The Organization of War under Edward III

Hewitt's lively and challenging book, originally published in 1966, has an honoured place in the development of medieval military history from a limited study of battles and tactics to a broader understanding of the role of warfare in society. It examined aspects which had received little consideration from more orthodox military historians, concerned as they were with battles and tactics, and comprised studies linked by the general theme of the impact of war on the civilian population. Questions of recruitment, victualling and transport were discussed, as was the direct impact of war with the burning and destruction of territory. The problems of how territories might be transferred according to the terms of peace agreements provided another topic, and Hewitt also tackled the difficult issue of what ordinary men and women knew, and thought, about the war. He pointed to the importance of issues such as the role of spies, and of prayers for success in war, which have been the subject of significant later studies. Hewitt's approach was novel when he wrote. He relied extensively on manuscript sources, and pointed the way to major new areas for research. While some of what he wrote can now be amplified from the resources of the National Archives, most of his conclusions have remained unchallenged. Clifford Rogers, however, has taken issue with Hewitt's view that it was through the destruction caused by savage raids through France that the English hoped to attain their political goals, rather than through battle. A broader perspective would show that much of what was done to support the war effort under Edward III was anticipated in earlier reigns; levels of purveyance, for example, were much heavier under Edward I than under his grandson. Nevertheless, the importance of Hewitt's analysis is not to be gainsaid. His was a most remarkable achievement, and this was truly a seminal work. This reprint is therefore most welcome. The only difference between it and the original is that the illustrations and a fold-out map have been lost; the text remains the same. It is interesting to note that the original hardback edition cost 37s. 6d

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