Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars; Men-at-Arms Series 154

Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing Limited, 1998. Reprint. Trade paperback. Very good. Angus McBride. 40 pages. Includes Introduction, Chronology, Black and White Maps, Illustrations (most in black and white, but several in full color). Further Reading. David C. Nicolle (born 4 April 1944) is a British historian specializing in the military history of the Middle Ages, with a particular interest in the Middle East. David Nicolle worked for BBC Arabic before getting his MA at SOAS, University of London. He gained a Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh. He lectured in World and Islamic art and architecture at Yarmouk University, Jordan. He was also on the editorial board of the Medieval History Magazine. Angus McBride (11 May 1931 - 15 May 2007) was an English historical and fantasy illustrator. Born in London to Highland Scots parents, Angus McBride was orphaned as a child when his mother died when he was five, and his father in World War Two when he was twelve. He was educated at the Canterbury Cathedral Choir School. He served his National Service in the Royal Fusiliers, and afterward got a job as an advertising artist. He made his first works in educational magazines such as Finding Out and Look and Learn and World of Wonder. In 1975, he began to work with Osprey Publishing's Men-at-Arms series. He continued to do realistic, historical illustrations for Osprey Publishing as well as other such work for other military-history publishers (Concord publications, etc.). In fantasy circles, McBride was well known for his illustrations for Iron Crown Enterprises' game Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP). The Arthurian Age is an era upon which rival Celtic and English nationalisms frequently focus. Since title to the land was both won and maintained by force of arms, the military or socio-military history of the early medieval period is of fundamental importance. It now seems that warfare and weaponry in the so-called dark Ages were more sophisticated than was once thought, as were the societies involved. The period of Anglo-Saxon warfare spans the 5th Century AD to the 11th in England. Its technology and tactics resemble those of other European cultural areas of the Early Middle Ages, although the Anglo-Saxons, unlike the Continental Germanic tribes such as the Franks and the Goths, do not appear to have regularly fought on horseback. Although much archaeological evidence for Anglo-Saxon weaponry exists from the Early Anglo-Saxon period due to the widespread inclusion of weapons as grave goods in inhumation burials, scholarly knowledge of warfare itself relies far more on the literary evidence, which was only being produced in the Christian context of the Late Anglo-Saxon period. These literary sources are almost all authored by Christian clergy, and thus do not deal specifically with warfare; for instance, Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People mentions various battles that had taken place but does not dwell on them. Thus, scholars have often drawn from the literary sources from neighboring societies, such as those produced by continental Germanic societies like the Franks and Goths, or later Viking sources. As Underwood noted, "Warfare in the Anglo-Saxon period cannot be viewed as a uniform whole". This is because Anglo-Saxon society changed greatly during this period; in the fifth century, it constituted an array of small tribal groups while by the eleventh it had consolidated into a single state. There are extant contemporary descriptions of some Anglo-Saxon battles. Of particular relevance are the poems recounting the battles of Brunanburh, fought in 937 AD and Maldon, fought in 991 AD. In the literature, most of the references to weapons and fighting concern the use of javelins, spears and swords, with only occasional references to archery. Anglo-Saxon shieldwall at the Battle of Hastings is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. The men stand in close order with overlapping shields. Most carry spears or javelins, although one man has a bow. The typical battle involved both sides forming shieldwalls to protect against the launching of missiles, and standing slightly out of range of each other. Understanding how battles were fought also helps us to understand why excelling in certain sports was considered the mark of a valuable retainer or war leader. Sports like running, jumping, throwing spears, and unbalancing people (i.e. wrestling) were all critical skills for combat. Heroes like the legendary Beowulf are described as champions in such athletic events.