Normandy and Brittany (French Coastal Regions)

The combined coastal regions of Normandy and Brittany, identified by Cromwell as critical strategic targets for English military campaigns into France. These regions serve as essential gateways across the Channel, providing vital ports and shorelines for supplying inland armies. Their fortified coastlines represent both a military foothold and a fiscal barrier, as their capture is deemed necessary for continental conquest but requires substantial resources. Cromwell's argument frames them as 'grim gatekeepers'—rugged, wave-lashed frontiers whose control would determine the feasibility of Henry's ambitions in France.