This primer is aimed at students andothers who may have heard a little about heraldry and are curious about it, but are put off by the seriousness, academic tone and sheer size of the standard heraldric texts - and perhaps by the hushed reverence with which the subjet is sometimes discussed by its proponents. Heraldry is a fascinating hobby which is also a great deal of fun and there is no need to take it too seriously. However, like any other hobby, you need to know some facts and backgroiund in order to get the most out of it. This book is intended to give a short, slightly irreverent account of heraldry, with the hope of giving at least a flavour of this intriguing subject and perhaps whetting a few appetites. The primer is published under the auspices of the Heraldry Society of Canada. (preface by Dr. Kevin Greaves)
(ISBN: 0-96930-634-2)

"This book is a pleasure: its matter is essential; its thorough and clear presentation makes it attractive to students at various levels; its inclusion of the newly edited Middle French text increases its value to scholars. . . . Most of all, the Livre de chevalerie will now assume its rightful, central place in studies of fourteenth-century history and literature and in the history of chivalry."--Speculum.
(ISBN: 0-81221-579-6)

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)

Mounted encounters by armored knights locked in desperate hand-to- hand combat, stabbing and wrestling in tavern brawls, deceits and brutalities in street affrays, balletic homicide on the dueling field-these were the martial arts of Renaissance Europe. In this extensively illustrated book Sydney Anglo, a leading historian of the Renaissance and its symbolism, provides the first complete study of the martial arts from the late fifteenth to the late seventeenth century. He explains the significance of martial arts in Renaissance education and everyday life and offers a full account of the social implications of one-to-one combat training.Like the martial arts of Eastern societies, ritualized combat in the West was linked to contemporary social and scientific concerns, Anglo shows. During the Renaissance, physical exercise was regarded as central to the education of knights and gentlemen. Soldiers wielded a variety of weapons on the battlefield, and it was normal for civilians to carry swords and know how to use them. In schools across the continent, professional masters-of-arms taught the skills necessary to survive in a society where violence was endemic and life cheap. Anglo draws on a wealth of evidence-from detailed treatises and sketches by jobbing artists to magnificent images by Dürer and Cranach and descriptions of real combat, weapons and armor-to reconstruct and illustrate the arts taught by these ancient masters-at-arms.
(ISBN: 0-30008-352-1)

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)

Originally published by Methuen & Co. Ltd., London 1912, it is still a classic that anyone interested in medieval and renaissance armour needs to have. There are line drawings and some black and white photos depicting men in armour, suits of armour and objects related to the armourer's craft. There is some primary source material reproduced in the appendix - unfortunately the documents in foreign languages are not translated. There is a good-size glossary of armouring terms that includes several different languages. There is some biographical information on several Renaissance armourers.
(ISBN: 0-486-25851-3)

This is the first serious study of medieval tournaments: Richard Barber and Juliet Barker illuminate their importance, and reveal their place at the heart of medieval culture. They are seen as having played a vital role in the training of a medieval knight, who depended for his survival on skill in hand-to-hand combat, and they stimulated new devleopments in arms and armour; they were used by ruling princes for political patronage. A thoroughly interesting and fascinating book with loads of colour images that makes this book, a necessary addition to your reference library for anyone interested in the medieval period.
(ISBN: 0-85115-781-5)

Through poetic prose and practical instruction, Brian Price presents a lavish introduction to some of today's finest craftsmen and their work as well as a step-by-step guide for novice and intermediate armourers who desire to delve into the 1,000 stunning photographs of medieval and modern designs, Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction is a major contribution to the restoration and preservation of one of the grandest physical representations of the ideals of the Western world.
(ISBN: 1-58160-098-4)

"Chivalry is the work of a master. Comprehensive in its scope, it covers four centuries of European history.--Richard C. McCoy, Renaissance Quarterly

"All historians of Western society, even of periods close to our own, will do well to refer to this book."--Georges Duby, Times Literary Supplement

"[Keen's] exploration of the actual complex reality of chivalry, its vast literature and the traditions it imposed on European nobility is the last word on a seductive subject."--Washington Post

"Keen's eminently readable study of the crucial years between 1100 and 1500 not only furnishes us with a colorful, sharply detailed portrait of a way of life, but also provides us with an understanding of how chivalric ideals and practices helped meet the political, social, and economic needs of the time."--Christian Science Monitor

"A refreshingly new approach to the subject, reinterprets the evidence and brings chivalry alive in the context of the times during which it flourished."--Rodney Dennys, Antiquaries Journal

"Clearly written and engaging. . . . The author has intelligent and useful things to say throughout."--John F. Benton, Manuscripta

