I have made no reference to the naval battles of English history, hardly less numerous than the great land battles, and, two or three of them at least, even more important. To deal with them adequately would require knowledge to which I cannot pretend. Moreover they might best be treated on a separate plan, similar perhaps to that which I have followed, but entirely distinct from it. _Oxford, Jan. 1, 1895._ TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. Introductory 1 II. Hastings 9 III. The Barons' War 28 IV. Falkirk and Bannockburn 40 Intermediate Note—The Long-Bow 51 V. Crecy and Poitiers 54 VI. Agincourt and Orleans 80 VII. The Wars of the Roses 101 Intermediate Note—Gunpowder 115 VIII. Flodden 118 IX. The Great Civil War 128 Intermediate Note—Standing Armies 151 X. Marlborough 153 Intermediate Note—Line _versus_ Column 175 XI. The Eighteenth Century 179 XII. The Peninsula. Part I.—Defensive 197 XIII. " Part II.—Offensive 215 XIV. Waterloo 237 XV. The Crimea 264 Intermediate Note—Inferior Races 288 XVI. India. Part I.—Conquest 295 XVII. " Part II.—Supremacy 305 Appendix: Battles Described 323 " Mentioned 324 Sieges 324 Index 325 LIST OF MAPS AND PLANS PAGE I. Outline Map of England _Frontispiece_ II. Hastings 18 III. Evesham 35 IV. Outline Map of North France: Crecy 58 V. Outline Map of West Central France: Poitiers 66 VI. Agincourt 86 VII. Towton 106 VIII. Flodden 122 IX. Outline Map of Southern Scotland: Dunbar 147 X. Blenheim 160 XI. Ramillies 166 XII. Quebec 188 XIII. Outline Map of Spanish Peninsula 196 XIV. Salamanca 222 XV. Vittoria 230