Early Modern | War History

The Tide Turns – One Battle Ended the Seemingly Unstoppable Mongol Invasion

Malcolm Higgins

There are few military forces more infamous and renowned in history than the Mongolian armies of the 13th Century. They swept through Asia and into…

The Knights Templar – The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Crusader Order

Malcolm Higgins

A crimson cross emblazoned on a white background; a simple design, perhaps, but behind it lies one of the most remarkable stories in the history…

The Battle Of Morgarten – Against All The Odds, One Small Army Changes The Course Of Military History

Malcolm Higgins

The supremacy of heavy cavalry and mounted knights on the battlefield came to an end one cold November morning in 1315, and it began with…

Grand Goals – Napoleon Aimed For High Achievements In Egypt

The Egyptian campaign Napoleon led in 1798 was one of the greatest disasters of his career. After his fleet was destroyed by Nelson at the…

Idolising the Enemy: 7 Englishmen Who Inspired Napoleon

For one of England’s greatest ever enemies, Napoleon Bonaparte was surprisingly fond of the English. Many of the great men who inspired him were English…

The Army Itch And Other Scary Civil War Maladies Which Make Us Thankful For Modern Medicine

Disease accounted for the deaths of 65% of Union soldiers and 62% of Confederates during the Civil War. Those high numbers beat out all other…

Napoleon Inflicts The Greatest Defeat in Prussian Military History

The twin battles of Jena-Auerstadt proved a major turning point for not only the Napoleonic wars, but also for 19th century Europe as a whole.…

Statues, Uniforms, And The Legion Of Honor – How Napoleon Celebrated Battlefield Courage

Napoleon Bonaparte was an inspiring figure. His greatest opponent, the Duke of Wellington, said that the French Emperor inspired such confidence that his presence at…

Steel, Gunpowder, And Careful Planning – The Conquistadors’ Defeat Of The Incas

Andrew Knighton

Francisco Pizarro’s conquest of the Incan empire is one of the most extraordinary achievements in military history. In the space of a single day in…

Napoleon As Augustus: How He Modelled Himself On The Roman Empire

“I am a true Roman Emperor; I am of the best race of the Caesars – those who are founders.” – Napoleon Bonaparte, 1812. Throughout…

In These Battles, Fighting Spirit Overcame The Odds To Gain Victory

Battles can be lost for a hundred different reasons. Poor numbers, unwise strategy, inferior weapons, the list goes on. But just occasionally, a fighting force…

How Napoleon’s Empire Empowered European Jewish Communities

The beating of war drums has seldom been a good sign for Europe’s Jewish communities. Dispersed by the endless conquests of their homeland, they were…