King John the Good of France was captured by the English at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356; his 14-year-old son Philip fought valiantly by his side until the bitter end, and as soon as he was in a position to do so, King John rewarded his son's courage and devotion by designating him Duke of Burgundy, a title that by chance had just become extinct. Philip was the first of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy and this fascinating text by Nicholas Michael examines the functioning and organization of the Burgundian armies from the beginning of his reign until the time of the last of the Valois Dukes: Charles the Bold.

A highly illustrated account of the defeat of the English Kingdom in France at the battles of Formigny (1450) and Castillon (1453). Despite the great English victories at Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt, the French eventually triumphed in the Hundred Years War. This book examines the last campaign of the war, covering the great battles at Formigny in 1450 and Castillon in 1453, both of which hold an interesting place in military history. The battle of Fornigny saw French cavalry defeat English archers in a reverse of those earlier English victories, while Castillon became the first great success for gunpowder artillery in fixed positions. Alongside battlescene maps and illustrations, David Nicolle explains how the seemingly unmartial King Charles VII of France all but drove the English into the sea, succeeding where so many of his predecessors had failed.

The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were a time of great upheaval for medieval France. In 1328 the Capetian line came to an end. This was the trigger for the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) as successive English kings attempted to uphold their claim to the French throne. Catastrophic defeats at Crécy and Poitiers shook the French kingdom to its core. A period of respite followed under Bertrand du Guesclin, but an even more devastating assault was to follow, under the warrior-king par excellence Henry V, and the French disintegration continued until 1429. This book details how the French began a recovery, partly triggered by the young visionary Joan of Arc, that would end with them as the major European military power.

A combination of dynastic disputes, feudal quibbles, trade disagreements and historical antagonism resulted in the opening of the Hundred Years War in 1337. The first major English land victory in this conflict was the Battle of Crécy (1346). This pitted the French army, then considered the best in Europe, against the English under King Edward III. The battle established the longbow as one of the most feared weapons of the medieval period, a reputation reinforced at the bloody Battle of Poitiers (1356) where much of the French nobility was slaughtered and their king captured by the English host.

Re-fight some of the bloodiest battles of the ancient and medieval worlds! Seasoned wargamer and author Neil Thomas brings historical perspective to the hobby with a description and interpretation of significant military developments from 3,000BC to AD1500. Wargaming is the simulation of accurate historical battles using miniature figures to fight over three dimensional terrain, their movement and combat being regulated by clearly defined rules. Neil Thomas' new book provides specific coverage of ancient and medieval wargaming, thanks to its division into biblical, classical, Dark Age and medieval sections. Each section has its own set of rules and much expanded army lists. The wargamer gains additional perspective from data panels containing facts about weaponry, personalities and chroniclers, and quotations from original document sources. Useful suggestions for further reading are also included, while battle reports in each section provide tactical insights for both novice and veteran wargamers.

This book is a collection of eight essays on the ideology of Burgundy, dealing with the body of ideas, images, institutions and narrative fictions produced at the behest of the Valois dukes to create and maintain their incipient domanial state in the period from roughly 1364 to the 1560s. Nation building requires an ideological framework and the successive dukes, their officers and their court intellectuals all contributed to a self-determinative image of Burgundy which became visible in their literature, in their quest for a regal title, in the foundation of the Order of the Golden Fleece and in their propaganda. The essays approach the themes of the collection from the perspective of several disciplines, and together present a well-rounded picture of Burgundian nation-building. Contributors include: D’A.J.D. Boulton, Jan Dumolyn, Malte Prietzel, Graeme Small, Robert Stein, Bernhard Sterchi, Jan R. Veenstra, and David J. Wrisley.

Most studies of medieval warfare in the late 14th and 15th centuries concentrate on the Hundred Years' War between England and France and the Wars of the Roses. But meanwhile, on the Iberian peninsula, the foundations of Spain's military 'Golden Age' were being laid as the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon under the Trastamara dynasty grew in power, ambition and success. Featuring spectacular full-colour artwork, and rare manuscript illustrations, this book depicts the fighting men whose skill and tactical flexibility made Spain into a world power at the close of the Middle Ages, carving out empires from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean.

Sheds light on the skills and techniques of the medieval military engineer, over a thousand year sweep.

Osprey's study of the knight during the Tudor period (1485-1603). The Tudor knight was the first line of defence employed by monarchs from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, the last of a long tradition of knighthood dating back to the 11th century. Knighthood during the Tudor era saw reforms in recruitment, appearance, and most radically in training and equipment. This book details those changes, profiling the knight's appearance and dress, life on campaign, and experience of battle in France, Scotland and Ireland. It also explores the concept of chivalry, as sensationally enacted by Henry VIII and Francis I of France at the celebrated Field of Cloth of Gold near Calais, in 1520.

A fully illustrated study of the French armies that were inspired by Saint Jeanne d'Arc, reformed under King Charles VII and eventually victorious over England in the Hundred Years' War. Saint Jeanne d'Arc remains a central figure in France's national legend, having ushered the country's flagging military forces into a period of extraordinary reform and revival that culminated – some 22 years after her death – in the French emerging triumphant from the Hundred Years' War. France's 1429 victory at Orléans, which was headed by Saint Jeanne, marked the first major setback to a long series of English successes and led directly to the coronation of King Charles VII, who would transform France's fortunes by making peace with Burgundy, gathering foreign allies and creating permanent armed forces under royal control. In this engaging new study, French military historian Philippe Gaillard examines the events and individuals that brought about such a pivotal shift in the trajectory of medieval France. Combining detailed research with period illustrations, artefact photography and newly commissioned artwork plates, the author brings to life the story of Saint Jeanne d'Arc, the army she revitalized and the structural and tactical changes that carried King Charles VII and France to victory at Formigny and Castillon in the 1450s.