Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England episode 109 between the Wars.

So where are we then?

We've had a different subject than war for a change for a few weeks but good to see

we're still focused on death and destruction, chaos, mayhem and despair.

This week, let us up the chronological pace of it and look at the period between the

fall of Calais in 1347 and the renewal of General War with France.

We're going to start with a bit of war of ashamed to admit, it was Philip who decided

to break the truce, burning with pain and fury at the loss of Calais.

As I think we've observed, getting into an unfriendly castle wasn't easy and treachery

was often the best way if not in the highest tradition of honour and chivalry.

Now, in 1349, a French commander, Geoffrey Ducharnie, found himself a man to bribe inside Calais,

a genoese captain called Amarick who was living in the town.

Ducharnie offered Amarick the stonking sum of 6,000 quid.

Now, Amarick at some point got cold feet or had an attack of conscience and he wrote a letter

to Edward.

Had I been Edward at this point, I'd have breathed a huge sigh of relief, given Amarick a

bit kiss and some free lunch and vouchers and that would have been that, but not Edward.

He saw an opportunity to have some fun, rubbing French noses in the dirt and get a bit of

father-son bonding going on into the bargain.

So what we get is this elaborate scheme, where Edward keeps the pretence going.

He secretly hops over to Calais with his son, the Prince of Wales, who's 19 now and he

takes some garter nights with him.

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