Histories of the Hundred Years War have been written, and accounts of
the famous battles, but until now no book has concentrated on the sieges
that played a decisive role in the protracted struggle between England
and France. Edward III's capture of Calais in 1347 was of crucial
importance for the English, and the failure of the English siege of
Orléans in 1429 was a turning point for the French after the disaster of
Agincourt. Throughout the war, sieges were a major weapon in the
strategic armories of both sides, and Peter Hoskins's perceptive and
graphic study is a fascinating analysis of them.
He describes the difficulties faced by besieger and besieged, examines
the logistics and resource implications of sieges, and provides a
comparative assessment of siege warfare alongside set-piece battles and
the English strategy of chevauchées. Key sieges are reconstructed in
vivid detail, other sieges are summarized, and the book is fully
illustrated with photographs and plans.