A combination of dynastic disputes, feudal quibbles, trade disagreements and historical antagonism resulted in the opening of the Hundred Years War in 1337. The first major English land victory in this conflict was the Battle of Crécy. This pitted the French army, then considered the best in Europe, against the English under King Edward III. The battle established the longbow as one of the most feared weapons of the medieval period, a reputation reinforced at the bloody battle of Poitiers where much of the French nobility was slaughtered and their king captured by the English host.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
English armies of the Hundred Year's War:
This book is a fairly detailed look at the English army at two of its most famous victories, Crecy and Poitiers, both over the French in the Hundred Years War. Though, as a previous review has stated the plates focus too much on knightly parade uniforms and not enough on practical armament and the appearance of the common soldiers, the text of this book is invaluable. Following a several page intro to the historical background the author examines the course of both battles in detail. The chain of... more info
More about the nobles than the actual armies.:
Although this volume purports to cover the armies of these two key battles, only two of the colour plates feature actual soldiers. The rest depict various nobles and lords, including Edward III and Jean II, even though their armor is not at all indicative of what the rest of the armies were wearing. Worse still, these nobles are shown in fancy types of armor, like crested helms, that even the text admits they would not have been wearing on the battlefield. The text does include some interesting details on... more info
Rothero an exceptionally rare writer & illustrator:
A most excellent reference for the early period of the 100 Years War. Great written overview of the era. Great research and photos of actual effigies, etc. Not to take anything away from McBride, but I feel Rothero is a master in this arena (Medieval arms/armor). I would recommend this book to anyone who's even remotely interested in the subject; it'll convince you to want to learn more.
Good, informative overview of subject:
Well illustrated and with clear, concise notes to the plates, along with a brief introduction to the war and its background, this book is a helpful introduction to the subject. However, it is little more than this, and certainly the text is somewhat lacking in detail. For instance, on the causes of the war the book fails to mention French inroads into the dutchy of Gascony, by allowing Gasons the right of appeal in French courts and protecting them (by legal or other means)while proceedings took place... more info
