OK, I’m nearly complete on Sumption’s 100 Yard War and I plan to start Wilson’s 30 Years War. But are there specific narratives anchoring these two Wars that I should consider? I’m looking for reads on European Wars, circa 16th c.
ITS GOING TO MASSIVE!!!!
I decided to further reduce historical ignorance by a visit to the Berkeley Plantation situated strategically along the mighty James. It is one of seven plantation homes that still exist today.
Of course, I will provide the fast facts and also lament that sadly this is the first time I have ever visited this wonderful site!
Originally English settlers settled the site in 1619 as it is situated at the confluence of the James River, Chesapeake Bay and below the rocks of Richmond. The feel good rumor of the first Thanksgiving occurred here, but seeing these are English military and explorers serving the English King James I and hot from the 30 Years War raging in Europe, I find this to be false and Tom Foolery [LOL].
The Harrison Family purchased the land in 1691 and built the mansion in 1726. They say this is the oldest three story mansion that exists in America today.
Fascinating this mansion housed a signer of the Declaration of Independence [Benjamin Harrison], William Henry Harrison [President #9] who interestingly wrote his three hour inaugural speech in the upstairs room, catching pneumonia on that cold Jan morning,, and died less than 30 days in office, and Benjamin Harrison [President #23]. They were all named Benjamin Harrison, there was 15 of them of historical note.
During the Revolution and bc Harrison was a signer, netted a bounty on his head [rather neck] by the British. This meant capture, hanging and forfeiture of estates. Lucky for Harrison, he was never caught, but Benedict Arnold [after switching to the British] on his drive to Richmond occupied the mansion and burned up most of the furniture and paintings. For unknown reason he did not raze the mansion.
The mansion saw action again during the Civil War when McClellan was defeated in detail during the Seven Days Battles before his ultimate retreat to Ft. Monroe. The mansion served as his HQs [upstairs], hospital [main level], and prison for captured Rebels [cellar]. Abe Lincoln was a storied guest, staying there while reviewing the 130,000 or so troops encamped on the spiraling plantation. It is said this is where Lincoln “fired” McClellan from command [goodbye Lil’ Mac].
The cannonball pictured is when Jeb Stuart snuck around the Union flank with his troopers and put the mansion under cannonade attack resulting in over 100 casualties.
On the return battles of 1864 under Grant, the mansion was used yet again by the Army. This is where Taps was composed and first incorporated into the Army.
The mansion is privately owned but still is available for public visitations. It does not receive State funds, so most of the history on it has not been revised.
Apparently it is haunted!
I decided to further reduce historical ignorance by a visit to the Berkeley Plantation situated strategically along the mighty James. It is one of seven plantation homes that still exist today.
Of course, I will provide the fast facts and also lament that sadly this is the first time I have ever visited this wonderful site!
Originally English settlers settled the site in 1619 as it is situated at the confluence of the James River, Chesapeake Bay and below the rocks of Richmond. The feel good rumor of the first Thanksgiving occurred here, but seeing these are English military and explorers serving the English King James I and hot from the 30 Years War raging in Europe, I find this to be false and Tom Foolery [LOL].
The Harrison Family purchased the land in 1691 and built the mansion in 1726. They say this is the oldest three story mansion that exists in America today.
Fascinating this mansion housed a signer of the Declaration of Independence [Benjamin Harrison], William Henry Harrison [President #9] who interestingly wrote his three hour inaugural speech in the upstairs room, catching pneumonia on that cold Jan morning,, and died less than 30 days in office, and Benjamin Harrison [President #23]. They were all named Benjamin Harrison, there was 15 of them of historical note.
During the Revolution and bc Harrison was a signer, netted a bounty on his head [rather neck] by the British. This meant capture, hanging and forfeiture of estates. Lucky for Harrison, he was never caught, but Benedict Arnold [after switching to the British] on his drive to Richmond occupied the mansion and burned up most of the furniture and paintings. For unknown reason he did not raze the mansion.
The mansion saw action again during the Civil War when McClellan was defeated in detail during the Seven Days Battles before his ultimate retreat to Ft. Monroe. The mansion served as his HQs [upstairs], hospital [main level], and prison for captured Rebels [cellar]. Abe Lincoln was a storied guest, staying there while reviewing the 130,000 or so troops encamped on the spiraling plantation. It is said this is where Lincoln “fired” McClellan from command [goodbye Lil’ Mac].
The cannonball pictured is when Jeb Stuart snuck around the Union flank with his troopers and put the mansion under cannonade attack resulting in over 100 casualties.
On the return battles of 1864 under Grant, the mansion was used yet again by the Army. This is where Taps was composed and first incorporated into the Army.
The mansion is privately owned but still is available for public visitations. It does not receive State funds, so most of the history on it has not been revised.
Apparently it is haunted!
