Like the first volume, this one took me a long time to get through. Not because Sumption doesn't write well, because he does, or because the subject matter is uninteresting, because it is not, but because there doesn't seem to be any pressing need to read it all in one go, and I keep getting distracted by other books.

The second volume of Jonathan Sumption's monumental history of the Hundred Years War begins with the English basking in the glow of the twin victories of Crécy and the capture of Calais. It was only the beginning of a series of miseries for the French, though, with the military blows soon followed by the destabilizing effects of the Black Death and the demise of their king Philip VI. Though his successor, John II, subsequently had the appellation "the Good" attached to his name, Sumption leaves the reader wondering what he had done to deserve it, as his 14-year reign was characterized by a series of missteps. The ambitions of his son-in-law, Charles of Navarre, only added to the chaos of French politics, while the resumption of the war in 1355 saw an invasion of France the following year by the English king Edward III's son, the "Black Prince." Confronting the English invaders at Poitiers, John led his forces to a defeat that ended in his capture.

While a king's capture (or at least the inescapable prospect of it) may signal the end of a chess match, John's capture did not signify the end of the war. For while the French king negotiated with his captors in London, his kingdom gradually unraveled. With power dispersed among several individuals, there was no effective coordinated response to the bands of unemployed soldiers who roamed the country living off of plunder and extortion. In response, French peasants rose up in the rebellion known as the Jacquerie, while the demands for John's enormous ransom created a political crisis in Pars that ended in bloodshed. Though the English king Edward III enjoyed a commanding position, the terms he sought proved too objectionable to John's subjects, while a second treaty was never fully implemented because of Edward's unwillingness to make the necessary renunciation of his claims to the French throne. As Sumption demonstrates, this soon proved to be a serious error, as John's death in captivity in 1364 brought to the throne a new king who would prove a far more formidable opponent to English ambitions.

All of this Sumption recounts in a detailed account that builds upon his previous volume, [b:Trial by Battle|1406751|Trial by Battle The Hundred Years War, Volume 1|Jonathan Sumption|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388331067s/1406751.jpg|1397000], to convey the complexity of this epic conflict. His narrative ranges widely, from the maneuvering of monarchs to the efforts by towns to resist the locust-like hordes of mercenaries that periodically descended upon them. Buttressing his description is an analysis that offers nuanced judgments that help explain the reason why events took the course that they did. In all this is history at its finest, one that is must-reading for anyone seeking to understand this complex conflict which defined so much of the history of the Middle Ages. ( )

This is the second volume of Sumpton's in-depth study of the English-French Conflict, round two. The writing is clear and he has worked hard to give us a picture of the large conflict. While I would rely on Froissart for colour, I'm very impressed by JS's level of analysis and grasp of the sources. This is very necessary luggage for your tour of the war, up to 1366. ( )

Part 2 of a narrative history of the 100 years war. Sumption superbly marshals his facts and thoughts to provide an exciting and readable account of this period of history. From the extensive references and bibliography supplied this has been a tremendous undertaking. it is a complicated history and Sumptions achievement here is to make some sense of it all.

It is however more than just a narrative history. Sumption is also able to some extent to leave the reader with an idea of how and why men thought and acted as they did. Portraits of the principle characters such as Edward III, The Black Prince, John II, Charles V, and the King of Navarre emerge from the narrative. There are insights into the rules of chivalry, which somehow existed at the same time as some of the most brutal hand to hand fighting and lack of respect for human life. There is also plenty of space given to the important battles and their aftermath: Poitiers, the capture of the French King, Najera, the great company's of 1360 and 1367 are all vividly brought to life. Plenty of maps with troop movements are supplied to enable one to follow the story

A major thread running through this period is the issue of financing an army and getting into a position to be effective. Logistical and supply problems more often than not were instrumental in the success or failure of a campaign and Sumption is able to provide much of these details and still keep the narrative flowing. The war of course spread to Scotland, Flanders, Spain, the Papal states and all this is coherently woven into the story.

My only slight quibble is that the proof reading could have been a bit better and Dax is not in the foothills of the Pyrenees. (My goodness I sound like a reviewer from the TLS)

On now to part 3 which I believe has recently been published. ( )