Customer Reviews

VICTORY AT POITIERS: The Black Prince and the Medieval Art of War (Campaign Chronicles)

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Many books have been written about Edward of Woodstock's Poitiers campaign and eventual victory against overwhelming odds at Poitiers itself but few, I feel, go into as much detail as Christian Teutsch does in his book "Victory At Poitiers: The Black Prince and the Medieval Art of War". Using what little period accounts detailing the battle by not always so accurate writers, such as Froissart, along with the numerous, more modern day researchers theories, Teutsch has put together a well researched, well documented and convincingly sound observation on the Battle of Poitiers and the factors leading up to the decisive conflict.
Using great use of the actual terrain around the existing battlefield and intertwining it with the eye witness accounts and just plain common sense, he has woven more probability into his version of events than I feel was previously researched. For example, why was only part of the defensive line of the English truly pressed by the French with such overwhelming numbers? After Teutsh's analysis it makes sense that the terrain played an major role, which in turn explains how the Black Prince's defensive strategy was so brilliant.
You may not agree with his ideas about how the Black Prince was looking for a fight, but his recreation of this important battle, I feel, is the best to date. My only negative about this easy reading, informational full book, is that his maps of the battle and terrain, truly lack the detail that his written information gives.
In all, great book, great information, some weakness in some of his maps, worth the read.