Henry II (History of Warfare) [Hardcover]

Hosler (Author), J.D. (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9004157247 | ISBN-13: 978-9004157248 | Publication Date: March 15, 2007

Intended as a military biography, this book studies the scope of Henry Plantagenet's warfare during his tenure as count of Anjou, duke of Normandy, and king of England. Relying heavily upon medieval documents, it analyzes his generalship and reexamines his place amongst the important military commanders in English history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John D. Hosler, Ph.D. (2005) in European History, University of Delaware, is Assistant Professor of British History at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. Specializing in medieval French and English warfare, his research has appeared in such publications as the Journal of Medieval Military History and the Haskins Society Journal.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: BRILL (March 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004157247
• ISBN-13: 978-9004157248
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,317,017 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

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lion For All Seasons, August 12, 2011

By 

G. Simon (London, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Henry II (History of Warfare) (Hardcover)

From the author's Introduction:
"This study concerns itself with Henry's military career between 1147 and 1189, the year of his death. My goal in the book is to provide a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, examination of the different facets of Henry II's military experiences. The first chapter, inspired by C. Warren Hollister's fine precedent in his posthumous biography Henry I (Yale English Monarchs Series), surveys the medieval evidence in detail. Chapter Two sketches a short narrative of his military and political exploits and problems. Chapters Three, Four and Five examine the structure of his armies and the nature of his various military operations, while Chapter Six concentrates upon the military aspect of the Great Revolt of 1173 and 1174. The concluding chapter then seeks to construct from these fresh analyses a fuller legacy of Henry, not only as a general but as a soldier of war. I like to think that Henry's record speaks for itself, so I have tried to provide extensive documentation at every step. Whether or not his name stands along those of the greatest medieval generals is immaterial - I believe that in the final analysis he can be viewed as a sound and versatile commander who enjoyed massive success and suffered few setbacks. In any case, whatever our individual opinions, I think all can agree that his warfare is more than worthy of an extended inquiry".

The chapters are
1. Historiography: - 25pp
Chronicle Sources; Record Sources; Literary Sources.
2. Henry's Political and Military Career - 66pp
Scotland and Wales; The Continent; The Conquest of Ireland; The End of Louis VII; The Death of Henry the Younger; The Wars against Philip Augustus; The End of the Reign.
3. Military Organisation - 23pp
The Question of Obligation; The Matter of the Fyrd; Mercenaries.
4. Strategy, Tactics, Logistics - 46pp
High Medieval Strategy and Henry II; Battle as Strategy; Vegetian-Style Campaigns; Transport and Logistics.
5. Castles and Siege Warfare - 24pp
Fortress Construction; Castle Strategies; Siege Warfare; Castles and Henry II - the 1160s.
6. The Great Revolt 1173-1174 - 26pp
Main Rebel Attacks; Henry II's Responses; The Second Year; Endgame - the Great Revolt Fails.
7. Conclusion: Henry the Soldier - 12pp
Appendices, Bibliography, Index - 43pp
4 maps

Page 127:
"Whether as a result of Vegetius or not, today the premise is that generals in the High Middle Ages fought logistical, defensive warfare while avoiding battles. Battles themselves were risky affairs and to be avoided unless a decisive victory was a near certainty, for commanders did not wish to lose their human resources on spear tips. Taking cues from Philip Contamine's comments regarding the relative infrequency of medieval battles, military historians have pointed to a shift in the Anglo-Norman period from pitched combat in the field to the ravaging of land, villages and the general depletion of enemy resources, and also a defensive strategy of warfare that involved using castles and fortified towns to hamper an enemy's ability to raid, gather supplies, or rest while on campaign. It seems, however, that when confronted with the actual writing of history, scholars default to decisive battles as the prime requisite for strong military leaders... interpretations of Henry II's military career hang primarily on the tradition that he did not fight battles and was not interested in fighting battles. This is a popular myth and is found in many historical commentaries, some of which even state that he was never present at any battle". This idea started with Gerald of Wales, who didn't get on with Henry, and also wrote the history book...

This is a very interesting read for those interested in the subject or the period. Because it is not a narrative history, the torrent of names can be confusing, as they are not all introduced fully. One paragraph appeared to have Henry II at war with himself; upon careful rereading, it was a different Henry II (a count Henry II of somewhere). Also, some subjects can be covered in more than one section. Henry does come over as a military man, and could be found in the middle of the fight when required; though as he grew older, he seemed to prefer diplomacy to fighting, but always from a position of strength. If you want peace, prepare for war would have been a suitable motto. I borrowed this book from a library.

The Lion in Winter