David Nicolle Livres

A second volume in the study of military weapons and equipment at the time of the Crusades. This book covers the arms and armour used by Muslim, Orthodox Christian, and Mongol armies, and emphasises the evolution of military technology, fashion, and science during the period.

Suitable for sharing or reading alone, this book features Meg's Veg, Mog at the Zoo and Meg up the Creek.

Meg the witch and Mog her cat go off to a wild Hallowe'en party with all the other witches. The spell they cast goes off with a BANG.

Warfare during the Crusades is explored through the diverse cultures involved, highlighting the complex interplay of political, economic, cultural, and religious factors that fueled these conflicts. The book challenges the notion of a "clash of civilizations" by illustrating that the Crusades were not merely a confrontation between "Western" and "Islamic" civilizations. Instead, it emphasizes the involvement of various states, ruling dynasties, and ethnic groups, showcasing the rich tapestry of participants and motivations behind the Crusades.

"Hundreds of fighter-bombers of Soviet design and manufacture served in the air forces of multiple frontline Arab states during the first half of the 1960s. Not only older Mikoyan i Gurevich MiG-15s and MiG-17s, but also newer types such as the MiG-19 and MiG-21 were acquired in continuously increasing numbers, concurrently with Ilyushin Il-28- and Tupolev Tu-16 bombers, transport types such as the Antonov An-12 and Ilyushin Il-14, and trainers designed by Yakovlev. Nowhere else did they - and their pilots - play as important a role for the future of the local air forces - or entire nations - as in Egypt and Syria from 1963 until 1967. Whilst the period in question is still frequently described as a 'peaceful decade' in Israel and the West, they saw almost uninterrupted action: in Egypt, in Syria, as well as in Yemen, and especially in continuous incidents with Israel."

The Great War of 1914-18 is often seen as one major battleground – the Western Front – with numerous 'side-shows'. The other battle zones were not side-shows to those involved, however, although the local inhabitants often fought for motives which remained a closed book to their European allies or foes. David Nicolle relates the story of the Arab Revolts (1916-18), and discusses just how important (or unimportant) was the role of T. E. Lawrence in the affair, in a fascinating text backed by a fine collection of contemporary photographs and eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

For the overwhelming majority of people outside the French-speaking world the Hundred Years War consisted of a sequence of major English victories, above all Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt. The only significant victor or 'hero' on the French side was Joan of Arc, and she ended up being burned at the stake. Yet somehow the war ended in a French victory and with England's martial energies being turned against itself in the Wars of the Roses. This book is intended to provide some balance. It will describe the campaign that brought the Hundred Years War to a close, with English possessions being confined to Calais and the Channel Islands. It will also explain how the somewhat unprepossessing and unmartial King Charles VII of France succeeded where his predecessors had failed. The campaign consisted of more than battles, of course, but it was marked by two major victories - at Formigny in 1450 and at Castillon in 1453. Formigny is of special interest because it saw French cavalry defeat English archers, in effect a reversal of Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt, and could be interpreted as one of the last 'medieval' battles. Castillon is of interest because it was a victory of gunpowder artillery in fixed positions over a traditional medieval assault by mixed infantry and cavalry, and thus could be interpreted as one of the first 'modern' battles.

Fully illustrated with detailed color plates, this is a fascinating study into the armies, organization, armor, weapons, and fortifications of the Khazars.The Khazars were one of the most important Turkic peoples in European history, dominating vast areas of southeastern Europe and the western reaches of the Central Asian steppes from the 4th to the 11th centuries AD. They were also unique in that their aristocratic and military elites converted to Judaism, creating what would be territorially the largest Jewish-ruled state in world history. They became significant allies of the Byzantine Empire, blocking the advance of Islam north of the Caucasus Mountains for several hundred years.They also achieved a remarkable level of metal-working technology, and their military elite wore forms of iron plate armor that would not be seen in Western Europe until the 14th century. The Khazar state provided the foundations upon which medieval Russia and modern Ukraine were built.

This is the first in a two volume work that divides its coverage of warfare between the fifth and fourteenth centuries into those seen in internal European and those campaigns waged by European nations beyond their boundaries and wars in other continents. The author supplements his informative text with illustrations and line drawings, extensive source notes and appendixes. He divides this first volume into: 'Barbarian' invasions and and the barbarian states. Early Medieval Europe; The High Middle Ages; Late Medieval Europe; In each section he covers the peoples, campaigns, battles, armies - their recruitment, organisation, tactics, strategy, weaponry, fortification, siege warfare and naval campaigns. This part of the book is followed by biographies of the leading characters of the period.