The Albigensian Crusades: Christians vs Christians
Some crusades were fought against fellow Christians. The Cathars, one of the inspirations behind Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, were the targets of one…
Raiders and Traders: The Vikings Conquer England
The end of the first millennium AD saw a turning point for England. After decades of security, the independent kingdom once again came under attack…
Krak des Chevaliers – The Impenetrable Castle, Captured With A Single Sheet of Paper
A hulking edifice of sun-bleached stone, Krak des Chevaliers loomed against a clear blue sky. How many men had died to hold those walls, and…
Battle of Mohács – The Ottoman Victory That Divided Hungary
The Battle of Mohács was part of the Ottoman-Hungarian Wars. It was a key victory for the Ottomans. The defeat of the Hungarians and their…
6 Military Campaigns of Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Hohenstaufen, also known as Frederick Barbarossa, became Emperor Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire in 1152, succeeding his uncle Conrad III. With a…
The Crusade of Las Navas de Tolosa – The Spark of Hope For The Spanish Reconquista
The Crusade of Las Navas de Tolosa was a major turning point in the history if the Iberian Peninsula. The Crusaders won a decisive victory…
Making Magna Carta: King John’s Civil War
The very foundation of the English constitution is based in conflict. Magna Carta, the basis of much English law, was written in a failed attempt…
The Battle For Spices and Control Over The Most Important Naval Trade Route
In 1509, a major conflict during the Portuguese naval expansion in the Indian Ocean would pit the Portuguese Empire against a powerful alliance. Portugal’s hunger…
Top 10 True Innovations of the Civil War
You often hear about how the Civil War brought submarines, iron-clad ships, or the telegraph into play, but that’s not exactly true. While they are…
Three Medieval Crusades in North Africa
The word “crusade” normally evokes images of war in the Middle East, with European crusaders fighting Muslim Arabs. But crusades took place all over Europe…
American Civil War: How The South Could Have Won (Watch)
General Lee’s army surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 ending the American Civil War. It had been one of the bloodiest conflicts…
10 Deadliest Battles Of The American Civil War
The American Civil War is a devastating mark on the country’s history. The number of lives lost was substantial, and the social and economic repercussions,…