A War of Attrition
A War of Attrition
Blog Article
The siege turned into a war of attrition. For months, the French struggled to break through the English defenses. The defenders were weakened by hunger, disease, and constant attacks, but they continued to hold their ground. The French forces, however, suffered as well. Their supply lines were stretched thin, and the brutal siege conditions began to take a toll on them as well.
The English forces made use of their naval superiority, sending out ships to resupply the garrison with food and reinforcements. The French could do little to stop this, as they lacked the naval power to control the Channel. The prolonged siege, with both sides exhausted and suffering, mirrored the agonizing attrition seen in the later Siege of Stalingrad, where both the Axis and Soviet forces were trapped in a deadly deadlock.
The Surrender: A Moment of Desperation
After nearly a year of desperate fighting and suffering, the English defenders of Calais were on the brink of collapse. The town was running out of supplies, and disease had taken a toll on the defenders. Yet, they continued to hold out against overwhelming odds.
On August 3, 1347, after months of futility, Philip VI realized that his siege was not going to succeed. The French had suffered heavy losses, and the defenders of Calais were nearing the end of their strength. In a last-ditch effort to save the lives of the remaining English defenders, the town’s leadership agreed to a surrender.
The surrender of Calais is one of the most poignant moments of the siege. Edward III, unwilling to let his forces continue to suffer, agreed to allow the French to take the town. However, he demanded that six of the town’s wealthiest citizens, who had played key roles in organizing the defense, be handed over to him. These six citizens were to be executed as a symbol of the city’s surrender.
The six men, known as the “burghers of Calais,” volunteered to present themselves to Edward, dressed in nothing but sackcloth and ropes around their necks. This act of self-sacrifice was intended to save their fellow citizens from certain death. Despite the cruel demands of the English king, Queen Philippa of Hainault, Edward’s wife, intervened and pleaded for the lives of the six men. Edward, moved by her plea, spared their lives, and they were sent back to the city. shutdown123 Report this page