Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Todd Kaeser]

I just finished reading Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell. It is historical fiction, but there are oodles of history contained throughout. The combat scenes are very vivid and one can really find themselves on the field of battle. A very good read if you are interested in reading about medieval times, especially the 100 Years War.

Here is the summary from Bernard Cornwell's homepage.

"Agincourt (Azincourt in French) is one of the most famous battles ever fought; the victory of a small, despised, sick and hungry army over an enemy that massively outnumbered it. Azincourt, the novel coming soon, tells the story of that small army; how it embarked from England confident of victory, but was beaten down and horribly weakened by the stubborn French defence of Harfleur. By the end of that siege common-sense dictated that the army sail for home, but Henry V was stubbornly convinced that God was on his side and insisted on marching from Harfleur to Calais to prove that he could defy the great French army that was gathering to crush him. He believed he could evade that army, but the march, like the siege, went disastrously wrong and the English were trapped and so forced to fight against an enemy that outnumbered them six to one. Azincourt is the tale of Nicholas Hook, an archer, who begins the novel by joining the garrison of Soissons, a city whose patron saints were Crispin and Crispinian. What happened at Soissons shocked all Christendom, but in the following year, on the feast day of Crispin and Crispinian, Hook finds himself in that small army trapped at Azincourt. The novel is the story of the archers who helped win a battle that has entered legend, but in truth is a tale, as Sir John Keegan says, 'of slaughter-yard behaviour and outright atrocity'."

[Mark Stone]

Well this is definitely going on my "must read" list. Agincourt is one of my favorite battles, and not for the usual reasons. The French had some great leaders present at Agincourt, but sadly chose not to listen to them. As a result, this battle really ended the high medieval period of French chivalry. The armies that France mustered after this were really pre-Rennaissance armies.

[scott holder]

Ah, the "Sharpe's Rifles" author. I thought I recognized the name.

Haven't read any of his stuff. Looking at his publication list, the guy's a machine.

I need to retire now and start reading the books on my "to read" list. I might just get done in 30 years and this recommendation ain't helping.

scott

[lilroblis]

looking forward to reading this, I very much enjoyed sharpes rifles - thyanks for the reccomendations