Medieval battle
Durazzo 1081
Varangian Guard Norman Infantry Battle of Dyrrhachium (October 18, 1081): 1,300 Norman cavalry under the Duke of Apulia Robert Guiscard, were initially repulsed by the Varangian Guards. The Varangian Guard were in turn routed by a counterattack to their flanks by Norman infantry, fled to the sanctuary of a nearby church which the Norman forces burnt down. The Norman knights…
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LINCOLN, 20 May 1217
William Marshal’s victory prevented a foreign prince from ruling England, but Lincoln’s citizens had little cause for celebration. Perviously the French were unable to capture Lincoln Castle, governed by the formidable Nichola de la Haye. The rebels invited the king of France to take the throne of England; instead Philip…
Tamerlane and the Golden Horde
TAMERLANE (1336–1405). Turkic chieftain and conqueror. He was not Mongol, but sought to trace Mongol connections through his wife’s ancestors. His English name is a corruption of the Persian TimĂĽr-i Leng, “lame TimĂĽr.” Tamerlane is important not only for his conquests, but for his role in definitively ending the Mongol…
Waging Gentlemanly War
The Battle of Kawanakajima was an annual event fought between Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen. Both daimyo would ensure the battle ended in a draw. Depiction of the legendary personal conflict between Kenshin and Shingen at the fourth battle of Kawanakajima. Two of the early Sengoku Jidai’s most colourful daimyo…
Bishop Guglielmino degli Ubertini of Arezzo
The military commander of the Ghibellines in this battle was the city’s powerful bishop, Guglielmino degli Ubertini. Note two features distinctive of ecclesiastical leaders who went to war in person: the crest on his helm fashioned as a bishop’s mitre, and his use of a mace (mazza ferrata) rather than…
Battle of PĹ‚owce
Battle of PĹ‚owce, fought between Kingdom of Poland and Teutonic Order. Despite the Polish victory on the field, the battle is traditionally regarded as inconclusive given that the Teutonic Order was not destroyed . Nevertheless, it was an important battle for Poland, which was just regaining its stature as a…
TOURS (POITIERS)
October 732 Forces Engaged Franks: Unknown. Commander: Charles Martel. Moslems: Approximately 20,000-80,000. Commander: Abd er-Rahman. Importance Moslem defeat ended the Moslem’s threat to western Europe, and Frankish victory established the Franks as the dominant population in western Europe, establishing the dynasty that led to Charlemagne. Historical Setting During 717–718, Moslem…