Conrad Kyeser: The Leonardo da Vinci of War Machines
First published in 1405, Conrad Kyeser’s book Bellifortis was a guide to war at a turning point. He sought to shift the focus from chivalry…
Fact Or Fiction – Finding out what Really Happened to the Knights Templar
Few military orders throughout history have maintained the same air of secrecy and mystique as the Knights Templar. From their humble origins in the Middle…
The Battle of Edgehill, October 1642 – Both commanders hoped to force battle
War History Online presents this Guest Article by Jemahl Evans Everyone thought it would all be over by Christmas. Everyone expected a single sharp engagement and…
Charles the Bold, Burgundy’s Flawed Reforming Warlord
Charles the Bold was a man who could have changed the face of Europe. Inheriting the Valois duchy of Burgundy in 1467, he was one…
A Game-Changing Medieval Siege
Civil wars and revolts were common in medieval England. Without elections to decide between opposing leaders and policies, violence became the answer. As in modern…
The Knights Templar – Spectacular Rise And Fall Of A Legendary Order
The Knights Templar were the first and the most famous European warrior Order founded during the Crusades. From their bases in Europe and the Holy…
What Happened To Prisoners Of War In Medieval England
Every medieval English monarch had to decide how to deal with prisoners of war. Ruling over territory that sometimes ran from the highlands of Scotland…
Medieval Crusaders – How They Might Have Thought And Felt About Their Wars
A knight stands on the walls of Jerusalem, staring out at the parched land beyond the city. He is weary from weeks of travel and…
The Many Historical Facts The Movie ‘Braveheart’ Got Wrong… And One It Got Right
Mel Gibson’s film Braveheart is both one of the most celebrated and one of the most reviled pieces of historical filmmaking ever. A heart-stirring and…
Losing The Kingdom – The Last Battle Of The Vikings On The West Coast Of Scotland
It was the age of the Great Mongol Khans. It was the age of Byzantium, of the Holy Roman Empire. The wars of the Reconquista…
Four Men and One Woman – Five Mighty Leaders Whose Wars United Medieval England
In the late ninth century, England was not a united country. Viking raiders from Denmark controlled the north and east. Norwegian and Irish raids left…
How Artillery Evolved During The Brutal And Merciless 100 Years War
The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) saw the first appearances of gunpowder artillery in English and French warfare. These fearsome weapons, which had been largely unused…