (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lille) and Tournai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tournai).
The French royal army stationed itself near the abbey of Waasten. The Flemish army, lead by Nicolaas Zannekin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaas_Zannekin) and Winnoc le Fiere, had stationed 15,000 men about 4 kilometers from the French on a hill near Cassel. During three days the French and Flemish engaged in a stalemate as the French tried to lure the Flemish out of their advantageous position up the hill. On August 23, to no avail the French torched some villages in order to provoke the Flemish to come down from the hill.
On August 23, the weather was very hot and ,as the Flemings didn't seem budge, the French knights retired to their camp to shelter themselves from the heat. Zannekin used this opportunity to surprise the French and attacked the French camp. The Flemings used three divisions to attack the French army. One division was held in reserve and the other two attacked the camp. Of the attacking divisions only the one lead by Zannekin in person met a level of success, the other division was easily held by the French and then attacked in the back by the returning French raiding party. When the French knights recovered from the surprise, they counteredattacked and defeated the Flemings. Zannekin and le Fiere and about 3200 Flemings were killed in the battle.