Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare

Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press - A Member of the Perseus Books Geroup, 2004. First Printing . Hard Back. Fine/Fine. 6 1/4" x 9 1/4. 344 Pages Indexed. This as New book and dust jacket have been protected with a Demco vinyl covering. No marks or stamps and interior text pages are flawless. This book examines the motives and terrors of war during the Middle Ages, the rise and fall of ethnic and religious groups, and the actions of good and evil military leaders during this violent and colorful period. In this sweeping chronicle, historical figures and major campaigns such as Charlemagne, the Magyars, and the Crusades are presented not as icons but as a living part of their times, with all their achievements and human failures. The author asserts that war, for most of the Middle Ages, was carried out for God, personal gain, and honor. Both Christians and Muslims often explained their acts of violence in war as the will of God. Besides the religious motivation, soldiers, if upper class, believed that acts of bravery were a necessary aspect of gaining honor in society. Finally, war constituted a way to make material gains in a period of chronic underemployment and low prosperity. Particular emphasis is given to massive transitions from one period to the next in the medieval era. The author explains how these changes reflected an environment where charismatic leaders, the Church, and the aristocracy played leading roles as managers of the art and practice of war and normally as main actors on the battlefield. Contents in Four Parts: The Barbarian Kingdoms, The Muslim Empire, New Invaders and the Expansion of the West 800-1300, and The of the Middle Ages.