Timeline of the Hundred Years' War
This is a timeline of the Hundred Years' War between England and France from 1337 to 1453 as well as some of the events leading up to the war. (The Hundred Years' War actually spanned for 116 years.)
The Battle of Castillon is generally considered the end of the Hundred Years' War as Henry VI's insanity and the Wars of the Roses left England in no position to wage war in France. However Calais remained an English possession until 1558 and the title of King of France was not omitted from the English royal style until 1 January 1801 ( after the Battle of Castillon).
John Crabbe (died 1352)
The year 1337 marked the beginning of the Hundred Years War. According to Lucas, Edward III's strategy was to use the Low Countries as his base and to finance the war from the sale of English wool there. It was thus imperative that the sea lanes be kept free for English shipping. Crabbe was well positioned to serve the King in this task, and from 4 April to 12 August 1339 was with the Admiral of the Fleet North of the Thames, Robert de Morley, 2nd Baron Morley. During this period he is known to have been in command, at one time, of a hundred archers, and on a second occasion, of eight men-at-arms, seventy archers and seventy sailors.
In an attempt to prevent the English from using the Low Countries as their base, Philip VI of France gathered a fleet at the mouths of the Zwin and Scheldt, and Edward III, prepared to attack immediately, met at Orwell with his council, where John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury, Morley and Crabbe urged him to delay until a larger fleet could be assembled. The King did so with reluctance, and with a larger fleet engaged the French in the Battle of Sluys on the afternoon of 23 June; by the end of the day the English had virtually annihilated the enemy. A few French ships led by a pirate named Spoudevisch managed to escape, and at the King's order were pursued by Crabbe. Unfortunately whether Crabbe succeeded or failed in this endeavour is unknown. After Sluys, Crabbe may have accompanied the King to the siege of Tournai.