Victory at Poitiers

"Evokes the blood and mud and terror of combat . . . A good primer of the Battle of Poitiers . . . with prose that is by turns professional and passionate." — De Re Militari   On September 13, 1356, near Poitiers in western France, the small English army of Edward the Black Prince crushed the forces of the French King Jean II in one of the most famous battles of the Hundred Years' War. Over the centuries, the story of this against-the-odds English victory has, along with Crcy and Agincourt, become part of the legend of medieval warfare. And yet in recent times this classic battle has received less attention than the other celebrated battles of the period. The time is ripe for a reassessment, and this is the aim of Christian Teutsch's thought-provoking new account.   "Teutsch describes in vivid detail the Black Prince's experiences that led to his horse charge across the countryside of southwest France, and the critical actions of Romorantin and Chatellerault that made Poitiers possible. His narrative culminates with the prince's daring ride to draw the French king Jean into battle and the drama of the combat itself. Combined with a selection of over 15 battlefield maps showing the orders of battle, this informative and highly readable account is a compulsive purchase for all with an interest in medieval history." —The Lance and Longbow Society