Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The White Company Annotated Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The White Company is a historical adventure by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, set during the Hundred Years' War. The novel is relatively unknown today, though it was very popular up through the Second World War. In fact, Doyle himself regarded this and his other historical novels more highly than the Sherlock Holmes adventures for which he is mainly remembered. The "White Company" of the title is a free company of archers, led by one of the main characters. The name is taken from a real-life 14th-century Italian mercenary company, led by John Hawk wood. At the age of twenty, young Alleyne, son of Edric, leaves the Catholic abbey where he has been raised-intelligent, skilled, and well-liked, though sheltered and naive-and goes out to see the world, in accordance with the terms of his father's will. After adventures fearful and funny, the valiant fighters lead the White Company to join the Prince. A letter arrives to Sir Nigel declaring that Alleyne's brother, the Socman of Minstead, had attacked Sir Nigel's castle. During the siege, the socman died. This news means that Alleyne is the new socman and emboldens him to declare his love for Maude to Sir Nigel. Sir Nigel is startled by the news and Alleyne's declaration, but indicates that he prefers that Alleyne should be a full knight before he approaches Maude again with talk of love.