The Hundred Years’ War and the Black Death - The History of Great Britain, #9

The Hundred Years' War and the Black Death explores one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in British and European history. Set during the 14th and early 15th centuries, this volume follows England and France through dynastic conflict, devastating plague, political upheaval, social revolution, and legendary military campaigns.

The book begins with the origins of the Hundred Years' War, examining the rival claims to the French throne and the ambitions of kings such as Edward III. It then brings readers to some of the most famous battlefields of the Middle Ages, including Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt, where English armies reshaped the course of European history.

Alongside the story of war, the book explores the arrival of the Black Death, a catastrophe that killed millions and transformed medieval society forever. Readers will discover how plague altered labor, wealth, religion, and social relationships, creating tensions that eventually erupted in the dramatic Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

Also, this volume examines the troubled reign of Richard II, the rise of the Lancastrian dynasty, the struggles of Henry IV, and the extraordinary military achievements of Henry V. Through kings, knights, peasants, rebels, clergy, and common people, the book reveals how war and disease combined to reshape England and lay the foundations of the late medieval world.