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Editorial Review:
It's almost as if the nine years that have passed since the publication ofTrial by Battle, the first volume of Jonathan Sumption's ongoing history of the Hundred Years War, never happened, so seamlessly does Trial By Firecontinue the narrative.
Trial by Fire documents the continuing relentless domination of France by Edward III from the fall of Calais in 1347 to his decision in 1369 to add the French coat of arms to those of England on his seals in celebration of his apparent triumph. Along the way we see the French reduced to a squabbling rabble after the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 which resulted in revolutions in Paris and the countryside. Sumption is too shrewd an observer to tell such a one-sided history and he is at pains to point out that however impressive the English victories may have seemed, the scale of them was largely illusory and short-lived.
Whatever the perception of the Hundred Years War as an epic conflict between two nation states, the reality was far more complicated. Both the English and the French camps were made up of a series of uneasy and shifting alliances. So who actually won never became clear--at least not until long after the swords had been sheathed. For instance, after King John II had been captured at Poitiers, the French were forced into a humiliating treaty which handed over much of France to King Edward. But John conveniently, or inconveniently, depending which way you look at it, died shortly after and his successor Charles V decided there were good reasons to no longer recognise the agreement. Seen like this, Edward's decision to add the French coat of arms to the English looks more like an empty gesture than an expression of all-conquering might.
As with the first volume, Sumption writes with engaging simplicity, making sense of the apparently pointless and bringing together a cast of thousands into a homogenous digestible whole. -- John Crace
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
An engrossing and very detailed study Sumtion's treatment of the 100 years war brings to life a period of history which is frequently dissected by UK students into just the three major pitched battle victories of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt. This overlooks the complexity of fourteenth century French regional and national politics and the many twists and turns which characterised this protracted conflict. This book, along with the equally excellent predecessor, puts that right with some considerable flair. The story is alive with memorable... more info
Definitive work Vol II of Mr Sumption's history of the Hundred Years War is as much of a delight as its predecessor. His knowledge of his subject is exhaustive, yet he never allows his narrative to become bogged down or convoluted, even when explaining the most intricate political manoeuverings. Clarity and ease of comprehension are obviously two of Mr Sumption's goals, and he succeeds completely in both respects.
I found the in-depth analysis of the revolt of the Parisian commoners (following the disastrous Battle of... more info
Continuing the stunning work of Volume 1 Sumption simply takes off with Volume II in the same style that one so many admirers in the first volume.
'Trial by Fire' takes us through the lowest ebb of the French crown: John II a prisoner in London; 'companies' of mercanaries terrorising and laying waste to the country. Edward III was probably the strongest monarch in Europe at that time and yet, by the time of his death, had not pressed home his advantage in any kind of decisive manner.
Sumption takes us through the strategy and thinking of the... more info
