[Sean Flynt]

Here's a nice new title for those of you interested in Medieval archery. It's massive (538 pages), well-illustrated and seems to be exhaustive. I got a copy at a conference last week and consider it a bargain for what probably is an essential title.

The Great Warbow: From Hastings to the Mary Rose
by Matthew Strickland and Robert Hardy

Before the rediscovery in 1979 and subsequent excavation of Henry VIII's great warship, the Mary Rose, very few examples of the famous English longbow were known to have survived. However, the Mary Rose contained 138 yew longbows, some still in their original cases, and over 2,000 arrows. This well-presented and fully-illustrated volume presents the results of years of study of this unique assemblage by Matthew Strickland and Robert Hardy, the actor and a leading longbow specialist. Beginning with the `Mary Rose experience' the book discusses in detail the longbows discovered from the wreck, their construction, design, shape and function, with comparisons made to the few other examples known from England and Europe. With this invaluable assemblage forming the basis of the rest of the study, supported by documentary and iconographic evidence, the authors go on to assess the military use of the longbow in medieval Europe, its development from the `shortbow', the bow's most notorious victims, its role in the culture of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman knight, its use in some of the most famous battles of history, the longbow's deployment by crusaders and English kings, continental responses to this deadly English weapon including armour and the crossbow, the role of archers in medieval military tactics and the demise of the longbow in Tudor England. Clearly written, thoroughly researched and richly illustrated, this book is a fine tribute to a remarkable piece of English military history. 538p, many col and b/w illus, figs (Sutton 2005)

ISBN 0750931671. Hardback. Price US $50.00

Direct link to the U.S. importer:
http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/42852

[David Black Mastro]

Another book by Robert Hardy--interesting.

I'm curious as to what this text will say about armor piercing, since it seems to be such a hot (and contested) topic these days.

[Eric Nower]

Thank you Sean,

I'll definetly have to pick that up.

[Daniel Staberg]

Most of the book is actually written by Matthew Strickland who is a better historian and researcher than Hardy, The chapters written by Hardy are ok but in a few instances seems closer to a rant than level-headed history.

While the book as a whole tends to be pro-bow the chapters on injuries and armour is mostly free of bias and recognises that the testing done so far has flaws. The strength of the bows tested have been to weak and there has been a lack of both proper arrowheads and armour, what is need is an extensive test using scientific methods such as the firearms test conducted in Graz Armoury on 16th/17th Century firearms and armour.

I found the book to be very interesting, is certainly a great value for the money but it is not without flaws. It is as a whole rather anglo-centric and in some instances sources are ignored which presents facts which challenges this view.
For example the impact of the French Crossbowmen at Poitiers and Scots archers Vernuil is downplayed despite frequent quotes from sources that single out their effects. (Le Baker and Waurin). The sections on the French army establisehd by the Ordinnace of 1445 is probably the most flawed and contain several errors which some additional research and/or a good proof reading should have caught.
The book is at it's best when covering the English use of archery and the English armies, while the coverage of the French and Burgundian armies is welcome and more extensive than is typical those chapters would have benefited greatly form more through research and a better use of non-english sources

That said, this book is if read with a pinch of salt a good addition to the library of anyone interested in medieval warfare in general and (english) archery in particular.

/Daniel

[W. R. Reynolds]

Hey all,

You can get it at Barnes and Noble for $44.95 or $ 40.45 if you are a card carrying member.

[J. Padgett]

Amazon has it for $29.62. You can buy it through the books section of myArmoury so they get the referal bonus thingy too. Woot.

http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0750931671