- Table View
- List View
Medieval Military Medicine: From the Vikings to the High Middle Ages
by Brian BurfieldA study of how doctors and surgeons treated the brutal injuries and illnesses suffered by medieval combatants. Soldiers of the Middle Ages faced razor-sharp swords and axes that could slice through flesh with gruesome ease, while spears and arrows were made to puncture both armor and the wearer, and even more sinister means of causing harm produced burns and crush injuries. These casualties of war during the 500-year period between the ninth and thirteenth centuries in Northern and Western Europe are the focus of Brian Burfield&’s study, but they represent just a portion of the story—disease, disability, disfigurement, and damaged minds all played their roles in this awful reality. Surgical methods are described in the book, as are the fixes for fractured skulls, broken bones, and damaged teeth. Disfiguring scars and disabling injuries are examined alongside the contemporary attitudes toward them. Also investigated are illnesses like dysentery and St. Anthony&’s Fire, plus infected wounds which were often deadlier than the weapons of the age. A final chapter on the psychological trauma caused by war is included and contains a significant focus on the world of the Vikings. Burfield&’s account features many individual cases, extracting their stories of wounds, sickness, and death from chronicles, miracle collections, surgeries, government records, and other documents. The prose, poetry, and literature of the period are also of great value in bringing these cases to life, as is the evidence provided by modern archaeological and historical scholarship.
Medieval Military Technology, Second Edition
by Kelly Robert DeVries Robert Douglas SmithFirst published in 1992, Medieval Military Technology has become the definitive book in its field, garnering much praise and a large readership. This thorough update of a classic book, regarded as both an excellent overview and an important piece of scholarship, includes fully revised content, new sections on the use of horses, handguns, incendiary weapons, and siege engines, and eighteen new illustrations. The four key organizing sections of the book still remain: arms and armor, artillery, fortifications, and warships. Throughout, the authors connect these technologies to broader themes and developments in medieval society as well as to current scholarly and curatorial controversies.
Medieval Naval Warfare 1000-1500 (Warfare And History Ser.)
by Susan RoseHow were medieval navies organised, and how did powerful rulers use them? Medieval Naval Warfare, 1000-1500 provides a wealth of information about the strategy and tactics of these early fleets and the extent to which the possibilities of sea power were understood and exploited. This fascinating account brings vividly to life the dangers and diffic
Medieval Panjab in Transition: Authority, Resistance and Spirituality c.1500 – c.1700
by Surinder SinghThis book reconstructs the historical transition in the undivided Panjab during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It shows that the assertion of Mughal and Afghan suzerainty faced sustained resistance from local elements, particularly the autonomous tribes and hill chiefdoms. In central plains, Dulla Bhatti mobilized the toilers of his ancestral domain and, leading a relentless fight against the Mughal oppression, became an abiding symbol of resistance in the collective memory. The multicultural legacy of Panjab evolved through diverse strands of spirituality. The jogis, wedded to monastic discipline, supernatural abilities and land grants, gained acceptance through their exertions for social betterment. The Sabiri and Qadiri silsilas channelized mystical urges towards the technique of prime recitation. The popular verses of Shah Husain, Baba Lal and Sultan Bahu proposed a loving relation with God. The legendary lovers, perishing in the struggles against patriarchal forces, promoted a merger of dissent with spirituality. In the city of Lahore, the material pursuits and cultural life were visible in a mosaic of descriptions, including episodes of social tension. The book understands the upliftment of depressed castes as a defining feature of Sikhism. It places egalitarian concern of the Sikh Gurus alongside the anti-caste protests of Namdev, Kabir and Ravidas. Owing to scriptural authority and congregational equality, the members of depressed castes attained a numerical majority in the Sikh warrior bands that shook the foundations of the Mughal state. The work relies on evidence from the Persian chronicles, Mughal newsletters, Sufi writings, Sikh literature and Punjabi folklore. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Medieval Polish Armies 966-1500
by Gerry Embleton David NicolleThe history of Poland is a fascinating study of a people struggling to achieve nationhood in the face of internal and external enemies. Poland became a unified Christian state in AD 966 and by the 12th century a knightly class had emerged - a force that was integral to the defense of Poland against increasingly frequent foreign invasions. Intent on crushing rival Christian states, the Templars, Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights all mounted attacks but were beaten back by the Poles, as were invading Mongols and Turks. This book reveals the organization, equipment and battle histories of the medieval Polish armies as they developed and modernized to emerge as one of the dominant powers of Eastern Europe.
Medieval Russian Fortresses AD 862-1480
by Peter Dennis Konstantin NossovUsing archaeological evidence and first-hand sources, Konstantin Nossov charts the history of the medieval Russian fortress from its early beginnings until the 14th century.According to Russian legend, in AD 862, the Slav tribes of what is now European Russia invited a number of Scandinavian princes to rule over them. In AD 882, Prince Oleg united these kingdoms as the feudal state of Kievan Rus, by building a series of settlement and border fortifications, including the Zmievy Valy (Snake Ramparts), to protect against foreign invasion.The rise of feudalism through the 11th century saw the development of individual fortified sites to the detriment of the extended border defenses. Consequently, Mongol hordes poured over the border, introducing the siege warfare techniques of the East, and heavily influencing the fortification styles thereafter.The rise of Muscovy in the fourteenth century saw an enhanced role for Moscow and the Kremlin, which was rebuilt in stone reflecting its increased significance.This book brings all these diverse strands together into a comprehensive volume on the fortifications of Russia from the early days of the Kievan Rus' until the foundation of the modern state in 1480.
Medieval Siege and Siegecraft
by Geoffrey HindleyGreat sieges changed the course of medieval history, yet siege warfare, the dominant military activity of the period, is rarely given the attention it deserves. Geoffrey Hindley's highly readable new account of this vital but neglected aspect of medieval warfare looks at the subject from every angle. He traces the development of fortifications and siege equipment, explores the psychological dimension and considers the parts played by women and camp followers. He also shows siege tactics in action through a selection of vivid case studies of famous sieges taken from the history of medieval Europe and the Holy Land. His stimulating and accessible study will be fascinating reading for medieval specialists and for anyone who is interested in the history of warfare.
Medieval Siege Weapons: Western Europe AD 585-1385
by David NicolleThis text explores a range of devices and details the changes in medieval siege warfare brought about by the mixing of traditions from Greece, Rome, Persia, India and China.
Medieval Siege Weapons: Byzantium, the Islamic World & India AD 476-1526
by David NicolleDuring medieval era, the pre-existing military-technological traditions from the ancient worlds were brought together. Three civilizations were primarily responsible for this evolution: the Late-Roman or Byzantine Empire, the Islamic World, and latterly the Mongol 'World Empire'. This book examines the resulting stone-throwing machines from torsion 'energy storage' systems, to manpowered and counterbalance sling devices, rockets and others.
Medieval Sieges & Siegecraft
by Geoffrey HindleyHere Geoffrey Hindley serves us the history of military sieges from every angle, tracing the development of fortifications and equipment (offensive and defensive), penning vivid portraits of the weapons involved, exploring the psychology of laying siege, and even describing the role played by women and camp followers in battle. He shows siege tactics in action through real-life case studies of famous sieges that changed the course of history in medieval Europe and the Holy Land. His stimulating and accessible study will be fascinating reading for medieval specialists and for anyone who is interested in the history of warfare.
The Medieval Soldier in the Wars of the Roses: Men Who Fought the Wars of the Roses
by Andrew Boardman‘An essential part of the library for anyone interested in the great political and military upheavals in the 15th century.’ – Graeme Rimer, Retired Former Academic Director of the Royal Armouries‘A creditable effort to examine a neglected aspect of medieval warfare.’ – Jim Bradbury, Cambridge University Press ‘Everything you need to know about being a soldier in the Wars of the Roses.’ – The Mail BookshopWhat was it like to fight in a Wars of the Roses battle? What kind of men fought at St Albans, Northampton, Wakefield, Towton, Tewkesbury and Bosworth? How was the medieval soldier recruited, paid, equipped, fed and billeted? And how was a battle contested once both sides resorted to all-out conflict?First published in 1998, this classic study of the medieval soldier in the Wars of the Roses examines these and other questions using various documentary sources and recent evidence. Eyewitness accounts, contemporary chronicles, personal letters, civic records, archaeology and surviving military equipment are used to paint a fascinating picture of the medieval soldier. Evidence gleaned from the mass war grave found close to the battlefield of Towton in North Yorkshire sheds new light on those that lived and died in the civil wars. But what do we know about the psychology of those involved? And how did soldiers feel about killing their fellow Englishmen?Andrew Boardman explores the grim reality of medieval soldiering on land and sea during this crucial period of aristocratic violence and dynastic upheaval. He makes us question the current historical record, such as it is, and our perceptions of chivalry and warfare in Lancastrian and Yorkist England. The text is supported by many contemporary illustrations, diagrams and maps, making this updated work an indispensable guide to medieval soldiering in the late fifteenth century.
The Medieval Tournament
by R. Coltman ClephanComplete, detailed history of English and European tournaments, based on rare manuscripts and original sources. Topics include Arthurian and other round tables, body armor, chain mail, plate armor, royal jousts, introduction of firearms in the 14th century, the tilt, effigies, trial by combat, duels and many other aspects. 24 illustrations. Bibliography. Index.
Medieval Warfare: Medieval Warfare (Military History from Primary Sources)
by Bob CarruthersJames Grant (1822–1887) was a Scottish author and was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a distant relation of Sir WalterScott. He was a prolific author, writing some 90 books, including many yellow-backs. Titles included Adventures of an Aide-decamp, One of 'The Six Hundred', The Scottish Musketeers and The Scottish Cavalier.Medieval Warfare collects Grant's work on the subject, from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to the Battle of Barnet in 1471, a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses. The book contains remarkably detailed accounts of many key battles from the period including the Battle of the Standard and Bannockburn to Poitiers and Agincourt from the Hundred Years' War. The historically defining strategies employed during these battles are explored throughout.Illustrated with vivid portraits of battle and detailed drawings of the tools and weapons of the period, this is the definitive account of a trying and bloody period in history.
Medieval Warfare: A Reader (Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures)
by Kelly DeVries Michael Livingston editorsMedieval Warfare: A Reader examines how armed conflict was experienced in the Middle Ages both on the field of battle and at home. This comprehensive collection of more than 130 primary-source materials—some translated here for the first time—traces over one thousand years of military developments, including the fall of Rome, the fight for Jerusalem, the building of castles and other fortifications, the rise of gunpowder, and the negotiation of treaties. Developed by two of the leading experts in medieval military history, the readings tell stories of terrors and tragedies, triumphs and technologies in the Middle Ages. By reclaiming the voices of victims and veterans that have previously been ignored, the editors stake out a powerful new perspective on the long history of military conflict and suffering.
Medieval Warfare: Theory and Practice of War in Europe 300–1500
by Helen NicholsonWarfare in medieval times was never static or predictable - although there were ideals and conventions to follow, in the field commanders had to use their initiative and adapt to the needs of the moment. In this concise, wide-ranging study, Helen Nicholson provides the essential introductory guide to a fascinating subject. Medieval Warfare - surveys and summarises current debates and modern research into warfare throughout the whole of the medieval period across Europe - sets medieval warfare theory and practice firmly into context as a continuation and adaptation of practice under the Roman Empire, tracing its change and development across more than a millennium - considers military personnel, buildings and equipment, as well as the practice of warfare by land and sea
Medieval Warfare 1300–1450 (The International Library of Essays on Military History)
by Kelly DeVriesWar was epidemic in the late Middle Ages. It affected every land and all peoples from Scotland and Scandinavia in the north to the southern Mediterranean Sea coastlines of Morocco, North Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East in the south, from Ireland and Spain in the west to Russia and Turkey in the east. Nowhere was peaceful for any significant amount of time. The period also saw significant changes in military theory and practice which altered the ways in which campaigns were conducted, battles fought, and sieges laid; and changes in the leadership, recruitment, training, supply and financing of armies. There were changes in the relationship between those waging warfare, from generals to irregular troops, and the society in which they lived and for or against which they fought; the frequency of popular rebellions and the participation in them by townspeople and peasants; changes in the desire to undertake Crusades, and changes in technology, including but not limited to gunpowder weapons. This collection gathers together some of the best published work on these topics. The first section of seven papers show that throughout Europe in the later Middle Ages generals led and armies followed what are usually defined as "modern" strategy and tactics, contrary to popular belief. The second part reprints nine works that examine the often neglected aspects of the process of putting and keeping together a late medieval army. In the third section the authors discuss various ways that warfare in the fourteenth and fifteenth century affected the society of that period. The final sections cover popular rebellions and crusading.
