Calais

In August 1347 six bare footed men knelt before King Edward III with nooses around their necks to beg for their lives and present him with the keys to Calais. This was the dramatic beginning of Calais becoming England's first colony and an integral part of the kingdom for over two hundred years. From its capture to the present day, Calais has played a significant part in many of the major events in UK's history whether it be in claiming the throne of France, the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the Armada, Dunkirk, D-Day deception or the Calais Jungle and Brexit. Calais, a History of England's First Colony, describes how the destinies of England and Calais have been entwined particularly for invasions of France, then after its loss, for invasions of England. Julian Whitehead guides the reader through potentially complicated periods such as the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses in his customary clear and engaging fashion. This readable book provides a fascinating overview of Anglo/French relations during the last six hundred years while bringing to life the individuals who helped to create this remarkable history. AUTHOR: Julian Whitehead read History at Oxford after which he joined the Intelligence Corps and spent a full career in military intelligence; his appointments have included Chief of Staff of the Defence Intelligence Centre and Deputy Director of Defence Security. After leaving the army he spent ten years as Security Advisor to Historic Royal Palaces and is now retired and lives in Oxfordshire. Pen and Sword have publish his previous books Cavalier and Roundhead Spies in 2009, Rebellion in the Reign of Charles II in 2017, Cromwell and his Women in 2018 and Espionage in the Divided Stuart Dynasty 1685-1715 in 2020. 30 colour illustrations