"Welcome and important. . . . A splendid book written with great enthusiasm, easy to read, and reflecting a wide scholarship."--Christopher Allmand, Historical Review.
(ISBN: 0-30003-360-5)

Lull's The Book of the Order of Chivalry (c. 1270), which focused on chivalry as a way of life and offered instruction toward that end, is the most influential Medieval discussion of chivalry known. Translated into French, Castilian, Scots and English (by Caxton, c. 1485), it was widely read and is generally recognized as the classic account of knighthood.
(ISBN: 0-96331-000-3)

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)

David Crouch's biography of William Marshal, an icon in his own time, a courtier and knight who served five kings--Henry II, Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart, John, and Henry III--as well as a queen, Eleanor of Aquitane, coming to represent the ideal of the corteis (courtly) to his peers and the embodiment of chevalerie for those who have since studied the period, does much to ground the legend and question earlier interpretations that often accepted the contemporary accounts of Marshal's life at face value.

The author uses his biography to examine the role of the mesnie in 12th century medieval society, as well as the function of the tournament, both as a social phenomenon and an avenue for advancement, both financial and social. He investigates the evolving notion of chivalry, both as an ideal and its actual practice. And he makes a cursory foray into the influence of religion, especially as it pertained to the noble's household, with its dependence upon an administration of clerical clerks. As much an insight into medieval military and noble society as a biography, the author has leavened his account with some wonderful anecdotes, such as Richard I's remonstrance with Marshal against killing him in battle, and Henry II's pique with his son over the latter's crossbowmen firing at him during a period of The Young King's insurrection. The various interactions and shifting allegiances between King Henry II and his often recalcitrant sons is illuminating in itself. Though Marshal was often out of the king's favor, Henry II nonetheless twice requested that Marshal serve his son, even though the son was at war with his father, and Marshal's military skills and allegiance would be turned against him! Quite a different mindset than what we're accustomed to today.
(ISBN: 0-58203-786-7)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

This lavishly illustrated volume details the armies of western and central European states and their client kingdoms in the Middle East in over three centuries of military development and almost continuous warfare--a decisive period when Christendom, Islam, and the Mongol world came into violent and sustained conflict, this definitive study pinpoints the evolving military sciences, technologies, and practices in an era of revolutionary change.
(ISBN: 1-85367-347-1)

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)

This book presents the most information ever published on German sword and edged weapon makers from the Middle Ages to the present. It includes photos and illustrations of German swords from Prussia, Bavaria, Wurttemberg, Saxony and Austria; more than 300 illustrations of German sword maker blade marks spanning five centuries, rare sketches and photos of German sword makers and their factories; a listing of German sword makers who exported swords to Union and Confederate dealers during the American CivilWar; a listing of special suppliers of swords and edged weapons to Nazi Germany; and much more. This is an indispensable resource for sword collectors, historians, antique dealers, weapon experts and researchers.
(ISBN: 1-58160-057-7)

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

An excellent and intense account of a unique king's biography. The book much information on Harold II to provide the "other side" of William the Conqueror's story. A must-read for history buffs.
(ISBN: 0-75091-388-6)

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)

This lavishly illustrated volume details the armies of western and central European states and their client kingdoms in the Middle East in over three centuries of military development and almost continuous warfare--a decisive period when Christendom, Islam, and the Mongol world came into violent and sustained conflict, this definitive study pinpoints the evolving military sciences, technologies, and practices in an era of revolutionary change.
(ISBN: 1-85367-347-1)

A fascinating visual book, structured in two parts, the first part Brown investigates the history and development of the English fighting system and looks at some of the attitudes, beliefs and social factors that influenced its development. A unique perspective supported with tales of skill and courage bring to life the people who played a part in the development of English martial arts.
The second part of the book, details various English fighting techniques which have been drawn from historical sources and manuscripts. All of the techniques presented in the book are illustrated with photographs and accompanied by instructions. Techniques covered in this book include bare-fist fighting, broadsword, quarterstaff, bill, sword and buckler, sword and dagger. Terry Brown, who has been a martial artist for twenty-eight years, has recently re-formed the Company of Maisters of Defence, a medieval English martial arts organization.
(ISBN: 1-89828-118-1)

This is the most complete treatise ever on the art of European edged weapons combat. In this volume, the author discusses the development of sword fighting techniques throughout Europe's history, includes first hand accounts of famous duels, compares and contracts medieval sword-fighting with modern sport fencing, and provides a comprehensive overview of the "way" of the sword in Europe.
Amberger is a regular contributor to American Fencing, the magazine of the United States Fencing Association, and to the British fencing magazine The Sword, as well as the German periodical Einst und Jetzt. Amberger is considered one of the foremost experts on historical edged-weapons combat in the United States.
(ISBN: 1-89251-504-0)

