Armies of Medieval Russia, 750-1250 (Men-At-Arms Series, 333) [Paperback]

David Nicolle (Author), Angus McBride (Illustrator), David Nicolle PhD (Author)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: November 15, 1999

In the centuries following the first expeditions down the great rivers of northern Russia by Viking traders and adventurers, the foundations for a new state were laid. Many influences combined in this colourful culture which grew up first around the great cities of Kiev and Novgorod – Scandinavian, Finnish, Slav, steppe Turkish, Byzantine. By the time of the Mongol invasions of the 12th century the small enclaves of the old pagan Rus’, tolerated by the Khazar Khans for their commercial usefulness, had evolved into a Christian nation. Its story is told here in fascinating detail, and illustrated with striking colour reconstructions of the warriors themselves.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

David Nicolle PhD was born in 1944 and was educated at Highgate School. For eight years he worked in the BBC Arabic Service. In 1971 he went 'back to school', gaining an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies and a PhD from Edinburgh University. For some years he taught art and architectural history at Yarmuk University, Jordan. David has written many Osprey titles, including MAA 140 Armies of the Ottoman Turks, MAA 320 Armies of the Caliphates 862–1098, and Campaign 43 Fornovo 1495.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; First Edition edition (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855328488
• ISBN-13: 978-1855328488
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good cross-section of early Russia, June 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Armies of Medieval Russia, 750-1250 (Men-At-Arms Series, 333) (Paperback)

This book included quite a few of the tribes that coexisted with Keivan Rus as well. I though the artwork is better than the average in the MAA series, with each plate incorporating its portraits into the whole scene. My only regret is that it is light on Alexander Nevsky and the Mongol invasions - just when Russian history starts to get interesting.

3.0 out of 5 stars ganz gut, September 6, 2010

By 

Konrad Stein "El viejo lobo." (Hettstedt) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Armies of Medieval Russia, 750-1250 (Men-At-Arms Series, 333) (Paperback)

Hier haben wir eines der Osprey-Hefte, bei dem sich meine Begeisterung in Grenzen hält. Es gibt zu viele Ungenauigkeiten, die einfach hätten vermieden werden können. Schade.

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE!, March 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Armies of Medieval Russia, 750-1250 (Men-At-Arms Series, 333) (Paperback)

This is an example of why Osprey books need to treated with great caution. The book purports to be a source for Medieval Russian military history, yet it is full of errors, overgeneralizations, and poor analysis. This is NOT a fair assesment of the Russian realms or their armed forces in the period in question. I understand that there is only so much that can be done in this type of short format, but this is awful. I felt like I was reading college-freshman book report with a bunch of (granted, nice) images attached.