The Hundred Years War IV: Cursed Kings is the fourth of five planned volumes detailing the history of the Hundred Years War. A narrative history of the highest quality, this series is on track to become the first comprehensive history on the subject. Although written in a scholarly manner with details that appeal to the professional historian, Jonathan Sumption's clarity and style make the book accessible to casual readers.

This volume takes up the story of the Hundred Years War at the turn of the fifteenth century. Sumption's narrative begins in Paris with a chapter that provides the political context for the rest of the volume. The decision to begin this part of his story in Paris reflects Sumption's opinion that during this phase of the war events on the continent were much more decisive than were the personality or vigor of any English monarch, even one as talented as Henry V. According to Sumption, the fundamental problems facing France in this period were the incapacity of its monarch, which allowed the formation of powerful rival factions, and the financial hardships facing the government. These problems came to a head after the assassination of the king's brother, Louis Duke of Orléans, in 1407, which placed France firmly on the road to civil war.

Although he focuses on the conditions in France, Sumption transitions seamlessly to discuss the political situation in England, Wales, and Scotland. He makes it clear that various rebellions and the reluctance of Parliament to fund any military ventures forced Henry IV to stay out of affairs in France. For their part, the French, repelled by the deposition of Richard II, refused to recognize Henry and allowed the diplomatic situation to deteriorate. While Henry IV was occupied securing his throne in England, the French were emboldened to take action against the English in Gascony. This action, in turn, would give Henry V license to enter France once the situation in England improved.

From this foundation, Sumption guides his reader through the events of the French civil war, the political unrest in Paris and in England, the resumption of the war between England and France, and Henry V's conquest of Normandy and assumption of the regency of France. In this phase of the war there were few pitched battles (with the notable exceptions of Agincourt, Humbleton Hill, and Baugé), but there were many important sieges and attempts at diplomacy, which the author describes in vivid detail. Although his focus is not on social history and as a result his assessment of the uprisings in Paris is limited in scope, Sumption recognizes that because of the characteristics of this phase, the residents of Paris had a significant impact on the outcome of political disputes. He does an admirable job discussing how the armies were funded and how the state of the treasury often limited the princes' ability to perform the military duties expected of them. Sumption also places emphasis on the impact of political events, especially the uprisings in Paris and the murders of two royal dukes. Sumption ends the book, rather abruptly, in 1522, with the deaths of Henry V and Charles VI.

Sumption's narrative demonstrates a mastery of the sources from both sides of the Channel, achievable only through decades of archival work. Although he does, on occasion, place too much trust in chronicles, for the most part his narrative is well balanced through the use of financial records, military indentures, and other official documents. He intentionally avoids engaging in academic disputes (though he makes an exception in his attempt to rehabilitate the reputation of the dauphin Louis of Guyenne). This decision, probably necessary to complete a narrative on this scale, is reflected in his condensed, often cryptic, footnotes, which refer almost exclusively to the primary sources rather than directing the reader towards recent scholarship. Nevertheless, Sumption successfully describes the political, military, and economic situation in France and England in the first quarter of the fifteenth century and successfully demonstrates that finances were the key to this phase of the Hundred Years War. Control over the royal treasury sparked political problems in France. Thereafter, royal finances would determine the scope of military operations, and the need for taxation had a considerable impact on allegiances of the French people. Meanwhile, a lack of sufficient fiscal resources in England limited the scope of Henry V's conquests. At the same time, Henry's understanding of the limitations of the willingness of the English to fund his ventures combined with his pragmatic opportunism to make his conquest of Normandy successful.

On the whole, The Hundred Years War: Cursed Kings provides a detailed and refreshing narrative of the first quarter of the fifteenth century. It considers the personalities of the leaders of France and England and exhibits an excellent understanding of political, economic, and military events. This volume, along with the others in the series, promises to become a foundational text for scholars interested in medieval politics and warfare.