by Peter Hoskins. Softcover (7.0×9.7 inches). 158 pages. 2026.
Subtitle: A Very Bellicose People
Subtitle: A Time of Knights 400 CE – 1453 CE
This covers all the bases, although being English should probably be covers all the wickets: strategy, tactics, arms and armor, campaign, battles, troops, logistics, and so on. All the famous pop in, like Edward III, the Black Prince, and Henry V, but also mentioned are the second line of English commanders like Beaufort and Talbot as well as tertiary commanders less well known. As an overview of the campaigns and battles, you get nice summaries, not in-depth recaps and analysis.
While not detailed enough to set up a tabletop battle, I do like the extensive chart (p89 to p93) of the composition and troop strength of English “armies” of the period. It gives you the basics to work out a campaign or a meeting engagement — assuming you can find the equivalent French numbers in some other book.
The book contains two color photos, 25 black and white photos, six color maps, four color medieval manuscript illustrations, four color flags, and 12 color uniform illustrations. Of note, some of the black and white photos show reconstructed medieval siege weapons from two places in France: Tiffauges Castle and Chateau Castelnaud-la-Chapelle. If I ever get back to France for a road trip, here’s two stops that look impressive.
This is a fine overview of the English Armies of the 100YW and perfect for introducing someone to the era. I’d like to see a French volume, too.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
