Title: Soldiers' Lives Through History: The Middle Ages
Title: Clifford J. Rogers
Publisher: Greenwood Press (April 2007)

"This work provides a valuable survey of many of the central questions in the investigation of the life of the soldier during the Middle Ages. It will be a useful and highly readable textbook for undergraduate courses in military history and a companion volume for medieval and Western civilization courses."--Speculum, A Journal of Medieval Studies

The most dangerous arms in the world are those of horse and lance, because there is no means of stopping them," wrote a 15th-century commander, Jean de Bueil. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the end of the 15th century, the men (and a few women in disguise) who reported for military service or who led other men, scouted and skirmished, plundered and burned. If they did not slaughter the peasants they met, they took them prisoner to be sold as slaves or ransomed at heavy cost. It was a brutal time. Rogers illuminates the history of medieval soldiers in wartime and in peacetime, describing the lives of those who attacked, and those who defended, the fortified castles, towns, and lands of Europe and beyond in the Middle Age. Written for students and anyone interested in history of the Middle Ages, Soldiers' Lives through History-The Middle Ages includes extensive quotations from the primary sources of the period, including the soldiers' own words.

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Soar

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Hardcover - 336 pp., colour and B&W illustrations


Title: Of Bowmen and Battles
Title: Hugh D. Soar
Publisher: Simpson Drewett and Company, Ltd., 2003

A series of chapters on the longbow in war from 1066 through to 1490's and a chapter on the revival of the longbow in peace since the 18th and 19th century to present day.

The book begins with an account of the longbow during the war of 1066, and continues through the battle at Morlaix, 1342, followed by the ambush of Nibley Green in 1469, and continues with numerous battles concluding with the Battle of Towton.

Excellent colour illustrations depicting the garments/harness worn by archers in the battles discussed, and which provides an excellent view into the archery accessories that were worn in battle.
(ISBN: 0-95176-451-9)

Price: $26.00 CAD
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Soar

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Paperback - 230 pp., colour and B&W illustrations


Title: Byzantium at War
Title: John Haldon
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Co., October 2002

In the middle of the sixth century the East Roman or Byzantine emperor ruled a mighty state stretching from the Euphrates in the East to the straits of Gibraltar in the West, and from the Danube and Alps in the North to the desert fringe north of the Atlas mountains. Within 100 years, this powerful empire had been drastically reduced, yet two centuries later, the Byzantine Empire was once again a power to be reckoned with. By the middle of the eleventh century Byzantium was once more the paramount East Mediterranean and Balkan power. Its fabulous wealth attracted Viking mercenaries and central Asian nomad warriors to its armies, whose very appearance on the field of battle was sometimes enough to bring enemies to terms. These dramatic fluctuations in Byzantine fortunes and its romantic end in 1453, when the last emperor, Constantine XII, died on the ramparts fighting the crack Ottoman janissary corps, have always made the Byzantine world something of an enigma. John Haldon guides us expertly through this fascinating history, bringing army and empire to life.
(ISBN: 1-84176-360-8)

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Paperback - 96 pp., Dimensions (in inches): 0.26 x 9.72 x 6.76


Title: Medieval Siege Weapons: Western Europe Ad 585-1385
Title: David Nicolle, Sam Thompson (Illustrator), Gerry Embleton (Illustrator)
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Co., October 2002

The Medieval era was a period of huge variety and invention in the field of siege warfare. Before the use of cannon and other gun-powder artillery, siege engines relied on assorted sources of power from torsion 'energy storage' systems to man-power, counter-balances and others. In the Ancient world the Roman Empire and China had developed quite sophisticated siege warfare methods. The combining of technological traditions from the Graeco-Roman world, Persia, India and above all China made a massive contribution to the development of siege techniques. The Islamic world and later the explosion of the Mongol 'world empire' were largely responsible for the ease with which these traditions were brought together. Medieval military engineering was equally inventive in terms of mining, counter-mining, the breaking of walls, the use of noxious and chemical fumes as well as pre-explosive or semi-explosive fire-weapons. Such devices were used in both attack and defence during siege warfare, naval warfare and occasionally in open battle. Medieval military theoreticians were similarly fascinated by more complex, and often impractical, military devices which nevertheless contained the seeds of more realistic machnies which appeared in later centuries.
(ISBN: 1-84176-235-0)

