Poitiers 1356: The Capture of a King

Dr. Nicolle does an excellent job of revealing the personalities, reasons, weapons and tactics which explain this overwhelming victory for the English. He has personally walked over nearly every part of the battlefield, mapping it and troop movements with his own hand. The book is perhaps the best source of information on the battle of Poitiers, specifically, and on medieval warfare in general.

John II, King of France, left at the head of the sole remaining echelon of the French army after a morning of confusion, failure, and outright error, chose to charge a superior force in a strong defensive position, tactical suicide, because he felt that duty demanded it. This rash decision is of a piece with an earlier argument between French Marshals Audrehem (who urged immediate attack on Warwick) and Clermont (who advocated caution) at the very beginning of the battle. Audrehem questioned Clermont's courage and that settled the issue. The attack was a disaster and the collapse of that side set the day's catastrophic events in motion. 1356 was a different time - and the values of chivalry and the ethos of the valiant warrior no matter what the realities of the battlefield were in full effect. There are many wonderful (and a few not so wonderful) Osprey titles, but this is one of my favorites. Poitiers has it all: a high medieval battle of armored knights of momentous historical importance and with enough historical sources to allow the tactics to be determined with a degree of confidence. Osprey titles focus on the weapons, armies, strategies and tactics, rather than the wider historical or cultural context. It is telling that some of them have "gaming the battle" sections at the end (although this one does not). It's military history for people who game historic battles. These are thin, profusely illustrated volumes, loaded with maps displaying the routes the armies traveled, contemporary art displaying the armor and weapons used in the battle, and a few excellent paintings displaying the action. Poitiers 1356 has three Graham Turner illustrations; a scene of looting, English longbow archers in action, and the moment of King John II's capture. I would have hoped for more - but these are atmospheric and excellent. David Nicolle is dry and unemotional - but his tone is perfectly appropriate here and his narrative sense and liberal use of quotes from original sources brings the action alive. Here is a taste: "Geoffrey le Baker's description of the resulting massacre remains one of the most graphic in the history of medieval warfare. 'Then the standards wavered and the standard-bearers fell. Some were trampled, their innards torn open, others spat out their own teeth. Many were struck fast to the ground, impaled. Not a few lost whole arms as they stood there...'" Fierce. This title has plenty of such original source material and it adds tremendously. The battle at Poitiers happened because Edward the Black Prince (crown prince of King Edward III of England) mounted a successful raid deep into the heart of France. This was part of a sustained campaign of raiding by the English - undermining the Feudal bond of trust in the French aristocracy and inflicting significant economic damage. French king John II - was at pains to corner and destroy Edward's force. He conducted a masterful pursuit and brought his quarry to battl

Just how were the English and their European allies able to pull off another victory to rival the previous one at Crecy.This book gives a general mechanical explanation with the Black Prince choosing advantageous ground where there was a major forest behind him(called a hedge);hence John the 2nd's superior French numbers couldn't be used to effect an encirclement.Also Prince Edward's placing of his archers where they could get a clean shot at the virtually unprotected sides and rumps of the French cavalry.Little details which when added up brought on a big victory.I recommend this book along with Sumptions.550 page work on Poitier for a more complete understanding of the campaign. The book by Jonathan Sumption gives a detailed explanation of the differences between the command structure of both armies.The English according to Sumption,were more experienced working as a team and were more adept at managing their allied forces. The French on the other hand,were more individualistic and their alliance was very shaky.From the Sumption book you get a clearer picture of the confusion brought on by the imcompetent French command structure.From my read of Poitier,it's main importance is France's realization that if they don't come together there won't be a France at all,just a bunch of local municipalities fighting over table scraps with a wealthy elite caring little about who rules "on paper",France or England.Little difference. The book has excellent overhead 2d views and you can see how the English outsmart the French forces once again as they did at Crecy,and as they will do at Agincourt in 1415.But watch out cause one of those decades the French finally put aside their squabbling and get it right.As in all osprey pubs,great artwork and photography.get ready for some empty saddles.

An excellent detailed study of the events leading up to the Black Prince's summer 1356 chevauchee, the first two months of the raid itself, the battle of Poitiers, and its aftermath.

With Poitiers 1356, Osprey's Campaign series has now covered all the "classic" battles of the Hundred Years War (the other titles are Crecy, Agincourt and Orleans). Osprey's medieval expert Dr. David Nicolle provides an excellent summary of the Black Prince's raid into France in 1356 and the resultant Battle of Poitiers. As usual, Nicolle's work is erudite, if a bit short on humanity and military insight. Dr. Nicolle begins Poitiers 1356 with a very good introduction that outlines how the English had established themselves in southwest France in Gascony, and the impact of the Black Death on military operations. The author explains how the English launched deep penetration raids from their coastal enclaves; the raids were designed to disrupt the French economy and to undermine the legitimacy of the French monarchy. It was the raid in 1356 by the heir to the English throne, the Black Prince, that led to the Battle of Poitiers. In the section on opposing commanders, the author provides capsule biographies on the Black Prince and five other English leaders, and the French King John II and five other French leaders. The section on opposing armies is a bit overly brief, providing only the barest details on the composition of either army (while Nicolle notes that estimates vary widely on the size of the French army, it would have been nice if he had provided some information on what these varying opinions said). Whatever the size of the French army, it is clear that the armies of Poitiers were smaller than previous armies in the Hundred Years War, primarily due to the Black Death. While Nicolle notes that the Black Prince's army was a mix of English and local Gascon mercenaries, he gives no clue as to the relative balance (how much was Gascon?). The author also outlines in the section on opposing plans that while the Black Prince sought to avoid battle, the French king's primary intent was to cut off and destroy the enemy invaders in a large battle. Dr. Nicolle spends about twenty pages describing the Black Prince's raid from Bordeaux deep into central France, the gathering of the French army and its pursuit. It is clear that the French demonstrated superior operational art in outmaneuvering the English and cutting off their retreat near Poitiers. Although poor reconnaissance undermined the French tactical operations, the English were brought to battle according to the French operational plan. The author then spends about thirty pages describing the tactical conduct of the Battle of Poitiers on 19 September 1356. As Nicolle describes it, the Anglo-Gascons selected a good defensive position (with their backs to the woods blocking retreat?) behind a solid hedgerow and with flanks anchored on impassable marshes. The French had learned a few lessons from earlier defeats at the hands of English longbows so they elected to launch a massive frontal attack with three divisions in echelon of dismounted men-at-arms. The main attack was prec