In the early 14th century, a new weapon entered the arsenals of European armies. This first generation of black powder weapons put fear into the heart of the enemy and in 1453 Ottoman cannon succeeded in pummelling the once-impregnable walls of Constantinople. But cannons, which are both slow and cumbersome, were difficult to use and often proved inaccurate. The first handgonnes were the answer. Easily dismissed by later historians as nothing more than crude tubes that shot wildly inaccurate lead balls, more recent research has revealed the true accuracy of the medieval handgonne together with its penetrative power. This volume, complete with detailed illustrations and colour photographs of reconstructed handgonnes, reveals the true history of what could easily have been the most revolutionary weapon in history. This book will be a must for medieval enthusiasts and re-enactors.

This book describes and illustrates the organization and uniforms of the Allied contingents during the Seven Years' War. At the outbreak of the war King George II's dual role as King of England and Elector of Hanover led to Britain creating and funding an alliance with Frederick's Prussia. This colorful multi-national arm of British, Brunswick, Hanoverian, and Hessian troops, with other smaller contingents, played an essential part by guarding Prussia's western front against French armies, and in the process the British contingent won some remarkable victories, such as the redcoats' legendary attack at Minden and Granby's cavalry triumph at Warburg. This disparate group of soldiers is brought to vivid life by the illustrations of Gerry and Sam Embleton and by the unrivalled detail of Stuart Reid's analysis.