Customer Reviews

The Battle of Poitiers 1356

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This is an excellent little book (the main narrative is only 83 pages), and the author has included appendixes giving very brief biographies of the personnel involved, information on wargaming the battle, and useful references.

The story is about Edward of Woodstock, today commonly known as "The Black Prince", a name given to him much later by historians. He made his reputation fighting against the French in France, but died before he could gain the crown of England. This book goes into Edward's background and career, and particularly his campaign in Southern France in 1355, the year before Poitiers.

In 1356 Edward led a much smaller army than the French King, Jean II, had assembled, and was retiring towards Gascony with the French pursuing when he came to a relatively favorable position and decided to risk a battle. Although there is a good deal of conjecture about Edward's intentions and the conduct of the battle itself, Edward decisively defeated the French and captured many French nobles including King Jean. Although the English longbow figured prominently in the battle as it did earlier at Crecy, the battle was more properly lost by the French through poor tactics, inability to bring their superior forces together, and poor leadership.

Unfortunately, the book does not go into Edward's participation in subsequent campaigns in any detail, as I thought would make the book more useful. For some reason the author confined himself to the campaigns of 1355 and 1356, and left me wanting more.

Nonetheless, I heartily recommend this book to those readers interested in the Middle Ages and the Hundred Year's War.