The Complete Bladesmith will show you how to take a bar of steel and forge it into the blade of your dreams. This guide to smithing world-class blasdes is for the novice as well as the experienced bladesmith. With this book you will be able to build your own forge, equip your workshop, choose your materials from the exotic to the mundane, and get to work.
Whether you want a survival blade, commando dagger, broadsword, tanto, or just a trustworthy utility knife, it's all here. Enter the custom-blade world with an edge.
(ISBN: 0-87364-430-1)

A definitive study for anyone interested in the subject to have in their library'. Classic arms and military history and typology of the European knightly sword. Oakeshott draws on his extensive research to trace its development from the knightly successors of the Viking weapon to the emergence of the Renaissance sword, using evidence from literature and art as well as from archaeology.
(ISBN: 0-85115-715-7)

This book is an invaluable exploration of the significance of the sword as symbol and weapon in the Anglo-Saxon world, using archaeological and literary evidence. The first part of the book, a careful study of the disposition of swords found in peat bogs, in graves, lakes and rivers, yields information on religious and social practices. The second is concerned with literary sources, especially Beowulf.
(ISBN: 0-85115-716-5)

The Art of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, 1098-1187 examines the art and architecture produced for the Crusaders in Syria-Palestine during the first century of their quest to recapture Jerusalem. Commissioned by kings and queens, patriarchs and bishops, knights and merchants, who came as pilgrims or settlers to the Holy Land, it is an art of manuscript illumination, fresco painting, mosaics, stone sculpture, metalwork, ivory carving, coins and seals by artists trained in the Latin West, and the Byzantine and Islamic East. Combining the stylistic and iconographic traditions of these regions, Crusader art defies easy categorization: indeed, it is a unique phenomenon within the spectrum of medieval art. Defining a distinctive and important chapter in the history of medieval art, this groundbreaking work contains 700 black and white illustrations and 40 color plates.
(ISBN: 0-52145-383-6)

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)

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)

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)

A beautifully presented book, which describes arms and armour in detail from the 11th century through to the 16th century Europe. It contains large, colour photographs of objects which reside in museums including Aachen Cathedral Treasury, Bern Historical Museum, Royal Armouries, Royal Museum of Scotland and Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna to name a few. The book also includes details on some aspects of armour creation, complete with photographs of original components. Any one, regardless of level of expertise, should have this book in their collection.
(ISBN: 0-51710-319-2)

In The Archaeology of Weapons, Ewart Oakeshott traces the development of European arms in logical sequence, showing how changes were wrought by the use of new materials and the ever-shifting demands of war and fashion. The core of the book, however, is the middle ages: a general survey of the institution of chivalry, an understanding of which is vital to the appreciation of all the arms of the high middle ages, is followed by a classification covering all sword types from about 1050 to 1500. Oakeshott draws on a variety of sources, from the archaeological evidence provided by existing weapons to the clues to be found in literature as diverse as the Old Testament, the works of Homer, Norse sagas and medieval romances. The symbolic importance of the sword is treated as an essential part of this lucid study and adds much to its archaeological interest.
(ISBN: 0-48629-288-6)

This book is about fighting, specifically with a sword in which the end result is the death of your opponent. The book is not another book about business strategy. Kaufman's dry sense of humour illustrates this point with his comment "There is a significant difference between not getting a deal signed and having your head cut off." An excellent book on developing the necessary psyche in order to win engagements.
(ISBN: 0-80483-020-7)

An extensive and thorough study of the origins, development and usage of the glamorous two-edged knightly sword of the European middle ages, with a complete typology. Spanning the period from the great migrations to the Renaissance, this book presents a selection from a very large body of photographs and research and gives a full and detailed record of the swords of that turbulent time.
(ISBN: 0-85115-566-9)

This major new book presents over 300 pages of information on the tools and martial skills of medieval warriors. It offers a comprehensive look at medieval blades as fighting weapons and distills the essential fighting elements from such masters as Liechtenauer, Talhoffer, Dei Liberi, Vadi, and others. 

Based on years of hands-on study and practice by HACA Director and scholar-practitioner John Clements, this sweeping work finally approaches Medieval swordsmanship as a legitimate martial art form and not as fantasy play or theatrical performance. This is a detailed examination and practical guide to one of the most fascinating areas of our Western martial heritage: the Medieval sword!
(ISBN: 1-58160-004-6)

This is one of the earlier works by John Clements on historical European swordsmanship. Both a general reference and an instructional guide for advanced and beginning sword enthusiats, students of military history and martial artists.

Combined with exhaustive research with years of hands-on practice in fencing, contact-weapon sparring and training, John's intents was to return historical swordsmanship to its rightful place as a true martial art.
(ISBN: 0-87364-919-2)