Tag Archives: early medieval

Killing or Clemency? Ransom, Chivalry and Changing Attitudes to Defeated Opponents in Britain and Northern France, 7-12th centuries

Killing or Clemency? Ransom, Chivalry and Changing Attitudes to Defeated Opponents in Britain and Northern France, 7-12th centuries Matthew J. Strickland Krieg im Mittelalter (2001) On 25 September, 1066, the forces of King Harold II of England fell upon the … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Killing or Clemency? Ransom, Chivalry and Changing Attitudes to Defeated Opponents in Britain and Northern France, 7-12th centuries

Caste, Skill, and Training: The Evolution of Cohesion in European Armies from the Middle Ages to the Sixteenth Century

Caste, Skill, and Training: The Evolution of Cohesion in European Armies from the Middle Ages to the Sixteenth Century Dennis E. Showalter The Journal of Military History: vol. 57 (1993) Abstract The Middle Ages were characterized by growing institutional sophistication, … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Caste, Skill, and Training: The Evolution of Cohesion in European Armies from the Middle Ages to the Sixteenth Century

The recruitment of armies in the early middle ages: what can we know?

The recruitment of armies in the early middle ages: what can we know? Timothy Reuter Military Aspects of Scandinavian Society in a European Perspective, AD 1-1300 (Copenhagen, 1997) Abstract The study of medieval warfare has probably both benefitted and suffered from … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The recruitment of armies in the early middle ages: what can we know?

English Refugees in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness

English Refugees in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness Nicholas C.J. Pappas (Sam Houston State University, 2004) One of the most interesting episodes in Byzantine military history and in medieval English history is the Anglo-Saxon … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on English Refugees in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness

A Military History of Belarusian Lands Up to the End of Twelfth Century A.D.

A Military History of Belarusian Lands Up to the End of Twelfth Century A.D. Jahor Novikaǔ Jahor Novikaǔ A Military History of Belarusian Lands Up to the End of 12th Century A.D. Vol. 1. (Minsk, Belarus: Łohvinaǔ, 2007). (Новікаў Я.У. … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Military History of Belarusian Lands Up to the End of Twelfth Century A.D.

‘The Nation which Forgets its Defenders will Itself be Forgotten’: Emperor Maurice and the Persians

‘The Nation which Forgets its Defenders will Itself be Forgotten’: Emperor Maurice and the Persians Stephen McCotter The Queen’s University of Belfast (2003) After World War I, Calvin Coolidge, as part of his acceptance speech for the Republican vice-presidential nomination on … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on ‘The Nation which Forgets its Defenders will Itself be Forgotten’: Emperor Maurice and the Persians

The Town In Service Of War In The Medieval Crown Of Aragon

The Town In Service Of War In The Medieval Crown Of Aragon Donald Joseph Kagay (Albany State College) De Re Militari (1997) It is the purpose of this paper to explore the role of the town in the medieval Crown … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Town In Service Of War In The Medieval Crown Of Aragon

The Militarisation of Roman Society, 400 – 700

The Militarisation of Roman Society, 400 – 700 Edward James (University of Reading) Military Aspects of Scandinavian Society in a European Perspective AD 1 – 1300  Historians and archaeologists have lavished attention on the new kingdoms established by various barbarian … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Militarisation of Roman Society, 400 – 700

The Rouen Riot and Conan’s Leap

The Rouen Riot and Conan’s Leap Warren Hollister Peritia: v. 10 (1996) In the course of the eleventh century, and more commonly in the twelfth, many of the growing towns of Western Europe were disrupted by communal riots. The objective … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Rouen Riot and Conan’s Leap

The Infamous Svjatoslav: Master of Duplicity in War and Peace?

The Infamous Svjatoslav: Master of Duplicity in War and Peace? Walter K. Hanak Peace and War in Byzantium: Essays in Honor of George T. Dennis, S.J. (Washington: The Catholic University of America Press, 1995) Several decades ago Jonathan Shepard elaborated upon the … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Infamous Svjatoslav: Master of Duplicity in War and Peace?