Medieval Warfare: Technology, Military Revolutions, and Strategy (Variorum Collected Studies)
by Clifford J. RogersThis volume explores the topics of military revolutions, strategy, and tactics both separately and as they relate to each other. It makes important contributions to understanding European warfare in the Early, High, and especially the Late Middle Ages, as well the military transition to the Early Modern Period.Readers will find detailed analysis of how technological and non-technological developments interacted to effect major changes in how wars were fought across the period. The evolution and capabilities of the English longbow and of early gunpowder artillery are examined in depth. Changes in the tools of war naturally affected plans to employ those tools to achieve political ends – military strategy – but strategy was never dictated by technology. That point is illustrated by examinations of English efforts to conquer Wales; the Anglo-Burgundian alliance of the late Hundred Years War; and the economic factors shaping medieval conquests in general.The nine studies in the volume have all been published previously, but a new introduction shows how they fit together, particularly explaining how they collectively rebut common critiques of Rogers’s controversial thesis that European warfare was reshaped by the Infantry and Artillery Revolutions during the era of the Hundred Years War. Two of the chapters have been substantially expanded, so that the versions printed here should be the ones consulted and cited in the future by scholars of medieval warfare and military revolutions.
The Medieval Warhorse From Byzantium to the Crusades
by Ann HylandThe history and development of the medieval warhorse, its breeding and care.
The Medieval Way of War: Studies in Medieval Military History in Honor of Bernard S. Bachrach
by Gregory I. HalfondFew historians have argued so forcefully or persuasively as Bernard S. Bachrach for the study of warfare as not only worthy of scholarly attention, but demanding of it. In his many publications Bachrach has established unequivocally the relevance of military institutions and activity for an understanding of medieval European societies, polities, and mentalities. In so doing, as much as any scholar of his generation, he has helped to define the status quaestionis for the field of medieval military history. The Medieval Way of War: Studies in Medieval Military History in Honor of Bernard S. Bachrach pays tribute to its honoree by gathering in a single volume seventeen original studies from an international roster of leading experts in the military history of medieval Europe. Ranging chronologically from Late Antiquity through the Later Middle Ages (ca. AD 300-1500), and with a broad geographical scope stretching from the British Isles to the Middle East, these diverse studies address an array of critical themes and debates relevant to the conduct of war in medieval Europe. These themes include the formation and implementation of military grand strategies; the fiscal, material, and administrative resources that underpinned the conduct of war in medieval Europe; and religious, legal, and artistic responses to military violence. Collectively, these seventeen studies embrace the interdisciplinarity and topical diversity intrinsic to Bachrach’s research. Additionally, they strongly echo his conviction that the study of armed conflict is indispensable for an accurate and comprehensive understanding of medieval European history.
Meditations in Green (Vintage Contemporaries Ser.)
by Stephen WrightOne of the greatest Vietnam War novels ever written, by an award-winning writer who experienced it firsthand.Deployed to Vietnam with the U.S. Army's 1069 Intelligence Group, Spec. 4 James Griffin starts out clear-eyed and hardworking, believing he can glide through the war unharmed. But the kaleidoscope of horrors he experiences gets inside him relentlessly. He gradually collapses and ends up unstrung, in step with the exploding hell around him and waiting for the cataclysm that will bring him home, dead or not.Griffin survives, but back in the U.S. his battles intensify. Beset by addiction, he takes up meditating on household plants and attempts to adjust to civilian life and beat back the insanity that threatens to overwhelm him. Meditations in Green is a haunting exploration of the harrowing costs of war and yet-unhealed wounds, "the impact of an experience so devastating that words can hardly contain it" (Walter Kendrick, the New York Times Book Review). Through passages gorgeous, agonizing, and surreal, Stephen Wright paints a searing portrait of a nation driven to the brink by violence and deceit.
Mediterranean Anarchy, Interstate War, and the Rise of Rome
by Arthur M. EcksteinThis ground-breaking study is the first to employ modern international relations theory to place Roman militarism and expansion of power within the broader Mediterranean context of interstate anarchy. Arthur M. Eckstein challenges claims that Rome was an exceptionally warlike and aggressive state--not merely in modern but in ancient terms--by arguing that intense militarism and aggressiveness were common among all Mediterranean polities from circa 750 B.C. onwards. In his wide-ranging and masterful narrative, Eckstein explains that international politics in the ancient Mediterranean world was, in political science terms, a multipolar anarchy: international law was minimal, and states struggled desperately for power and survival by means of warfare. Eventually, one state, the Republic of Rome, managed to create predominance and a sort of peace. Rome was certainly a militarized and aggressive state, but it was successful not because it was exceptional in its ruthlessness, Eckstein convincingly argues; rather, it was successful because of its exceptional ability to manage a large network of foreign allies, and to assimilate numerous foreigners within the polity itself. This book shows how these characteristics, in turn, gave Rome incomparably large resources for the grim struggle of states fostered by the Mediterranean anarchy--and hence they were key to Rome's unprecedented success.
