Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare [Hardcover]

Antonio Santosuosso (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 25, 2004

Barbarians, Marauders, and Infidels 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. Santosuosso 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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Antonio Santosuosso is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Western Ontario and author of Storming and Heavens, and Soldiers, Citizens, and the Symbols of War. He lives in London, Ontario.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813391539
• ISBN-13: 978-0813391533
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inherently fascinating survey of medieval warfare, September 7, 2004

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare (Hardcover)

In Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare, historian Antonio Santosuosso (Professor Emeritus of History, University of Western Ontario, Canada) draws upon his many years of research and expertise to provide readers with an inherently fascinating survey of medieval warfare ranging from the fifth through the fifteenth century. More than just a catalog of conflicts, Professor Santosuosso examines the changes and the motivations of these conflicts with respect to their political, cultural, and social contexts. Of special interest is the understanding of medieval warfare as a means of carrying out religious imperatives, securing wealth, and enhancing personal reputations. This wonderfully written history expands beyond Europe to careful consider Muslim warfare from a Muslim perspective before the advent of the Crusades. Of seminal value to academia, Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels is also very highly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Medieval History.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars detailed account of medieval military tactics, November 8, 2004

By 

Jeff W Traylor (Baton Rouge, LA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare (Hardcover)

Santosuo has given us a wonderfully researched history of medieval warfare. The book covers from the Barbarian tribes of the 6th century to the Mongol and Turk empires of the 15th century. Most of the major military engagements are covered along with the notable leaders of the respective periods. I found the general discussions of the political and military situations very interesting. But I got bogged down in the details concerning the make up of various armies. This work is a highly detailed account of tactics, formations and arms and equipment. Anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of medieval warfare will enjoy this book.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good But Flawed Review of Medieval Warfare, April 7, 2005

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R. J Szasz "Rod Szasz" (Tokyo, Japan Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Barbarians, Marauders, And Infidels: The Ways Of Medieval Warfare (Hardcover)

This is the kind of book that really turns my crank... obscure barbarian tribes, weapon use and tactics, tales of lost dynasties, imperial decline and the advent of new tribes, races and their own eventual conquest and submission.

The book has all of that.. unfortunately it suffers from an incomplete development of almost all of its major theses. Its review of tactics is most notable and I was impressed with the detial of the political organisation, and military mobilisation that Santosousso uses, but was left wondering how he defined his major thematic chapters.

The book starts at the end of the latter Roman Empire and the clashes between Rome and the Goths, then those between the Goths and Longobards, Byzantines and other barbarian tribes. These in turn switch to those of the Franks, the ascendency of the Muslim tribes and then the advent of the Medieval Christian warriors and their eventual demise with the nascent advent of citizen armies. All of this is great, but the narrative is marred by

1) lack of continuity: whole chuncks of history are leaped and interesting tactics and peoples totally ignored. ie. mongols are totally left out which is odd considering that there is a whole chapter dedicated to those perrenial losers of history, the Magyars.

2) The author throws in the occassional bloody story, but really once he gets our blood up with anecdotal elegance he switches to military organisation descriptions. These are fine but one gets the feeling that we would rather be reading some tales of blood and glory.

3) The description of miliary tactics and organisation, though good, omits a fundemental question: how were some of the tribes able to conquer others, and why did others decline?

I did like the grand historical sweep of the book and it did hold my interest most of the time. I guess the real problem I had with this book is that I was just expecting much more than Santosousso offerred me... I felt slightly famished after reading it... like eating an appetiser and then being told it was really the main course...