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 Great Army” – The Vikings at Their Peak
The most powerful and devastating series of Vikings raids to hit Western Europe came between 865 and 896 AD. During these decades, a massive combined…
Four Men and One Woman – Five Mighty Leaders Whose Wars United Medieval England
In the late ninth century, England was not a united country. Viking raiders from Denmark controlled the north and east. Norwegian and Irish raids left…
Nine Factors That Caused The First Crusade To Happen
On the surface, the First Crusade looks like something with a simple cause – the hatred of one religious group for another. In reality, the…
The Longbow: Its Rise and Dominance – It Totally Changed Medieval Warfare
The growing effectiveness of metal armor created a challenge for medieval soldiers. While the elite of knights and men-at-arms were now well protected, the majority…
Seven Types of Medieval Armor – From Quilted Cloth to Full Steel Plate
More than any other artifact of war, armor dominates visual images of medieval Europe. From the chainmail carefully stitched onto each warrior in the Bayeux…
Siege of Vienna: Led by a Mercenary, This Desperate Army Turned the Tide on the Ottoman Empire
For four hundred years, the Crusades had seen European powers take war deep into lands far from home, under the banner of Christianity. The clash…
When A Terrible Medieval War Was Fought Because Of A Bucket Full of Treasure
In 1325, two armies clashed near what is today the Italian town of Castello di Serravalle in the region of Emilia-Romagna. It was a huge…
How Artillery Evolved During The Brutal And Merciless 100 Years War
The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) saw the first appearances of gunpowder artillery in English and French warfare. These fearsome weapons, which had been largely unused…
Powerful Orders Of Medieval Knights And What Made Each One Distinct
Combining knightly warfare and a monastic lifestyle, the knightly crusading orders were one of the strongest institutions of medieval Europe. Through them, men sought a…
Arab Women Shame Their Fleeing Men Back Towards the Fight At The Battle of Yarmouk
Most people are familiar with the general history of the Arab expansion after the death of Mohammad. The Arabs didn’t sit idly in Saudi Arabia,…
How Was an Army Supplied in the 100 Years War
Far from home and at constant threat of attack, the armies of the Hundred Years War between England and France were reliant on supply lines…