Price: $10.47 USD
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Paperback - 48 pp., Dimensions (in inches): 0.17 x 9.72 x 5.06


Title: Italian Medieval Armies 1000-1300
Title: David Nicolle, Angus McBride (illustrator)
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Co., October 2002

As early as the 11th century, Italian warfare was developing along lines which were unique in medieval Europe. This fragmented, cosmopolitan region, increasingly rich from international trade, saw the rise of independent cities able to fund armies of urban militia, sometimes defying the traditional feudal aristocracy. Against this background regional powers - the Normans, the Papacy, the German Emperors, the Angevins and Aragonese - manoeuvred for advantage. This engrossing account of the armies of northern and southern Italy - their organisation, command structure, strategy, tactics and fortifications - is illustrated with rare manuscript images, diagrams of fortifications, and eight striking colour plates showing armour and weapons of all types.
(ISBN: 1-84176-322-5)

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Paperback - 48 pp., Dimensions (in inches): 0.15 x 6.04 x 6.42


Title: The Medieval Fortress: Castles, Forts and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages
Title: Joseph Kaufmann, H. W. Kaufmann (Illustrator), Robert M. Jurga (Illustrator)
Publisher: Da Capo Press, May 2001

The castles of the Medieval world continue to interest readers, both as architectural wonders and because of their dramatic role in world history. The general public is largely unaware of just how many castles survive today or over how wide an area of Europe and the Middle East they are to be found. Fortifications specialists J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann and technical artist Robert Jurga (authors of the acclaimed Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II) have once again combined European sources and personal observations to present a unique portrait of military architecture. They reveal how the medieval fortress combined both Roman and barbarian features, with some influences from as far away as China. Detailed coverage is given to castles in the British Isles, France, Germany, Moorish Spain, and as far east as Poland and Russia, as well as Muslim and Crusader castles in the Middle East.

The Medieval Fortress covers the origin and evolution of the castles and other walled defenses, their major components, and the reasons for their eventual decline, which was not solely due to the introduction of gunpowder. Also receiving extensive coverage are the weapons and equipment of garrisons and besieging troops. Over 100 photographs and 400 extraordinarily detailed technical drawings accompany the main text, which also takes an in-depth look at representative castles of each major type.
(ISBN: 1-58097-062-1)

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Hardcover - 320 pages; Dimensions (in inches): 0.96 x 11.31 x 8.80


Title: Medieval Warfare in Manuscripts
Title: Pamela Porter
Publisher: University of Toronto Press (October 1, 2000)

The glamour associated with knights in shining armour, colourful tournaments and heroic deeds appeal strongly to the modern imagination. However, few pieces of military dress and equipment have survived to provide direct insight into the way that war was waged in the Middle Ages. For a comprehensive view of the nature of medieval warfare we rely on written documentation and the information preserved in paintings, sculptures, carvings, and other pictorial sources. The most numerous by far of these are the miniatures and drawings found in manuscript books, partly because books tend to survive better that other artefacts and partly because many individual volumes contain multiple representations. Pamela Porter presents and describes a variety of evocative manuscript illuminations in an effort to reveal them as a source of information about military dress, equipment, and practices.
ISBN-10: 0802084001
ISBN-13: 978-0802084002

Price: $21.95 USD
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Paperback - 64 pp., 24.2 x 17.2 x 0.8 cm


Title: Medieval Warfare : A History
Title: Maurice Keen
Publisher: Getty Ctr for Education in the Arts, January 2000

A comprehensive anthology of essays by highly placed British academics (joined by one from West Point) that survey military development in the Middle Ages. Arguing in his introduction that war is central to the narrative political story of the middle ages, Keen (History/Oxford; Chivalry, 1984) has assembled a series of 12 crisply topical essays that consider how warfare became increasingly organized, mechanized, and militarized between 900 and 1500.

