This attractively packaged gift book offers a comprehensive look at the development of the fearsome medieval English knight from the 12th century to the 15th century.The 'knight in shining armour' has become a staple figure in popular culture, and images of bloody battlefields, bustling feasting halls and courtly tournaments have been creatively interpreted many times in film and fiction. But what was the medieval knight truly like?In this fascinating title...

The History of Castles is the ultimate guide to the world’s most fascinating castles and strongholds. Chapters include information on castles from France, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. An ideal book for history enthusiasts, people planning to take a vacation near one of these castles, and for anyone who is enamored of these breathtaking buildings.

A study of the Battle of Bosworth, the climactic battle of the Wars of the Roses, based on a new interpretation of events following the discovery of the true location of the battlefield.The battle of Bosworth was the culmination of the War of the Roses, the dynastic struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster that dominated England in the second half of the 15th century. Edward IV had secured the throne for the house of York, but his early death in 1483, foll...

A detailed study of the English castles of the medieval period.The simple castles raised after the Norman conquest had been developed throughout 11th and 12th centuries, whilst the introduction of Islamic and Byzantine fortification techniques from the late 12th century led to further developments in castle architecture.These fortifications were to be well tested throughout the course of the 13th century as England was riven by conflict, characterized by pr...

A detailed study of the English castles of the medieval period.The simple castles raised after the Norman conquest had been developed throughout 11th and 12th centuries, whilst the introduction of Islamic and Byzantine fortification techniques from the late 12th century led to further developments in castle architecture.These fortifications were to be well tested throughout the course of the 13th century as England was riven by conflict, characterized by pr...

Descended from the Viking raiders who settled in Northern France under the leadership of Rollo in around 911, the Normans were amongst the most feared warriors of their time.Their territorial ambitions culminated in Duke William I's conquest of England in 1066, but although victory at Hastings left the English crown in William's hands, Norman sovereignty remained far from established on the island. In order to consolidate his position, the new king built a series o...

Following the creation of the Duchy of Normandy, the Normans were soon introduced to the castle and they built them in large numbers.In the mid-11th century, other Norman adventurers began carving out dominions for themselves in Southern Italy: some crossed to Sicily in 1061 and by 1091 had conquered the whole island. As in Normandy, they were keen to assimilate new ideas, including architectural styles, resulting in some striking buildings.This title, a co...

In 1277 Edward I gathered a huge army and marched into Wales to subdue the rebel Welsh princes.A key part of his strategy was to erect a castle wherever his army rested. This title takes a detailed look at the design, development and principles of defence of these Welsh castles, documenting daily life within their walls and the historical events that took place around them.Focusing on key sites, it highlights the varied castle designs ranging from fortifica...

The story of an era shrouded in mystery, and the gradual changing of a nation's cultural identity.We speak English today, because the Anglo-Saxons took over most of post-Roman Britain. How did that happen? There is little evidence: not much archaeology, and even less written history. There is, however, a huge amount of speculation. King Arthur's Wars brings an entirely new approach to the subject—the answers are out there, in the British countryside, waiti...

Sir John Pryce of Newtown Hall died in 1761. He kept the embalmed bodies of his first two wives on either side of his bed – until his third wife insisted that they were removed.In 1856 Ronald Rhys from the Vale of Neath disappeared for a week after seeing a strange light in a field and hearing a loud noise. He remembered being examined by small creatures who took a sample of his blood.Oh yes, and America is named after a Welshman and the Holy Grail is kept in a bank vault i...

Yorkshire is well known for its miners, pudding and cricket, but 'Yorkshire, A Very Peculiar History' scrapes beyond the surface and past the cliches. Featuring a host of characters from Yorkshire past and present, it's not all grit and grime! Tracing Yorkshire's history back through Roman and Viking rule, to the various tribes which populated the area in prehistoric times, this book covers the largest county in England from all angles. Featuring quirky tales of Yorkshire's crucial role in...

Beginning with their introduction in the eleventh century, and ending with their widespread abandonment in the seventeenth, Marc Morris explores many of the country’s most famous castles, as well as some spectacular lesser-known examples.At times this is an epic tale, driven by characters like William the Conqueror, King John and Edward I, full of sieges and conquest on an awesome scale. But it is also by turns an intimate story of less eminent individuals, whose adventures, struggles and ...