Bosworth 1485: Last Charge Of The Plantagenets (Campaign) [Paperback]

Christopher Gravett (Author), Graham Turner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Campaign | Publication Date: November 15, 1999

The battle of Bosworth effectively put an end to the dynastic struggle known as the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485). Guiding the reader from the campaign’s origins to its aftermath, and covering the commanders and forces of King Richard III and Henry Tudor, this is a complete treatment of one of the most important events in English history. Shakespeare was to immortalize the battle and Richard’s death in Richard III, and the life and reign of the last Plantagenet have sparked centuries of debate. Christopher Gravett cuts through myth and propaganda as he clearly details the course of this pivotal campaign.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Highly visual guides to history's greatest conflicts, detailing the command strategies, tactics, and experiences of the opposing forces throughout each campaign, and concluding with a guide to the battlefields today.

About the Author

Chris Gravett is assistant curator of armour at the Tower Armouries, and a recognised authority on the arms, armour and warfare of the medieval world. His previous Osprey titles include Elite 17 Knights at Tournament, Warrior 1 Norman Knight 950-1204 AD and Campaign 13 Hastings 1066.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855328631
• ISBN-13: 978-1855328631
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.3 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,373,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book over an archetyp medieval battle !, September 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bosworth 1485: Last Charge Of The Plantagenets (Campaign) (Paperback)

First of all, some aspects of the review by Mr. Forczyk are true. But the shortage not absence of historical facts is normal in medieval warfare history (and in the history of warfare in general).To prove this you just have to look of the battles of Crecy and Agincourt which both have many versions (one of the most popular being the English longbow-armed superheroes slay the effiminate French knights despite beeing outnumbered 3 or 6:1).An author who statesthat he couldn't make out the actual positions of army contingents ,or exact casualty figures( which nobody counted then )is generally more worth than one who tells us at length about things where he has no resonable knowledge .The rest of that rewiew is nonfactual.The advance of forces,deployment and battle are dealt with in 45 pages.And this "brief dynastic skirmish" changed English history by a great degree, basically from the medieval routed Plantagenet realm to the renaissance Tudor monarchy.It is true that the battle is quickly told:1.deployment in 3 divisons.2.hail of arrows.3.men at arms charge the center of gravity of the enemy battlelines.But the book covers the background of the conflict, political powerplays, the commanders and the weaponry used very well for the space availible.All in all it is a good introduction to the "Wars of the Roses" seen from the end of it.To say something about the artwork:it is phenomenal.The pictures gave the book a great deal of livelines.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, October 1, 2009

By 

A. Vallis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bosworth 1485: Last Charge Of The Plantagenets (Campaign) (Paperback)

Very insightful study. The pictures not only bring the content to life but also make understanding easier.

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fell Short, April 19, 2003

By 

Dean M. Motoyama (Puyallup, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bosworth 1485: Last Charge Of The Plantagenets (Campaign) (Paperback)

I don't claim to be a scholar - far from it, but I know the book left out one thing I was looking for; a detailed account of Dick Crookback's demise. This was only glossed over by a line or two. Otherwise, there are some good images of actual reference material (i.e. pics of armor, effigies, period paintings, etc). Turner obviously has a mastery of depicting arms and armor, and has a nice out-of-doors look to his paintings, but I was a bit nonplussed at his portrayal of fighting men in action. They all look way too nonchalant, even when swinging a pole-axe, or as cavalry about to meet head-on.