How to Read the Sir John Hawkwood Series
If you want to experience the full narrative arc of Sir John Hawkwood’s transition from a London tailor’s apprentice to a legendary condottiere, the recommended reading path is simple. The publication order matches the internal chronological timeline of Hawkwood’s life, making it the most logical and satisfying way to read the series.
Here is the complete chronological and publication order for the Sir John Hawkwood books:
- Crécy: The Age of the Archer (2020)
- Man at Arms: The Battle of Poitiers (2020)
- The White Company (2021)
- Leader of Men (2022)
- Tuscan Warlord (2023)
- Condottiere (2023)
- Legacy (2024)
Where to Start Sir John Hawkwood
You should absolutely start your journey with the first book, Crécy: The Age of the Archer. Unlike some expansive historical fiction series where the chronological order jumps around or features standalone prequels, Griff Hosker has written a strictly linear progression. Beginning anywhere other than the first book will leave you disoriented, as later entries rely heavily on characters, rivalries, and military promotions established early on.
While some chapters or specific military campaigns function as self-contained conflicts, the overarching character development—particularly John's rise through the social and military ranks—makes reading them in order highly beneficial. Standalone reading is not recommended, as the emotional weight of Hawkwood’s twilight years in the final volumes is earned through watching him survive decades of combat from the ground up.
The Narrative Arc of the Series
The series is broadly divided into two major phases: Hawkwood’s early career in the English army during the Hundred Years' War, and his later years as an independent mercenary captain in the warring states of Italy.
The English Archer and French Campaigns (Books 1-2)
In Crécy: The Age of the Archer, we meet a young John Hawkwood who is fleeing a harsh London apprenticeship. He joins the English forces under King Edward III and the Black Prince as a longbowman. This section of the saga provides a vivid, boots-on-the-ground perspective of 14th-century warfare, culminating in the historic Battle of Crécy in 1346. In Man at Arms: The Battle of Poitiers, John transitions from the archery line to a man-at-arms, surviving the devastation of the Black Death and earning his knighthood on the bloody field of Poitiers in 1356.
The Italian Condottiere Phase (Books 3-7)
The series takes a significant turn in The White Company. With the signing of the Treaty of Brétigny, peace in France leaves thousands of mercenaries unemployed. Hawkwood travels south and joins the White Company, a notorious band of mercenaries operating in Italy. The subsequent novels—Leader of Men, Tuscan Warlord, and Condottiere—chronicle Hawkwood’s rise to command the company, negotiating lucrative and dangerous contracts with rival city-states like Florence, Pisa, and Milan, and outmaneuvering political schemes orchestrated by rival popes and lords. The final book, Legacy, follows an aging Hawkwood as he reflects on his blood-soaked career and attempts to secure his family's future and lasting reputation in Florence.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving in, readers should be prepared for a fast-paced, combat-centric narrative style. Griff Hosker is known for his prolific writing and detailed, action-heavy battle sequences. Rather than focusing on flowery prose or deeply internal psychological profiles, the books prioritize military tactics, longbow mechanics, logistics, and the gritty realities of medieval camp life.
The tone is unapologetically direct, portraying the historical mercenary lifestyle with all its moral ambiguities. Hawkwood is not a modern hero in medieval armor; he is a man of his time who makes compromises, sacks cities, and fights for profit, even as he adheres to his own code of military honor. Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s Ured the Saxon or Conn Iggulden’s historical epics will find Hosker’s depiction of 14th-century combat highly engaging.