French Medieval Armies 1000-1300 (Men-at-Arms) [Paperback]

David Nicolle (Author), Angus McBride (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: April 25, 1991

By the 11th century the French King had lost control of border regions, while local warfare had grown alarmingly frequent. In fact the energies of the French military élite were now focused on petty internal squabbles and external adventures like the Norman conquest of England. Nevertheless, the population and economy both expanded, although it was not until the 12th century that the crown rebuilt its power-base. Despite its slow start when compared with neighbours like England, the Kingdom of France had, by the 13th century, risen to become the most powerful state in Western Europe. This title describes the organisation, history and tactics of French medieval armies.

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: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; 4th Printing edition (April 25, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855321270
• ISBN-13: 978-1855321274
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.1 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,226,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Angus McBride Plates, December 15, 2007

By 

K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: French Medieval Armies 1000-1300 (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

This is another typical product of David Nicolle and Angus McBride-and therefore should excellently serve as an introduction for an amateur historian, or a source for a wargamer or military uniformist.

An experienced Osprey reader should already know who both Nicolle and McBride are, as well as the typical men-at-arms format, but for those that do not I will explain. David Nicolle is an expert in medieval Islamic warfare, but is also well-studied in warfare in contemporary Europe. He has written dozens of titles for Osprey on such diverse topics as the Italian Army in World War I, and the tribal enemies of the Roman Empire in the ancient Middle East. The (as of earlier this year) late Angus McBride was one of Osprey's best illustrators, again using his talent on many diverse topics in all eras of military history.

This title is the standard men-at-arms book. It starts with an introduction to the politics and military affairs of early medieval France, and then examines the origins, training, gear, and various ranks and roles of the French soldiery of the era. Next a special section is devoted to the military culture of southern France. The last major section of the book is an examination of French battle tactics. It is followed by a rather skimpy biography, and the plate commentary.

The plates are typically eight in number. They gloriously depict French warriors, ranging from kings and knights to peasants and mercenaries, in combat or at ease, and give them realistic poses and expressions. As always, the details on the armor and weaponry are intense. The last plate is particularly neat, showing the knightly dubbing ceremony as it would have appeared in the 1320's. Another plate of note is plate 'G', depicting a French knight struggling past Flemish caltrops as the enemy prepare to defend themselves.

In short, this book is one of the best-done of the medieval men-at-arms titles, and would be a valuable source to anyone interested in this time and place in history.