Following the disastrous defeats at Jena and Auerstadt by Napoleon in 1806, the Prussian armed forces were forced to regroup, and radical changes were instigated in all areas. The fighting spirit and ability of the infantry remained consistently high throughout this period of the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), from the dark days of Jena, through the Wars of Liberation and on to victory under Marshal Blucher's command at Waterloo. This title follows a typical Prussian line infantryman through recruitment, training, the routines of daily life and duties, to experiences on campaign and in...
Following the disastrous defeats at Jena and Auerstadt by Napoleon in 1806, the Prussian armed forces were forced to regroup, and radical changes w...
The 13th century was a time of change for knights in England. They were faced with rising costs and increasing demands on their time for local government because of their very status in society, until knighthood itself was sometimes avoided. This period saw as well the development of the tournament from the wild team events of the early years of the century to the single jousts with blunt lance. Campaign life in the 13th century also embraced several theatres of war including the baronial revolt against King John, the Barons' Wars of Simon de Montfort (also known as the Second Barons' War,...
The 13th century was a time of change for knights in England. They were faced with rising costs and increasing demands on their time for local governm...
The 14th-century knight lived in a century of change, in terms of both recruitment methods and the appearance of fighting men. This book describes all aspects of the knight's life, including his training in the castle yard and the hard knocks of tournaments. The knight's daily routine on campaign is explored along with the role of mercenary knights, the motivation of knights in the field and the influence of chivalry. The book is beautifully illustrated with eight colour plates by Graham Turner covering all aspects of knighthood in this period and also includes photographs of rare surviving...
The 14th-century knight lived in a century of change, in terms of both recruitment methods and the appearance of fighting men. This book describes all...
The 15th century was a time of change for knighthood. Knights no longer fought for their lords in return for land, since the feudal summons had long before given way to a system of contracts. Moreover, many knights now preferred the role of landowner, man-about-town or parliamentary representative. However, this was also the age of the knight in plate armour, of the battle of Agincourt and the conquests of Henry V, and of the Wars of the Roses, the bloody internecine struggle that tore medieval England apart. In this title Christopher Gravett describes the life of a 15th century knight, his...
The 15th century was a time of change for knighthood. Knights no longer fought for their lords in return for land, since the feudal summons had long b...
The ashigaru were the foot soldiers of old Japan. Although recruited first to swell an army's numbers and paid only by loot, the samurai began to realise their worth, particularly with arquebuses and spears, until well-trained ashigaru made up a vital part of any samurai army. This book tells the story of the ashigaru for the first time, their origins, recruitment training and use in various wars, such as the Gempei Wars of 1180-1185 and the Onin War of 1467-1477. Stephen Turnbull draws on previously untranslated Japanese sources and unpublished illustrations that show the range of ashigaru...
The ashigaru were the foot soldiers of old Japan. Although recruited first to swell an army's numbers and paid only by loot, the samurai began to real...
Many accounts portray the conquest of the New World as a remarkable military achievement, with Cortes' vastly outnumbered but better armed Spaniards defeating hordes of superstitious savages. However, the reality of these events is far more complex and no less significant. The first Conquistadors who had sailed in search of prosperity, inspired by dreams of unlimited riches, soon became disillusioned and restless. With disease rampant, resources exhausted, and the Caribbean populations dwindling, they had little alternative but to find new territories and peoples to exploit. This title shows...
Many accounts portray the conquest of the New World as a remarkable military achievement, with Cortes' vastly outnumbered but better armed Spaniards d...
A Union supporter once said, "What is a man's life worth if our glorious union is to be shattered by traitors?" President Lincoln's volunteers and conscripted soldiers expanded the permanent Union army to include 1,700 regiments of foot soldiers during the course of the war. Those who became part of "Mr. Lincoln's Army" came from various social and economic conditions, and they documented their day-to-day life in diaries, letters and memoirs. Drawing on these narratives, contemporary photographs, and meticulous archival research, this book provides a vivid account of the common Union...
A Union supporter once said, "What is a man's life worth if our glorious union is to be shattered by traitors?" President Lincoln's volunteers and con...
The rifle corps of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) are among the most recognisable of all the soldiers of that era: their distinctive dark green uniforms are as familiar as some of their exploits. They have achieved considerable fame through the large numbers of memoirs written by members of the rifle corps as well as through modern fiction, most notably the Sharpe series. Apart from their reputation as a corps d'elite, the riflemen were, in their time, at the very cutting edge of military technology and tactical theory. Philip Haythornwaite here uses fascinating first...
The rifle corps of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) are among the most recognisable of all the soldiers of that era: their dist...
The Matchlock Musketeer follows the lives of soldiers armed with this weapon from its adoption by the English in Queen Elizabeth's reign until its replacement with the flintlock at the end of the 17th century.
The Matchlock Musketeer follows the lives of soldiers armed with this weapon from its adoption by the English in Queen Elizabeth's reign until its rep...
The Ironside is symbolic of the one occasion when the army took an active role in British politics. He represents a unique period when ordinary people displaced the established order to take political control into their own hands. In the nineteenth century a rash of historical publications, paintings and statues with a civil war theme reflected the political divisions of Victorian society and Royalist and Parliamentarian causes were argued over again, reflecting the sub text of contemporary political struggles. This book attempts to take a wider view of the Ironside as a warrior who evolved...
The Ironside is symbolic of the one occasion when the army took an active role in British politics. He represents a unique period when ordinary people...