"This illustrated book explores over seven hundred years of European warfare, from the time of Charlemagne to the end of the middle ages (c. 1500). The period covered has a distinctive character in military history. It was an age when organization for war was integral to social structure, when the secular aristocrat was by necessity also a warrior, and whose culture was profoundly influenced by martial ideas."--BOOK JACKET.
(ISBN: 0-19820-639-9)

Price: $28.00 USD
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Hardcover - 260 pages illustrate edition, 0.94" x 9.44" x 6.29"


Title: Agincourt 1415
Title: Osprey Military
Publisher: Osprey Pub Co, December 1999

Immortalized by Shakespeare, Agincourt is an epic of courage and hard fighting. Brought to bay after the long siege of Harfleur, Henry Vs army was soaked, starving and riddled with disease, and facing a French army at odds of more than 3 to 1. How the English beat off their attackers and slaughtered the flower of French nobility is vividly described in this volume.
(ISBN: 1-85532-950-6)

Price: $14.36 USD
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2 - 6 weeks delivery

Paperback - 96 pages, 55 b/w photos, 12 color plates, 0.44" x 9.77" x 7.29"


Title: Medieval Siege Warfare
Title: Christopher Gravett, Richard Hook (Illustrator), Christa Hook (Illustrator)
Publisher: Osprey Pub Co, November 1999

Siege tactics an weaponry are discussed and illustrated. Sieges were far more numerous than pitched battles. Castles controlled the countryside and provided bases from which knights could ride out to attack. Pitched battle was a dangerous gamble which could lead to heavy losses. Henry V won the French crown not by the famous victory at Agincourt, but by the series of sieges which followed.
(ISBN: 1-85532-947-6)

Price: $12.71 USD
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Amazon.com - Nicolle

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4 - 6 weeks delivery

Hardcover - 64 pages, 0.36" x 9.77" x 7.29", 55 b/w photos, 12 color plates


Title: Malta 1565 : Last Battle of the Crusades
Title: Tim Pickles, Christa Hook (illustrator)
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Co, September 1999

The epic siege of the island fortress of the Knights Hospitaller by the huge Turkish Army of the Emperor Suliman is one of the most compelling stories in the history of the western world. The Turks amassed an army of 30,000 men, which doubled as the siege dragged on. The knights facing them totalled 500, along with 4,000 Maltese levies and 4,500 other troops. Tim Pickles describes how despite constant pounding by the massive Turkish guns and heavy casualties, the Knights managed to hold out. The siege lasted from the end of May until September, when a Spanish army relieved the island. In scenes of brutal combat, the Turks lost over 24,000 men as they were consistently repulsed from the fortress walls. Both sides accepted no quarter: at one point the Turks nailed the decapitated bodies of their enemies to crosses and let them float over to the Christian side, while in return Maltas defenders executed their Turkish prisoners and fired their heads from cannon. This campaign also witnessed many acts of individual bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and these are brought to life in the six specially commissioned battlescene plates. Tim Pickles account of the siege is extremely interesting and readable an excellent book.
(ISBN: 1-85532-830-5)

Price: $13.27 USD
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Paperback - 96 pages, Dimensions (in inches): 0.37 x 9.78 x 7.25


Title: Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages : The English Experience
Title: Michael Prestwich
Publisher: Yale Univ Press, May 1999

Challenging many common assumptions about the glamour of medieval warfare, this highly readable history recreates the real war experience of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century England. Filled with anecdotes and illustrations, it examines how English medieval armies fought, how men were recruited, how the troops were fed, supplied, and deployed, what new weapons were developed, and what structure was set in place for military command.
(ISBN: 0-30007-663-0)

Price: $18.00 USD
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Paperback - 352 pages, 1.05" x 9.71" x 6.82"


Title: The Viking Art of War
Title: Paddy Griffith
Publisher: Stackpole Books, October 1998

An authoritative study of the Vikings establishes the facts behind their rise to prominence, and cuts away the myths about their military and seafaring skills, reputation, and exploits. The author applies modern military thinking to the Viking art of war and examines their tactics, seamanship, mobility, strategy, and how they exploited victories and dealt with defeats. Learn how the Vikings established colonies in hostile territory and defeated a diverse array of enemies, including the Anglo-Saxons, the Franks, the Volga Bulgars, and the wild tribes of Ireland, in three centuries of military adventure. Paddy Griffith was a senior lecturer in war studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for 16 years. He is the author of numerous articles and books on the history of warfare, including Battle Tactics of the Western Front, 1916-18 and The Art of War of Revolutionary France, 1789-1802.
(ISBN: 1-85367-337-4)

