The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were a period of great turmoil for medieval France. In 1328, the Capetian line came to an end. This was the trigger for the Hundred Years' War, as successive British kings attempted to maintain their claim to the French throne. Devastating defeats at Raci and Puyteries shook the French kingdom to its core.

Following this was a period of rest under Bertrand d'Guesclin, but an even more destructive assault was coming from warrior king Henry V, and the division of France continued until 1429. This book describes how the French began a process of recovery, partly thanks to the young visionary Joan of Arc, which would ultimately lead to them becoming the most significant military power in Europe.