Battles of the Medieval World: From Hastings to Costantinople - Hardcover

Battles of the Medieval World introduces twenty key battles from Europe and the Near East in an age when traditional chivalric codes gave way to increased professionalism in armies. Beginning in 1066 with the battle of Hastings, where William of Normandy's cavalry successfully defeated Harold's Saxon forces, and finishing with the siege and capture of Constantinople in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed II's Turkish army, examples of every type of Medieval warfare are featured. The battles include massed cavalry encounters, such as Bouvines in 1214 and Leignitz in 1241, the employment of the devastatingly effective longbow at Crecy in 1346 and Agincourt in1415, the successful Venetian-Crusader amphibious assault in 1204 on Constantinople, and sea battles at Malta (1283) and Sluys (1340). Colourful accounts of lesser-known encounters are also included, such as Saladin's destruction of a Crusader army at Hattin (1187), the siege of Chateau Gaillard (1203-4), and the victory of the lowly Hussites over their overlords at Vitkov, near Prague (1420), where both wagons and gunpowder were employed to great effect. Each battle includes an introduction to the background, a concise description of the action, and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially commissioned colour map illustrating the dispositions and movement of forces brings the subject to life and helps the reader to grasp the development of the battle at a glance. Included are more than 200 colour and black and white maps, and artworks and photographs illustrating the battles, leading players, and tactics of the era, making Battles of the Medieval World a useful and accessible introduction to some key battles of the time. Designed for both the general reader and enthusiast, the book is an essential companion for anyone interested in the battles and tactics of the Medieval age.

Christer Joergensen graduated with a Ph.D from University College, London. An expert on military history, Christer has published various books on the history of warfare. He has previously contributed to Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World and Battles that Changed Warfare. Phyllis G. Jestice is an associate professor of medieval history and chair of the History Department at the University of Southern Mississippi. A specialist in German history during the central Middle Ages, her teaching of the history of premodern warfare has led her deeper into the study of medieval war and society. She has contributed to several works on the history of warfare, including Battles of the Ancient World, Battles of the Bible, Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World and Timelines of Medieval Warfare. Martin J. Dougherty is a freelance writer specialising in military and defence topics. His published work deals with subjects ranging from naval weapons to personal security and self-defence. He is author of Small Arms: From the Civil War to the Present Day, Warriors of the World: The Ancient Warrior, and Weapons and Fighting Techniques of the Medieval Warrior. Dougherty has also written books on personal self defence, including Unarmed Combat (2010) and Extreme Unarmed Combat (2012). Iain Dickie became the Chairman of the Battlefields Trust in 2004, he is editor of Miniature Wargames. His interests in military history and battlefields are wide-ranging, with specialisation in ancient warfare and as a re-enactor in a Napoleonic French line infantry regiment. Kevin Kiley is a life-long student of the Napoleonic period, served for many years as an artillery officer and is currently a teacher in the USA. Michael F. Pavkovic is an associate professor in the Strategy and Policy Department of the U.S. Naval War College. Previously, Dr. Pavkovic was the associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and a program chair for the diplomacy and military studies programs at Hawaii Pacific University. Frederick C. Schneid is Professor of History at High Point University. He is the author of Napoleon's Italian Campaigns, 1805-1815 and Soldiers of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy: Army, State and Society, 1800-1815. He serves on the board of directors of the Consortium on Revolutionary Europe and is southern regional director for the Society for Military History. Kelly DeVries is Professor of History at Loyola College, Maryland. He is the author of, among other titles, Medieval Military Technology, Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century, and Guns and Men in Medieval Europe.