Death In Single Combat Outside The Castle Walls – The Queen’s Consort Reaches The End His Life
Pedro de Lara was bored. His had lived a full life, a life of personal pride and skill at arms, of politics, wine and of…
The Night Attack – Vlad The Impaler Ambushes The Ottoman Sultan By Sneaking Right Into The Enemy Camp Alone
Mehmet II, known as Mehmet the Conqueror, was one of the greatest military commanders of his day. The Ottoman Empire under his rule was vast,…
Sappers And Siege Engines – Ivan The Terrible Conquers The city Of Kazan
The army had been in place under the city walls for weeks. Ivan the Fourth, Tsar of all the Russians, accompanied his force in the…
Medieval Warhorses – Incredible Power On The Battlefield, Incredible Value Off The Battlefield
The warhorse was a vital part of the European medieval military machine. Cavalry charges by heavily armored knights made horseback attacks a terrifying part of…
Seven Of The Most Famous Knights of the Middle Ages – Warriors, Scholars, Great Leaders Of Men
Medieval knights were among the celebrities of their day – warriors, leaders, and scholars. They became figures of romance and inspiration, giving them a special…
These Six Civil Wars Shaped The Bloody And Warlike History Of Medieval England
Medieval England was a warlike place – so much so that the cliché of an Englishmen abroad was that of a violent thug. Though their…
The Battle Of Agincourt – A Massive Victory For The English When All The Odds Were Against Them
The Battle of Agincourt is an iconic moment in English military history. On 25 October 1415, an army of English raiders under Henry V faced…
These Twelve Battles Were Defining Moments In The History Of The Crusades
The Crusades, Christian Europe’s attempt to drive back other nations and religions, were among the most ambitious and badly thought out campaigns in military history.…
The Rules Of Chivalry Were So Important In Medieval Society, But Breaking The Rules Was Almost As Important
In the Middle Ages, chivalry was more than just a name for polite behavior. It was a set of rules meant to limit the actions…
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…
How Muslims Responded To The Crusades
For Muslims living in the Holy Land, the arrival of Christian crusaders from the late 11th century onwards was hugely disruptive. It brought misery to…
The Tide Turns – One Battle Ended the Seemingly Unstoppable Mongol Invasion
There are few military forces more infamous and renowned in history than the Mongolian armies of the 13th Century. They swept through Asia and into…