Price: $15.96 USD
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4 - 6 weeks delivery

Paperback - 224 pages, 9.16" x 6.14"


Title: The Battle of Hastings
Title: Jim Bradbury
Publisher: Sutton Alan Publishing Inc, September 1998

An expert military historian's interpretation of Britain's most famous battle, fully illustrated.
(ISBN: 0-75091-291-X)

Price: $27.97 USD
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Hardcover - 224 pages, 1.06"x10.19"x7.06"


Title: The Medieval Soldier in the Wars of the Roses
Title: Andrew W. Boardman
Publisher: Sutton Publishing, September 1998

Contemporary accounts by captains, cavalry, archers and men-at-arms reveal how men were recruited, fed and billeted, how a battle was fought, what weapons and tactics they used, and the soldier's fate after the battle.
(ISBN: 0-75091-465-3)

Price: $36.95 USD
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Hardcover - 224 pages, 0.74" x 9.78" x 6.96", photos, illus.,


Title: Knight in Battle
Title: Ewart Oakeshott, R. Eward Oakeshott
Publisher: Dufour Editions, January 1998

A Knight in Battle is an informative look at the world of medieval warfare. Enter the time of change and conflict in this readable, authoritive exploration of a dangerous aspect of medieval life.

Ewart Oakeshott explodes the myth that medieval battles were all similar, pointint instead toward the different and fascinating tactics used in four specific battles covering the 12th to the 16th centuries at Arsuf, Lincoln, Mauron and Marignano. He touches on the long and terrible wars of The Crusades; explores the charged feud between the Richard the Lionhearted and his nemesis, Saladin; and examine how the development of weapons altered armour and fighting techniques.
(ISBN: 0-80231-322-1)

Price: $11.16 USD
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Amazon.com - Rivele

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Paperback - 128 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.38 x 8.52 x 5.55


Title: A Booke of Days : A Novel of the Crusades
Title: Stephen J. Rivele
Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers, January 1998

Rivele recounts the incredible odyssey of one of his own ancestors, an eleventh-century French crusader. Seeking remission for his carnal and spiritual sins, Roger, duke of Lunel, enlists in the First Crusade launched against the Turkish infidels occupying much of the Holy Land. Joining forces with an armed pilgrimage sanctioned by Pope Urban II, he bids farewell to his family and abandons his Provencal estate. As he travels across Europe and into the Near East, he dutifully records his remarkable and exotic experiences in a journal, earning him the nickname l'Escrivel ("the scribbler"). When the religious expedition degenerates into chaos and brutality, Roger's idealism is shattered by the base realities of battles fought in the name of God. A vividly rendered and historically authentic account of a journey of self-discovery underscored by the tragic loss of both love and faith.
(ISBN: 0-78670-348-2)

Price: $19.20 USD
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Hard cover - 448 pages, 1.47" x 9.57" x 6.51"


Title: Latin Siege Warfare in the Twelfth Century
Title: R.Rogers
Publisher: Oxford University Press, July 1997

This is a carefully researched and illuminating study of siege warfare in the twelfth century. The siege was an integral part of medieval military experience, and was particularly significant in the Mediterranean region. Rogers explores siege warfare and the role it played in the First Crusade and the establishment of the Crusader States, in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and in the seaborne expeditions of the Italian maritime states. Rogers sets out to discover how it was that crusading forces handicapped by rudimentary organization and logistical support were able to conduct some of the most dramatic siege operations of the pre-gunpowder period. He traces the development and diffusion of techniques and analyzes the experience of siege warfare in every aspect, from the question of supplies of component parts for siege engines to the often complex political situations of besieger and besieged. This is a book which contributes not only to the military history of the twelfth century but also to its political and cultural history.
(ISBN: 0-19820-689-5)

