Knights of Christ (Men-at-Arms) [Paperback]

Terence Wise (Author), Richard Scollins (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: November 22, 1984

The ancient warrior code which persisted in medieval Christian Europe dictated that a man's greatest virtues were physical strength, skill at arms, bravery, daring, loyalty to the chieftain and solidarity within the tribe. The primitive Church had been diametrically opposed to such ideals, however by the early 8th century the Church had grown wealthy, and the Saracen invasions of Spain and France posed a threat to that wealth. The Roman Church began to support war in defence of the faith, and by channelling the martial spirit into the service of God, the brutal warrior of the past was transformed into a guardian of society.

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

Terence Wise is one of Osprey’s most popular authors and has been a respected historical writer for more than 25 years. With numerous books and articles to his credit, he has contributed more than a dozen titles to the Men-At-Arms series, mainly on medieval subjects including studies of the military orders and the Wars of the Roses.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 22, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850456045
• ISBN-13: 978-0850456042
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.1 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional., January 28, 2007

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SUPPORT THE ASPCA. "PILUM THROWER!" (?????) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knights of Christ (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

For me Terence Wise is the equal to David Nicolle as the best authors for the Osprey series. They focus on the crucial history parts of the text, & less about Regalia. This was a delight to read, a subject that like their Muslim counterparts get little attention in the Politically Correct halls of American academia. I was somewhat familiar with the Templars, Hospitallers, & Teutonic Knights.

I found the second half of the text more engrossing, because we learned very little about these folks in school. The eastern European wars,{Polish diplomacy worked better than their enemies martial prowess} the Italian & Spanish orders made for fascinating reading. The knights of San Stefano & Santiago in particular filled in some gaps in my knowledge. How many of us knew that some of the orders lasted for centuries? Mr. Scollins is no Angus McBride. But plates f-h were rather good. For 40 pages you certainly get your moneys worth.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good general history of the military orders of monks., October 9, 2002

By 

Titus (Boston MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knights of Christ (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

Please ignore the usual Amazon anti-catholic smear in the editorial review that attempts to insinuate that the church created these orders of military monks to protect its wealth.

The truth is that the church did not create these orders. For example, the Teutonic Knights were created by German merchants in the Holy Land as a hospital for German crusaders.

Anyway, this volume is a good read for both the casual historian and the serious scholar. While it is by no means exhaustive, it is a good place to begin for those who wish to find out more about the selfless, devoted men who dedicated their lives to serving God and his church.
The color plates are average, Osprey has certainly produced better.

Overall, I recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crusader orders in summary, January 20, 2007

By 

ThorBjorn "Norseman" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Knights of Christ (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

One of the various titles from the addictive Osprey military-history books!
This lavishly illustrated book is an ideal first guide to those researching the major Crusading Orders of Knighthood: the Hospitalers, the Templars, and the Teutonic Knights.
Within you will find an overview of the major campaigns and spheres of influence of the Crusaders, their military and commercial goals, and how these changed over time. For example, with the eventual loss of the Holy Land, the Hospitallers placed emphasis on becoming a naval power in the Mediterrenean. In this manner they still retained a viable military presence in that region, that frequently crippled and disrupted Muslim sea-trade for centuries after the fall of Outremer. In fact, the Hospitallers, Order of Saint John, held out on Malta until the Napoleonic Wars, when Napoleon's forces captured the island!
As with all Osprey Books, there is a considerable section of illustration plates inside, accompanied by descriptions of the weapons, armor, and other gear utilized by the warriors depicted.