
Bloodied Banners
Martial Display on the Medieval Battlefield
Paperback | 21 May 2015
At a Glance
Paperback
$82.50
Aims to ship in 10 to 15 business days
When will this arrive by?
Enter delivery postcode to estimate
Groundbreaking reassessment of the role played by armour, weapons and heraldry in medieval warfare, showing their cultural as well as military significance. A penetrating investigation of medieval martial display... The reader is struck by its originality, and by its sophisticated and critical interpretative engagement with historical and literary sources. Particularly notable is theauthor's subtle exploration of the function of armour: not only its practical role, but as a form of display... A refreshingly different approach to the world of the medieval combatant and his place within that `host of many colours' that was a medieval army, it adds a new dimension to our understanding of medieval warfare. ANDREW AYTON, University of Hull The medieval battlefield was a place of spectacle and splendour. The fully-armed knight,bedecked in his vivid heraldic colours, riding out beneath his brightly-painted banner, is a stock image of war and the warrior in the middle ages. Yet too often the significance of such display has been ignored or dismissed as the empty preening of a militaristic social elite. Drawing on a broad range of source material and using innovative historical approaches, this book completely re-evaluates the way that such men and their weapons were viewed,showing that martial display was a vital part of the way in which war was waged in the middle ages. It maintains that heraldry and livery served not only to advertise a warrior's family and social ties, but also announced his presence on the battlefield and right to wage war. It also considers the physiological and psychological effect of wearing armour, both on the wearer and those facing him in combat, arguing that the need for display in battle was deeper than any medieval cultural construct and was based in the fundamental biological drives of threat and warning. Dr ROBERT W. JONES teaches Medieval History at Advanced Studies in England, a branch campus of Franklinand Marshall College, in Bath. He was formerly a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, and an Associate Lecturer at Cardiff University.
Industry Reviews
Provides a large amount of material for those interested in medieval military culture. * THE RICARDIAN *
Engagingly readable and clear. [...] It will be useful for undergraduates and for more specialized audiences from a variety of fields, including literature and art history, not just military history. [...] This is a masterful and fresh appraisal of this rich and fascinating field. * PARERGON *
Well-researched and referenced. * ANTIQUARIES JOURNAL *
An excellent, vivid, well written book, an entertaining and encouraging work. * HOBILAR *
Provides an important corrective to prevailing views regarding military value of martial display. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *
ISBN: 9781783270279
ISBN-10: 1783270276
Series: Warfare in History
Published: 21st May 2015
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Number of Pages: 228
Audience: Professional and Scholarly
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 23.4 x 15.6 x 1.91
Weight (kg): 0.36
Shipping
Standard Shipping | Express Shipping | |
---|---|---|
Metro postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Regional postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Rural postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
How to return your order
At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.
Additional postage charges may be applicable.
Defective items
If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.
For more info please visit our Help Centre.
You Can Find This Book In
This product is categorised by
- Non-FictionHistoryMilitary History
- Non-FictionWarfare & Defence
- Non-FictionHistoryEarliest Times to Present DayEarly History from 500 to 1500Medieval History
- Non-FictionHistoryRegional & National HistoryEuropean History
- Non-FictionEngineering & TechnologyOther Technologies & Applied SciencesMilitary Engineering