RESENHA DE: “THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR REVISITED ” POR FERNANDO PEREIRA DOS SANTOS

Review of: “The Hundred Years War Revisited ” by Fernando Pereira dos Santos

Abstract

This highly valuable book closely scrutinizes a variety of documents produced by the Hundred Years War main contenders roughly between the early 1300’s, a few decades before Edward III declared his intent to prosecute a war against his cousin Jean II for the crown of France, until a little bit after 1453, when Calais became the last remaining possession under Henry VI’s control. Pondering on the historical research in the last half century, the world leading expert Professor Anne Curry points out in a richly concise introduction the clear attempt to dialogue with Kenneth Fowler’s The Hundred Years War, a substantial volume published back in 1971. All in all, she successfully highlights the advancements achieved on investigating objects thoroughly laboured by employing prime methodologies of research, bringing up such a pleasant reading to experts interested on the several aspects of the longstanding conflicts carried out by both crowns. Structured in nine chapters, in similar fashion to Professor Fowler’s list of contents, it covers a broad range of classical topics from financing of war and political tensions between England and France to the composition of armies, navies and the perspectives of cultural approaches regarding understandings of the code of chivalry, the direct insights of first-hand accounts of warfare and the pivotal role played by the Church in regulating violence, administrating war logistics and providing support for either the Plantagenet, Lancaster or Valois king of the time not only with supplies, but also with warriors.