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The 'knight in shining armour' has become a staple figure in popular culture, and images of bloody battlefields, bustling feasting halls and courtly tournaments have been creatively interpreted many times in film and fiction. But what was the medieval knight truly like? In this fascinating title, former Senior Curator at the Royal Armouries Christopher Gravett describes how knights evolved over three centuries of English and European history, the wars they fought, their lives both in peacetime and on campaign, the weapons they fought with, the armour and clothing they wore and their fascinating code and mythology of chivalry. The text is richly illustrated with images ranging from manuscript illustrations to modern artwork reconstructions and many photographs of historic artefacts and sites.
The traditional "knight in shining armor" has become a staple figure in popular culture and the images of bloody battlefields, bustling feasting halls and courtly tournaments have been creatively interpreted many times in film and fiction. But what was the knight truly like? The world of the English Medieval Knight was complex, and ever-changing. From the household of King John to the defenders of Elizabeth I, there was great change in the social standing of knights, their equipment and appearance, and their involvement in politics and warfare. An expert on Medieval military history Christopher Gravett describes how the knight evolved over four centuries of English and European history, the wars they fought, their lives in peacetime and on campaign, the weapons they fought with, the armor and clothing they wore and the fascinating code and mythology of chivalry. The text is richly illustrated with images ranging from manuscript illustrations to modern artwork reconstructions, and many photographs of historic artifacts and sites.
The traditional 'knight in shining armor' has become a staple figure in popular culture; the images of bloody battlefields, bustling feasting halls and courtly tournaments have been creatively interpreted many times in film and fiction. But what was the knight truly like? The world of the English medieval knight was complex and ever-changing. From the household of King John to the defenders of Elizabeth I, there was a great alteration in the social standing of knights, their equipment and appearance, and their involvement in politics and warfare. In Knight, author Christopher Gravett, and expert on medieval history, describes how the knights evolved over four centuries of English and Europea...
Examines methods of defending and attacking castles and what day to day life was like inside a castle in medieval times.
The 13th century was a time of change for knights in England. They were faced with rising costs and increasing demands on their time for local government because of their very status in society, until knighthood itself was sometimes avoided. This period saw as well the development of the tournament from the wild team events of the early years of the century to the single jousts with blunt lance. Campaign life in the 13th century also embraced several theatres of war including the baronial revolt against King John, the Barons' Wars of Simon de Montfort (also known as the Second Barons' War, (1264–1267)), and the Welsh and Scottish wars of Edward I. This title also covers the use and development of arms, armour, costume and other equipment.
The 15th century was a time of change for knighthood. Knights no longer fought for their lords in return for land, since the feudal summons had long before given way to a system of contracts. Moreover, many knights now preferred the role of landowner, man-about-town or parliamentary representative. However, this was also the age of the knight in plate armour, of the battle of Agincourt and the conquests of Henry V, and of the Wars of the Roses, the bloody internecine struggle that tore medieval England apart. In this title Christopher Gravett describes the life of a 15th century knight, his equipment and experiences from his earliest days as a squire through to his experiences on the battlefields of England and France.
Like all warrior classes throughout history medieval knights engaged in military games, partly in preparation for war and partly for pure sport. From their often brutal origins in the 10th century to the gaudy pageantry and eventual decline of the 15th and 16th centuries, tournaments were the centre of the knightly life. The image of the armoured and surcoated knight on his caparisoned charger remains the epitome of the chivalric ideal. Christopher Gravett explores the history of the tournament from its chaotic beginnings to its more formal, 'civilised' incarnation, describing the various 'events' and equipment which came into use.
In probably the bloodiest battle ever fought in England, this book describes the day the noble houses of York and Lancaster met at Towton in 1461, a battle which marked the resurgence of the Yorkist cause and established Edward IV as king.
A new study of the Battle of Bosworth, the climactic battle of the Wars of the Roses, based on a new interpretation of events following the discovery of the true location of the battlefield. The battle of Bosworth was the culmination of the dynastic struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster known as the Wars of the Roses that dominated England in the second half of the 15th century. Edward IV had secured the throne for the house of York, but his early death in 1483, followed by the death of his sons and the taking of the throne by his brother, Richard of York saw a renewed outbreak of fighting. Richard's reign was dogged by rumors of his involvement in murder and began with a major r...