The Mediterranean and Middle East: Volume I The Early Successes Against Italy (To May 1941) [Illustrated Edition]
by Air Vice-Marshal S.E. Toomer C.B. C.B.E. D.F.C. Brigadier C. J. C. Molony Major-General I.S.O. Playfair C.B. D.S.O. M.C. Commander G.M.S. Stitt R.N.Illustrated with 30 maps and 40 photos."Britain defeats Italy on land and sea in Africa and the Mediterranean in 1940."The first of eight volumes in the 18-volume official British History of the Second World War covering the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres. After setting the political and military scene, the authors open the action with Italy's declaration of war and France's collapse in June 1940. Britain's painful neutralisation of the French fleet at Oran and Alexandria is followed by the first blows against the Italian empire in East Africa, and Italy's attacks on Egypt and Greece. The Fleet Air Arm's triumphant attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto, masterminded by Admiral Cunningham, is trumped by General Wavell's even more successful Battle of Sidi Barrani in December, when vast numbers of Italians were captured for negligible British losses. The victory was followed up by Britain's capture of Bardia and Tobruk, and the founding of the Long Range Desert Group - the germ of the SAS. The mopping-up of General Graziani's forces in Cyrenaica, however, ominously resulted in Germany's decision to rescue their ally with General Rommel's Afrika Korps. However, the volume concludes optimistically with the successful campaign against Italy in Ethiopia, in which General Orde Wingate's irregular Gideon Force plays a prominent part. The military narrative is accompanied by descriptions of diplomatic developments and technological innovations such as the arrival of the Hurricane fighter plane, the Matilda tank and radar. The text is accompanied by ten appendices."-Print Edition
The Mediterranean And Middle East: Volume II The Germans Come To The Help Of Their Ally (1941) [Illustrated Edition]
by Air Vice-Marshal S.E. Toomer C.B. C.B.E. D.F.C. Brigadier C. J. C. Molony Major-General I.S.O. Playfair C.B. D.S.O. M.C. Captain F. C. FlynnIllustrated with 29 maps/diagrams and 44 photographs"The second of the eight volumes dealing with the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres in the 18-volume official British History of the Second World War, this book is largely concerned with the consequences of Germany's decision to prop up its faltering Italian ally in North Africa in 1941. It opens with General Rommel reversing Britain's conquest of Italian Cyrenaica, and increasing Axis air attacks on the fortress island of Malta. Britain's naval victory against the Italians at Cape Matapan in March is swiftly followed by British reverses in the Balkans. A British-backed anti-Nazi coup d'état in Yugoslavia results in April in Germany's occupation of that country and Britain's retreat from Greece before a relentless German advance. Germany's airborne invasion of Crete sparks a fierce battle for the island, ending in a British evacuation. A pro-Axis coup in Iraq is followed by a successful British intervention, which deposes the pro-Nazi Rashid Ali regime in Baghdad. British and Free French forces also occupy Vichy French-ruled Syria. The book ends with more attacks on Malta, the building-up of Allied forces in the Middle East, and General Wavell's replacement by General Auchinleck as British Commander in North Africa."-Print Edition
Mediterranean Cities: Historical Perspectives
by Robert L. Hohlfelder Irad MalkinFirst published in 1988. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The Mediterranean Double-Cross System, 1941-1945 (Routledge Studies in Modern European History)
by Brett LintottThis book describes and analyzes the history of the Mediterranean "Double-Cross System" of the Second World War, an intelligence operation run primarily by British officers which turned captured German spies into double agents. Through a complex system of coordination, they were utilized from 1941 to the end of the war in 1945 to secure Allied territory through security and counter-intelligence operations, and also to deceive the German military by passing false information about Allied military planning and operations. The primary questions addressed by the book are: how did the double-cross-system come into existence; what effects did it have on the intelligence war and the broader military conflict; and why did it have those effects? The book contains chapters assessing how the system came into being and how it was organized, and also chapters which analyze its performance in security and counter-intelligence operations, and in deception.