Price: $21.00 USD
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Paperback (Hardcover available) - 292 pages, Dimensions (in inches): 0.71 x 8.47 x 5.64


Title: The Art of Warfare in Western Europe During the Middle Ages : From the Eighth Century to 1340 (Warfare in History)
Title: J. F. Verbruggen, Sumner Willard (Translator), R. W. Southern (Translator)
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer, March 1997

Warfare is a major feature of the history of the middle ages, but its study has often been the province of amateurs; only recently have the technical details of warfare and its organisation been subject to proper scholarly investigation. Professor Verbruggen's major work, outstanding in its field, applies rigorous standards in analysing often very obscure surviving evidence, and reaches conclusions very different from earlier generations of military historians. He begins by analysing the sources for our knowledge of the military history of the period, assessing their reliability: some chroniclers exaggerate, others are careful observers or have access to official records. There follows an examination of the constituent parts of the medieval army, knights and footsoldiers, equipment and terms of service, behaviour on the field, and psychology, before the problematic question of medieval tactics is addressed through analysis of accounts of a series of major battles. Strategy is discussed in the context of these battles: whether to seek battle, fight a defensive war, or attempt a war of conquest.
(ISBN: 0-85115-630-4)

Price: $75.00 USD
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Hardcover 2nd Rev edition - 412 pages, 234cm x 156cm
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Paperback 2nd Rev edition - 412 pages


Title: The English Warrior: From Earliest Times to 1066
Title: Stephen Pollington
Publisher: Paul & Co Pub Consortium, December 15, 1996

The book is divided into three main sections which deal with warriorhood, weaponry and warfare respectively. The first covers the warrior's role in early English society, his rights and duties, the important rituals of feasting, gift giving and dueling, and the local and national military organizations. The second part discusses the various weapons and items of military equipment which are known to have been in use during the period, often with a concise summary of the generally accepted typology for the many kinds of military hardware. In the third part, the social and legal nature of warfare is presented, as well as details of strategy and tactics, military buildings and earthworks, and the use of supply trains. Valuable appendices offer original translations of the three principal Old English military poems, the battles of Maldon, Finnsburh and Brunanburh.
(ISBN: 1-89828-110-6)

Price: $33.63 USD
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4 - 6 weeks delivery


Price: $34.95 CAD
(plus GST - Canadian purchases only)
warrior Availability:
3 - 5 days delivery


Paperback - 272 pp. 39 black-and-white illus. +16 tables 250x175mm


Title: Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century: Discipline, Tactics, and Technology
Title: Kelly DeVries
Publisher: Boydell Press, June 1996

This study departs from the conventional view of the dominance of cavalry in medieval warfare: its objective is to establish the often decisive importance of infantry. In pursuit of evidence, Kelly DeVries examines the role of the infantry, and the nature of infantry tactics, in nineteen battles fought in England and Europe between 1302 and 1347. In most of these battles it was the infantry which secured victory. Evidence from first-hand accounts of the battles -a major feature of this study -is employed to argue that victory came not because of superior technology, even when the longbow was used, but due to a solid and disciplined infantry line making a defensive stand able to withstand the attacks of opposing soldiers, whether cavalry or infantry. The battles analysed in detail are:Courtrai Arques Mons-en-Pevele Loudon Hill Kephissos Bannockburn Boroughbridge Cassel Dupplin Moor Halidon Hill Laupen Morlaix Staveren Vottem Crecy Neville's Crossand the infantry ambushes:Morgarten Auberoche La Roche-Derrien.
(ISBN: 0-85115-571-5)

Price: $31.00 USD
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Paperback - 224 pages, 23.4 x 15.3cm (0.96 x 9.50 x 6.37 inches)


Title: Cambridge Illustrated Atlas: Warfare: The Middle Ages 768-1487
Title: Nicholas Hooper, Matthew Bennett (Contributor)
Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr (Trd), April 1996

The book is an authoritative and illustrated history of warfare pertaining to the period between 768 - 1487. Its strongest point are the detailed maps and battle plans providing insight into warfare strategy and errors. The maps are very useful in providing an illustrative support for the tactics utilized by showing political boundaries and routes taken for the engagement. The book includes 60 illustrations of which 50 are in colour, 100 maps and battle plans.
(ISBN: 0-52144-049-1)

