Chroniques de J. Froissart, tome 04/13

A vivid window into the first decade of the Hundred Years’ War, this medieval chronicle follows the English king Edward III as he establishes a foothold in northern France. From the daring investment of Calais in 1346 to the early skirmishes that ripple across Normandy, the narrative captures the clash of armies, the strain of siege‑life, and the uneasy exchanges between captors and civilians. Readers hear of knights like Jean de Vienne, the desperate pleas of townspeople, and the fragile truces brokered amid the turmoil.

The account is told in the plain yet precise language of a contemporary recorder, preserving original spelling and marginal notes that reveal the texture of medieval reportage. It blends strategic movements—such as the Count of Derby’s raids through Saint‑onge and Poitou—with personal anecdotes of chivalry, ransom, and sudden accidents. The result is a richly detailed portrait of war’s early pulse, offering listeners both the grand sweep of campaigns and the intimate moments that shaped a continent in conflict.