Western Warfare In The Age Of The Crusades, 1000-1300 (Warfare and History)

From the author of "Victory in the East: A Military History of the First Crusade", this book offers a wide-ranging and innovative survey of crusading warfare, and is intended as a standard reference for students and professional historians alike In 1095 the First Crusade was launched, establishing a great military endeavour which was a central preoccupation of Europeans until the end of the thirteenth century. In Western warfare in the age of the Crusades, 1000-1300 John France offers a wide-ranging and challenging survey of war and warfare and its place in the development of European Society, culture and economy in the period of the Crusades. Placing the crusades in a wider context, this book brings together the wealth of recent scholarly research on such issues as knighthood, siege warfare, chivalry and fortifications into an accessible form. Western warfare in the age of the Crusades, 1000-1300 examines the nature of war in the period 1000-1300 and argues that it was primarily shaped by the people who conducted war - the landowners. John France illuminates the role of property concerns in producing the characteristic instruments of war: the castle and the knight. This authoritative study details the way in which war was fought and the reasons for it as well as reflecting on the society which produced the crusades. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Plates and plans......Page 11 Proprietorial warfare......Page 18 The weapons of war......Page 33 War, society and technology......Page 47 Warfare and authority......Page 56 Men of war: cavalry......Page 70 Men of war: infantry......Page 81 The nature of the castle......Page 94 Castles and war......Page 113 Fortifications and siege......Page 124 Armies......Page 145 Commanders......Page 156 Campaign, battle and tactics......Page 167 Battle and the development of war......Page 183 Europe, ideology and the outsider......Page 204 Crusading and warfare in the Middle East......Page 221 Perspectives......Page 247 The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214......Page 252 List of Abbreviations......Page 259 Notes......Page 261 Bibliography......Page 312 Index......Page 338 This text examines the nature of war in the period 1000-1300 A.D. and argues that is was primarily shaped by the people who conducted war - the landowners