Michael F Pavkovic

When Pope Urban II called European Christianity to stem the expansion of Islamic states into Europe, he set off a train of events that would last many hundreds of years and have far reaching political and economic consequences. Battles of the Crusades introduces 20 key battles from this period of religiously inspired conflict in Europe and the Middle East. Beginning with the battle of Dorylaeum (1097) and finishing with the battle of Varna (1444), examples from every era and campaign are featured. Apart from such well-known encounters as Antioch, Jerusalem and Harran, battles between the Crusader states and their Muslim neighbours include Montgisard and Saladin’s destruction of the Crusader army at Hattin. Beyond the Middle East, featured battles include the Christian recapture of Lisbon and the massacre of the Albigensians at Beziers in France. Battles from the Reconquista of Spain and the expansion of the Teutonic Knights make this a rounded account of 500 years of religious conflict. Each entry includes a contextual introduction, a concise description of the action, and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially commissioned colour map illustrating movement of forces brings the subject to life and helps the reader to grasp the development of the battle. With more than 200 colour and black-and-white maps, artworks, and photographs, Battles of the Crusades provides an accessible introduction to key engagements of the Medieval era. Designed for both the general reader and enthusiast, the book is an essential companion for anyone interested in the warfare and tactics of the Middle Ages.

Til alle tider har store slag endret verdensordenen. Da Cæsar beseiret gallerne ved Alesia i år 52, kunne Romerriket vokse og bli Europas viktigste politiske enhet. Etter at Nordstatene slo tilbake Sørstatene ved Gettysburg i 1863, ble slaveriet avskaffet på det nordamerikanske kontinentet. Og moderne krigføring endret seg drastisk da britene tok i bruk stridsvogner i stor skala ved Cambrai i 1917. Slagene som endret historien er en engasjerende guide til mer enn 45 av historiens viktigste slag, fra oldtidens Megiddo til vår tids Operation Iraqi Freedom. Du kan lese om store strateger som Aleksander den store, Hannibal, Napoleon og Lord Nelson, og om hvordan utviklingen av våpen og militær taktikk endret måten å gå til angrep - og forsvare seg - på. Boken er rikt illustrert, og hvert kapittel er utstyrt med detaljerte, taktiske kart som viser de stridende partenes stillinger og forflytninger.

The books in the Essential Bibliographies series include an essay by a noted scholar on the important historiographical issues and a pertinent bibliography for a particular period or theme in military history. They serve as research tools for librarians, researchers, and readers with a professional interest and as a starting point for pursuing further studies. This third volume traces major warfare during the later Roman Empire, from just before the first Punic War (264 B.C.) through the period just prior to the fall of Rome (A.D. 476).