Mercenaries in Medieval and Renaissance Europe
Published on 16. July 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
220 pages
978-0-7864-7274-1 (ISBN)
Description
In medieval and Renaissance Europe, mercenaries--professional soldiers who fought for money or other rewards--played violent, colorful, international roles in warfare, but they have received relatively little scholarly attention. In this book a large number of vignettes portray their activities in Western Europe over a period of nearly 900 years, from the Merovingian mercenaries of 752 through the Thirty Years' War, which ended in 1648. Intended as an introduction to the subject and drawing heavily on contemporary first-person accounts, the book creates a vivid but balanced mosaic of the many thousands of mercenaries who were hired to fight for various employers.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
Adult education
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
appendices, chronology, notes, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
365 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7864-7274-1 (9780786472741)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Hunt Janin is an American writer living in southwestern France. He has written numerous nonfiction and scholarly books on a range of subjects, including medieval history and cross-cultural studies. Ursula Carlson is a professor emerita at Western Nevada College, Carson City, Nevada.
Content
Table of Contents
Preface ?1
Introduction: An Overview of Medieval and Renaissance Warfare ?5
I.?Meeting the Warriors and the Tools of Their Trade ?23
II.?The -Long--Haired Kings ?48
III.?"Human thoughts are inclined to greed" ?60
IV.?"They went about in bands of thousands" ?74
V.?"All the foreign knights, bowmen, their attendants and the mercenaries" ?84
VI.?"An escort of galloglas armed with -battle--axes" ?92
VII.?"Drink thy blood, Beaumanoir" ?104
VIII.?"They were bold and warlike fellows" ?116
IX.?A Skeleton in Armor ?132
X.?"The Light of Italy" ?142
XI.?"Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless
deleteand dangerous" ?151
Conclusions ?169
Appendices
1. Armor ?175
2. Swiss Mercenaries ?178
Chronology ?181
Chapter Notes ?185
Bibliography ?195
Index ?205
Preface ?1
Introduction: An Overview of Medieval and Renaissance Warfare ?5
I.?Meeting the Warriors and the Tools of Their Trade ?23
II.?The -Long--Haired Kings ?48
III.?"Human thoughts are inclined to greed" ?60
IV.?"They went about in bands of thousands" ?74
V.?"All the foreign knights, bowmen, their attendants and the mercenaries" ?84
VI.?"An escort of galloglas armed with -battle--axes" ?92
VII.?"Drink thy blood, Beaumanoir" ?104
VIII.?"They were bold and warlike fellows" ?116
IX.?A Skeleton in Armor ?132
X.?"The Light of Italy" ?142
XI.?"Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless
deleteand dangerous" ?151
Conclusions ?169
Appendices
1. Armor ?175
2. Swiss Mercenaries ?178
Chronology ?181
Chapter Notes ?185
Bibliography ?195
Index ?205