Esposito: Armies of the Hundred Years' War 1337–1453

History, organizsation, weapons, equipment and tactics.

The Hundred Years' War is one of the most famous conflicts in British history, featuring such renowned battles as Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt. It is a period littered with such legendary names as the Black Prince, Henry V and Joan of Arc, and a fascinating one for the development of warfare, weapons and armour.

Gabriele Esposito puts the conflict in context with an overview of earlier Anglo-French conflicts and the roots of the dispute between the Plantagenet and Valois dynasties. He then devotes several chapters to giving a concise overview of the dramatic events of the war, before moving on to describe in detail the organization, tactics, weapons, armour and equipment of all the varied forces. Those drawn in by various alliances, such as Scottish, Spanish and Burgundian troops are not forgotten.

He shows the evolution of warfare across the period, from the early dominance of the longbowmen over the French knights to the increasing importance of artillery in the Valois recovery. As usual for The Armies of the Past series, Gabriele Esposito’s informative text is lavishly illustrated with colour photographs of replica weapons, armour and clothing in use.

Hardcover, 208 pp., 140 colour ill.