A Brief History of the Hundred Years War: The English in France, 1337-1453For over a hundred years England repeatedly invaded France on the pretext that her kings had a right to the French throne. France was a large, unwieldy kingdom, England was small and poor, but for the most part she dominated the war, sacking towns and castles and winning battles - including such glorious victories as Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt, but then the English run of success began to fail, and in four short years she lost Normandy and finally her last stronghold in Guyenne. The protagonists of the Hundred Year War are among the most colourful in European history: for the English, Edward III, the Black Prince and Henry V, later immortalized by Shakespeare; for the French, the splendid but inept John II, who died a prisoner in London, Charles V, who very nearly overcame England and the enigmatic Charles VII, who did at last drive the English out. Desmond Seward's account traces the changes that led to France's final victory and brings to life all the intrigue and colour of the last chivalric combats as they gave way to a more brutal modern warfare. |
Contents
Acknowledgements | 13 |
Crécy 13401350 | 41 |
Poitiers and the Black Prince | 77 |
Copyright | |
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A Brief History of the Hundred Years War: The English in France, 1337-1453 Desmond Seward Limited preview - 2013 |
A Brief History of the Hundred Years War: The English in France, 1337-1453 Desmond Seward No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
Agincourt Anjou Aquitaine archers Armagnacs armour army Arundel attack Bastard battle Beaufort Bedford began besieged Black Prince Bordeaux Bourgeois Brittany Burgundians Caen Calais campaign Captain captured castles century Charles VII Charles's chevauchée chronicler commanded Constable Count Crécy crown Dauphin Dauphinists defeated duchy Duke John Duke of Burgundy Earl Edward III enemy England English King Englishmen Fastolf fight Flanders fortress French King Frenchmen Froissart garrison Gloucester gold Guyenne Guyennois Harfleur Henry's Hundred Hundred Years War Joan John of Gaunt killed King Edward King Henry King of France King's knights land later Loire London March men-at-arms murder Navarre noble Norman Normandy October Orleans Paris Parliament peace peasants Philip of Burgundy plunder Poitiers prisoners Queen raid ransom Regent returned Richard river Rouen routiers royal Salisbury Scots sent ships siege Sir John Sir Thomas Sluys soldiers Somerset Suffolk surrender taxes throne took town Treaty troops truce Valois Verneuil walls