'This book should be in your hands!' - Medieval History Magazine 'A detailed and readable account of Hotspur's life that conveys a sense of the endemic violence of the Border Marches.' - Northern History 'Boardman has studied the battlefields of Otterburn, Homildon Hill and Shrewsbury and combines knowledge of terrain, weapons, and tactics with contemporary narratives to produce feasible reconstructions and explanations of what actually occurred.' - Michael Hicks Immortalised by Shakespeare in Henry IV, Part I, Henry Percy, nicknamed 'Hotspur', is among the best known of all his warlike characters. As the young, honourable but impatient rebel soldier whose chivalrous exploits on the battlefield end in disaster at Shrewsbury in 1403, Hotspur is the archetypal anti-hero: a character of such tragic and dramatic significance that even his well-known nickname has passed from history into legend. But who was the historical Henry Percy, and why did his rise to fame bring him into direct confrontation with his king? This fully updated book tells the story of the real Henry Percy and his overbearing family, and how the survival of a great northern dynasty led to open rebellion and ultimately military failure.

'An essential part of the library for anyone interested in the great political and military upheavals in the 15th century.' - Graeme Rimer, Retired Former Academic Director of the Royal Armouries 'A creditable effort to examine a neglected aspect of medieval warfare.' - Jim Bradbury, Cambridge University Press 'Everything you need to know about being a soldier in the Wars of the Roses.' - The Mail Bookshop What was it like to fight in a Wars of the Roses battle? What kind of men fought at St Albans, Northampton, Wakefield, Towton, Tewkesbury and Bosworth? How was the medieval soldier recruited, paid, equipped, fed and billeted? And how was a battle contested once both sides resorted to all-out conflict? First published in 1998, this classic study of the medieval soldier in the Wars of the Roses examines these and other questions using various documentary sources and recent evidence. Eyewitness accounts, contemporary chronicles, personal letters, civic records, archaeology and surviving military equipment are used to paint a fascinating picture of the medieval soldier. Evidence gleaned from the mass war grave found close to the battlefield of Towton in North Yorkshire sheds new light on those that lived and died in the civil wars. But what do we know about the psychology of those involved? And how did soldiers feel about killing their fellow Englishmen? Andrew Boardman explores the grim reality of medieval soldiering on land and sea during this crucial period of aristocratic violence and dynastic upheaval. He makes us question the current historical record, such as it is, and our perceptions of chivalry and warfare in Lancastrian and Yorkist England. The text is supported by many contemporary illustrations, diagrams and maps, making this updated work an indispensable guide to medieval soldiering in the late fifteenth century.

Palm Sunday 1461 was the date of a ruthless and bitterly contested battle, fought by two massive medieval armies on an exposed Yorkshire plateau for the prize of the crown of England. This singular engagement of the Wars of the Roses has acquired the auspicious title of the longest, biggest and bloodiest battle ever fought on British soil. But what drove the contending armies of York and Lancaster to fight at Towton and what is the truth behind the legends about this terrible encounter, where contemporaries record that the rivers ran red with blood? Andrew Boardman answers these questions and many more in the new updated edition of his classic account of Towton which provides a fascinating insight into the reality of the battlefield. The Battle of Towton is illustrated throughout with contemporary illustrations, modern photographs and specially drawn maps.

The first battle of St Albans was a significant event in England's medieval history. What prompted Richard of York to take up arms in the first place? Where did the main action take place? This book answers these questions and discusses the theories about the battle: a battle of the Wars of the Roses where the streets ran red with blood.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1847 Edition.

Containing I. An Essay On The Nature And Value Of Phrenological Evidence; II. Vindication Of Phrenology Against The Attack Of Dr. J. Augustine Smith; III. A View Of Facts Relied On By Phrenologists As Proof That The Cerebellum Is The Seat Of The Reproductive Instinct.

Containing I. An Essay On The Nature And Value Of Phrenological Evidence; II. Vindication Of Phrenology Against The Attack Of Dr. J. Augustine Smith; III. A View Of Facts Relied On By Phrenologists As Proof That The Cerebellum Is The Seat Of The Reproductive Instinct.