Price: $27.97 USD
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Hardcover - 192 pages, 9.56" x 11.67"


Title: The Crossbow Medieval and Modern....with a Treatise on the Balista and Catapult of the Ancients...
Title: Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey
Publisher: The Holland Press 1995

Payne-Gallwey's book encompass the history of the crossbow, including comparisons with early handguns and bows; the construction and use of medieval crossbows; the construction and use of modern crossbows; and siege weaponry. And, seeming like a special bonus is the 47-page, two-part appendix, which expands on the siege engine information and contains a very good treatise on the Turkish composite bow.

Hundreds of b&w drawings illustrate the book with everything from reproductions of historical depictions of crossbows, crossbowmen, and the weapons in action; schematics of crossbows and siege engines that are virtually plans for constructing them; and close-ups of the various locks and mechanisms that make up the weapons in the crossbow family of arms.
(ISBN: 0-94632-314-3)

Price: $39.95 USD
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Hardcover - 350 pgs, 7.5x10.5, b&w, hardcover


Title: The Hundred Years War: England and France at War c.1300-c.1450
Title: Christopher Allmand,
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, February 1988

This is a comparative study of how the societies of late-medieval England and France reacted to the long period of conflict between them commonly known as the Hundred Years War.

Beginning with an outline of the events of the war, the book continues with an analysis of contemporary views regarding the war. Two chapters follow that describe the military aim of the protagonists, military and naval organization, recruitment, and the raising of taxes.

The remainder of the book describes and analyzes some of the main social and economic effects of war upon society, the growth of a sense of national consciouslness in time of conflict, and the social criticism that came from those who reacted to changes and development brought about by war.
(ISBN: 0-521-31923-4)

Price: $18.95 USD
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Paperback - 224 pages, 0.65" x 8.51" x 5.43")


Title: 1066 : The Year of the Conquest
Title: David Howarth
Publisher: Penguin USA, 1981

The work is historically accurate and presented in an uncomplicated and gentle style. Howarth, however, is an unskilled writer and certainly not an erudite. He somewhat inelegantly presents major historical events in a storybook fashion to keep the reader interested, and writes at a level, while accessible to younger children, is unnecessarily patronizing (e.g. parenthetically adding that Harald Hardrada's first name is spelled with two 'a's' is rather foolish). Howarth needs to improve his writing proficiency and avoid the temptation to insert his own voice into the story, especially to refer back to his other works. Despite these criticisms, this is a good book for anyone aged 14-20 years who is seeking an introduction to some of the events surrounding the Norman invasion of England.
(ISBN: 0-14005-850-8)

Price: $10.36 USD
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Paperback - 207 pages, 0.42"x7.71"x5.08"


Title: Armies of the Crusades (Men at Arms Series, 75)
Title: Terence Wise, Gerry Embleton (illustrator)
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Co., May 1978

In the early crusades men of all ranks from all over Europe took the cross and went to fight Islam as volunteers. Some went out of religious fervour, others to escape the plagues and famine which were rife at the time, still others in search of land or a fortune in loot. By the era of the 3rd crusade, religious fervour had lessened, feudal armies were raised by leading monarchs and stiffened with mercenaries and by the time of the 6th crusade, knights went mainly from a sense of duty or in hope of gaining favours, whilst the infantry was almost entirely mercenary. Fighting alongside all of these were the armies raised in Outremer, the Holy Land itself. Together they waged a bloody religious war, the participants of which included such forces as the Knights Templar, the Teutonic Knights, and the Byzantine Army. This fascinating work by Terence Wise explores the events, forces, organisation, weapons and uniform of both sides, presenting an absorbing account of one of the most fascinating of historical subjects. Packed with museum photographs of surviving equipment, numerous illustrations and eight full page colour plates by Gerry Embleton which faithfully recreate the dress and weapons of the forces involved.
(ISBN: 0-85045-125-6)

Price: $10.47 USD
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2 - 6 weeks delivery

Paperback - 40 pages, Dimensions (in inches): 0.22 x 9.70 x 7.21