Henry II : a medieval soldier at war, 1147-1189
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Bibliographic Information
Henry II : a medieval soldier at war, 1147-1189
(History of warfare, v. 44)
Brill, 2007
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [245]-262) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
There are no book-length studies in any language on the military career of King Henry II of England (1154-1189). Historians have generally regarded his warfare as cautious and limited, and the king himself, while noted for his considerable political and legal accomplishments, is not considered one of the great commanders of the Middle Ages. This book reexamines the medieval evidence and situates Henry II within the context of practiced warfare of the twelfth century. It sketches a narrative of his military activities from boyhood to death and examines his use of fortifications, manpower, strategy, tactics, and weaponry in the prosecution of war. The result is a revision of the king's military legacy: far from a passive or disinterested general, Henry II sought to vanquish his foes and expand his empire by way of direct military confrontation and was, in reality, a proficient commander of men.
Table of Contents
List of Maps .. vii
Preface .. ix
List of Abbreviations .. xi
Introduction .. 1
Chapter One Historiography .. 9
Nature of the Military Evidence .. 11
Chronicle Sources .. 14
Record Sources .. 31
Literary Sources .. 33
Chapter Two Henry's Political and Military Career .. 37
Scotland and Wales .. 51
The Continent .. 56
The Conquest of Ireland .. 66
The End of Louis VII .. 76
The Death of Henry the Younger .. 82
The Wars against Philip Augustus .. 88
The End of the Reign .. 98
Chapter Three Military Organization .. 103
The Question of Obligation .. 104
The Matter of the Fyrd .. 113
Mercenaries .. 119
Chapter Four Strategy Tactics, Logistics .. 125
High Medieval Strategy and Henry II .. 125
Battle as Strategy .. 130
Vegetian-Style Campaigns .. 148
Transport and Logistics .. 157
Chapter Five Castles and Siege Warfare .. 171
Fortress Construction .. 171
Castle Strategies .. 176
Siege Warfare .. 182
Castles and Henry II: the 1160s .. 188
Chapter Six The Great Revolt, 1173-1174 .. 195
Main Rebel Attacks .. 199
Henry II's Responses .. 206
The Second Year .. 211
Endgame: the Great Revolt Fails .. 215
Chapter Seven Conclusion: Henry the Soldier .. 221
Appendix 1: Henry Plantagenet's Military Campaigns .. 233
Appendix 2: Laudabiliter .. 237
Maps .. 240
Bibliography .. 245
Index .. 263
by "Nielsen BookData"