Strategies of Defence, Problems of Security: the Garrisons of Constantinople in the Middle Byzantine Period

Strategies of Defence, Problems of Security: the Garrisons of Constantinople in the Middle Byzantine Period John Haldon Constantinople and its Hinterland: Papers from the Twenty-Seventh Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, Oxford, April 1993 (1995) The title I have chosen is intended … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Strategies of Defence, Problems of Security: the Garrisons of Constantinople in the Middle Byzantine Period

Charles the Bald and the small free farmers, 862-869

Charles the Bald and the small free farmers, 862-869 Carroll Gillmor Military aspects of Scandinavian society in a European perspective, AD 1-1300, May (1996) In response to the Viking invasions, Charles the Bald in 862 ordered the construction of a … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Charles the Bald and the small free farmers, 862-869

Raiding and Warring in Monastic Ireland

Raiding and Warring in Monastic Ireland Liz FitzPatrick History Ireland: Vol.1 (1993) The historiography of Irish monasticism emphasises the glory and piety of this enlightened era, with its myriad of saints espousing high art and learning, and not only moulding this … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Raiding and Warring in Monastic Ireland

The Byzantines at Battle

The Byzantines at Battle George T. Dennis Byzantium at War (1997) Although the Byzantines were constantly under attack or under threat of attack, they regarded warfare as the least desirable method of defending themselves. Leo VI prefaced his Tactical Constitutions … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Byzantines at Battle

The Frankish Tribute Payments to the Vikings and their Consequences

The Frankish Tribute Payments to the Vikings and their Consequences Simon Coupland Francia: v.26 n.1 (1999) “They ransom with tributes what they should defend with arms, and the kingdom of the Christians is laid waste.”2 “Ransom and tribute have now not … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Frankish Tribute Payments to the Vikings and their Consequences

Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century

Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century Simon Coupland Viator: Medieval and Renaissance Studies: v.21 (1990) This study seeks to ascertain the nature of the armament carried by the Carolingian army in the ninth century by examining the written, … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century

Antiochus Strategos’ Account of the Sack of Jerusalem in AD 614

Antiochus Strategos’ Account of the Sack of Jerusalem in AD 614 English Historical Review: v.25 (1910) Abstract In the ninth volume of his Texts and Studies and Armenogruzinian Philology (Tekstwe i Razweskaniyah po Armyano-Gruzinskoe Philologi) Professor N. Marr, of the … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Antiochus Strategos’ Account of the Sack of Jerusalem in AD 614

Military Intelligence in Arabo-Byzantine Naval Warfare

Military Intelligence in Arabo-Byzantine Naval Warfare Vassilios, Christides To empolemo Byzantino – Byzantium at War:(Athens: Institute for Byzantine Studies, 1997) Abstract During the long Arab-Byzantine struggle for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea from the Seventh to the fourteenth century an … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Military Intelligence in Arabo-Byzantine Naval Warfare

Warfare and Society in the Carolingian Ostmark

Warfare and Society in the Carolingian Ostmark Charles R. Bowlus Austrian History Yearbook: v.14 (1978) Abstract 1. Introductory Remarks The relationship between military and social organization has long been a topic of major concern and debate among scholars specializing in … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Warfare and Society in the Carolingian Ostmark

The imperial roots of Merovingian military organization

The imperial roots of Merovingian military organization Bernard S. Bachrach Military Aspects of Scandinavian Society in a European Perspective, AD 1-1300 (1997) Since the mid nineteenth century early medieval military history has been reduced to a rather simple formula. Prior … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , | Comments Off on The imperial roots of Merovingian military organization

Caballus et Caballarius in Medieval Warfare

Caballus et Caballarius in Medieval Warfare Bernard S. Bachrach The Study of Chivalry: Resources and Approaches (1988) The little poem “For Want of a Nail” has for centuries conveyed to children a glimpse of the fundamental technical underpinnings of the … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Caballus et Caballarius in Medieval Warfare

German Bishops and the Military Retinues in the Medieval Empire

German Bishops and the Military Retinues in the Medieval Empire Arnold, Benjamin (University of Reading) German History, v.7 (1989) The majority of bishops in medieval Germany were born into aristocratic or knightly kindreds which prided themselves upon their proficiency in war­ … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on German Bishops and the Military Retinues in the Medieval Empire

Rural Fortifications in Western Europe and Byzantium, Tenth to Twelfth Century

Rural Fortifications in Western Europe and Byzantium, Tenth to Twelfth Century Mark Whittow Byzantinische Forschungen v.21 (1995) Abstract In 1992-warmly encouraged by Cyril Mango-Hugh Barnes and I, plus a team of Oxford undergraduates, began what is planned in the first … Continue reading

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Rural Fortifications in Western Europe and Byzantium, Tenth to Twelfth Century

Episodes of Medieval Warfare from the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours

One of the most important sources from the early medieval period is The History of the Franks, written in the late sixth century by Gregory of Tours, the bishop of Tours for twenty-one years and an important political figure in the Merovingian kingdom. Continue reading

Posted in Primary Sources | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Episodes of Medieval Warfare from the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours