MW V-3
We’re almost half-way through 2015, and there are have several amazing things lined up for you in the near future! First and foremost is the fact that our fantastic Special about the Battle of Agincourt will soon go to the printer. With contributors like Anne Curry, Tobias Capwell and Brian Todd Carey, to name but a few, this is one issue you really should not miss, even if this period is not really your cup of tea. It is now available for pre-order at 10% discount off the cover price. The Special will be released in mid-July.
While it will take us another several weeks yet to finish the Special, we can already proudly present our next issue. This one which will be of interest to all those fans amongst you who cannot get enough of the grand episodes in the Late Middle Ages. Medieval Warfare V-3 has now been printed, and will arrive at our distribution center in about a week. The theme of this issue is the first phase of the War of the Roses, that great series of conflicts which wrecked England between 1455-1485, characterized by dozens of brutal battles and sieges and shifting alliances. In the end, the war was won by the Lancastrian Henry VII, who managed to defeat Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. This outcome, the Lancastrian victory, was hardly apparent from the start, however. In fact, until a few years before Bosworth, it must have seemed as if the Yorkists would be there to stay. This issue’s theme focuses on the events between roughly 1455-1461, when the Yorkists were first banned from England, only to return with a vengeance and take the throne from the Lancastrian King Henry VI.
The issue starts with an article on the rise and fall of Henry’s wife, Margaret of Anjou. Somewhat contrary to our usual historical introduction, this article combines elements of an introduction (by discussing the events leading up to the war) with a rather detailed discussion of what happened between 1455-1461. The next couple of articles focus on several of the main characters and episodes in close detail. Instead of discussing the famous Warwick, we decided to go for the less well-known figure Lord Fauconberg, who played a crucial part in the success of the house of York. Moreover, David Santiuste covers the career of a young Edward, Earl of March (the future Edward IV), whose luck, bravado, and personal bravery played an important role in the Yorkists victory. In an age when sieges could literally make or break a campaign, castles are ever-important, and the Wars of the Roses are no exception. In this issue, Patrick Baker first discusses the importance of Calais as a Yorkist stronghold, while Gareth Williams touches upon the subject of the siege of Denbigh in his article on the remarkable alliance between the Lancastrians and a band of outlaws in Wales. Last, but certainly not least, several battles are discussed in great detail. Mike Ingram focuses on the less well-known, but equally important battle of Northampton by analyzing the main sources for the battle. Sidney Dean, on the other hand, walks us through the events of the Battle of Towton, one of the greatest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil.
This issue’s The Weapon feature is closely related to the issue’s theme; after all, the poleaxe was one of the main weapons used by men-at-arms during the many massed battles between 1455-1461. Not even remotely related to the theme, however, is James Gilmer’s piece on the Hashashin, the order of assassins that managed to affect, perhaps even dominate, politics in the Middle East around the time of the Crusades. The article covers the rise and fall of the order; Medieval Warfare V-4 will contain an article on the order’s castles.
Thus, we offer you our latest issue of Medieval Warfare. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as we do. If you pre-order now, you get a 15% discount. If you’re looking for the best deal, though, we suggest ordering a subscription.
