The evolution of Boydell & Brewer is illustrated through a curated selection of forty significant books, showcasing its transformation from a small general press to a prominent academic publisher. The narrative highlights memorable events tied to the books, such as reading Beowulf at Sutton Hoo and hosting a tournament at Framlingham Castle. Additionally, it addresses the shift in academic publishing during the 1970s and 1980s, when scholars sought more flexible publishing solutions, leading to the establishment of specialized firms that now comprise the Boydell & Brewer Group.
The discovery of Edward III's 'House of the Round Table' at Windsor Castle highlights the king's ambition and desire for legitimacy in his claim to the French throne. This archaeological find offers insight into the historical context of the 14th century, illustrating how Edward sought to project his power and prestige during a pivotal period in English and French history.
The destruction of the French army at Crecy in 1346 and the subsequent siege
and capture of Calais marked a new era in European history. This book is about
knighthood, battle tactics and grand strategy, and it is also about fashion,
literature and the privates lives of everyone from queens to freebooters.
The first serious study of tournaments throughout Europe reveals their
importance - in the training of the medieval knight, the development of arms
and armour, as an instrument of political patronage, and as a grand public
spectacle. schovat popis
Henry II (1154-89) through a series of astonishing dynastic coups became the ruler of an enormous European empire. One of the most dynamic, restless and clever men ever to rule England, he was brought down both by his catastrophic relationship with his archbishop Thomas Becket and his debilitating arguments with his sons, most importantly the future Richard I and King John. His empire may have ultimately collapsed, but in Richard Barber's vivid and sympathetic account the reader can see why Henry II left such a compelling impression on his contemporaries.
The Holy Grail is an image familiar to us all as an almost unattainable, infinitely desirable goal. The idea has passed into everyday speech and the legends behind it are as current in today�s culture as they have ever been. And yet the Grail has no real religious meaning and is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. What is the truth behind this elusive symbol? Here, Barber traces the history of the stories surrounding the Holy Grail. He describes how through a long series of imaginative transformations, the grail has moved from the sphere of romance to religion, and in twentieth century popular culture has become an emblem of mysticism and man�s highest aspirations, intimately linked with the central ritual of the Christian faith. The search for the grail has always been described as a quest; in this book, Barber goes on his own quest, brilliantly exploring the richness of the Holy Grail�s cultural impact. Barber traces the history of legends surrounding the Holy Grail, from Chretien de Troyes' great romances to the popular bestsellers of the late twentieth century.
Henry II is the most imposing figure among the medieval kings of England. His fiefs and domains extended from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and his court was frequented by the greatest thinkers and men of letters of his time, besides ambassadors from all over Europe. This readable and accessible biography offers both a study of his character, and an estimate of his work as a ruler, work which is in a sense the history of his life, since it occupied his entire energies from his accession at the age of twenty-one to his death thirty-five years later. Nor is this the mere routine of government; from the desolate and lawless anarchy of Stephen's reign, and against the opposition of the great magnates and the Church, he built in England a stable and prosperous realm, and welded his diverse inheritance overseas into a single, and by the standards of the time, peaceful, unit. Only the folly of John dispersed his empire, and his work in England left an enduring mark on the institutions by which we are governed today.RICHARD BARBER's other books include Tournaments, with Juliet Barker, Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Life and Campaigns of the Black Prince, The Knight and Chivalry and books on King Arthur; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail. 1154-1189