Week one of my EPIC LIBRARY BUILD! NEED TO SHELVE THESE MASSED 5K+ BOOKS [PS LOVIN’n EMPTY NESTING]!!!
ALL GREAT THINGS START FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS [and my book sets are crying for their new home LOL]!!!!
I just ordered this 1000# pallet for my new, at-home library LOL [in my defense, I did not mean to WIN this at auction!] THOUGHTS? [match point?]
Lets get real.....historical ignorance is real....we just simply don't know.....
The Hundred Years War – The English in France 1337 – 1453
by Dr. Desmond Seward
Dr. Seward through dissertational defense [now a book] ((c) 1978) gives a one volume narrative of a complex piece of critical history, a conflict that spanned many wars, raids, pillages, burnings, sackings, rapes, and scorched earth devastation, along the lands of what we term today as modern day France – The Hundred Years War.
The phrase The Hundred Years War only gained currency in the late 19th century. It is generally assumed to have begun full force in 1337 when Philip VI of France confiscated the English held Duchy of Guyenne from the English Warrior King Edward III (a true Plantagenet militarist that was only rivaled by Henry II and Henry V - maybe a modern equal to the expansionist George III (more on that later)) who then claimed the French throne, and ultimately ended in 1453 when the English finally lost the Bordeaux region. For most of that the hundred-year period, the English enjoyed remarkable military superiority thanks to the fire-power and range of the long bow, and invention unseen or unmatched outside the English isles. The English long bow maintained unfettered dominance until French inspired and engineered cannon destroyed the proud and knightly English army at Castillon and loss of the Bordeaux almost 125 years later [amazing, right?}
.
Many of the battles during The Hundred Years War are part of English legend, like the glorious victories of Sluys, Najera, Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt, Calais, Harfleur (battle that inflicted the most single loss of life in one one day - numbering close to 80,000), Verneuil, Pontoise, Paris, Formingny, Guyenne, and of course the collimating battle at Castillon.
The protagonist / atagomnist of the Hundred Years War is chalk full of characters that would make modern day Hollywood ache with envy – Edward III, The Black Prince [splendored in his Black Italian made armour], the then formidable Henry V, the splendid but inept John II who died a prisoner in London, the sickly limping intellectual Charles V who nearly routed the English, and the enigmatic Charles VII who at last made peace with the Dauphinist and Burgundians that eventually drove the English out and off the Continent.
While the chronicler Froissart paints a pageant of glittering court life “a Bourgeois of Paris” tells of times when wolves entered Paris to eat the dead corpses and errant wandering children. The world was as bloody as it was beautiful. For the French unlike the English, the War was more than a mere saga of battles, it was a dreadful experience which like modern warfare, involved the entire community as Total War, not seen since the devastations of 1914 - 1915 France - maybe again in 1940 / 1941 France.
Keep in mind, mounted Knights were TANKS back in the day.
For over a century, one Western country plundered another, and the mercenary armies of Edward III and Henry V built elaborate castles and manors all through England paid by French ransom. In a sense, this conflict berthed England from the placenta of a back country, poor, unpopulated island nation birthed to a POWERHOUSE against a more populous and ostenable - far more powerful enemy - France.
by It is undeniable that the Hundred Years War was medieval England’s greatest achievement.
To quote Shakespeare - [QUOTE] “But we in it shall be remembered, we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother; be he never so vile, this day shall gentle his condition that fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day." {END QUOTE].
-Henry V, The Morning of Battle at Agincourt, where a half starving, half clothed, shivering English army numbering 5,000 slaughtered 25,000 French Valois Knights in the mud and mire brought forward the victory of God, St. Michael, and the Long Bow.
Thank you Dr. Seward.
All GREAT things start from HUMBLE beginnings….library building project commences soon LOL….
Just completed the BRILL SERIES #141 - HISTORY of Modern Warfare - England and the Thirty Years War // Adam Marks. Focused primarily on King James I and King Charles I’s indirect involvement in the various campaigns and sieges on the continent. England largely supported the war through levies, financial investment and treatises with the various warring nations in support of the Protestants nations and anti-Papal forces aligned against Spain, France, and the HRE. Well researched and written, and Dr. Marks lays out his arguments superbly.
Personally what I am lacking [as yet again, my historical ignorance is high in this historical period] is an overall view, narrative, and context of the 30 Years War in toto; concerning all belligerent Nations [Protestant and Catholic] esp the collective Wars that historians erroneously title ‘The Thirty Years War’.
Any recommendations???
Thanks Reddit community!
**Brill Series. Henry II A Medieval Soldier at War 1147 - 1189. History of Modern Warfare, Volume 44. [**275 pages / 243 reading pages]
John D. Hosler
Pictured - KING HENRY sits on the throne while discussing matters of court with Thomas Becket
Engaging read on a subject that I know nothing about. The reign of Henry II ushered in the Angevin period of English history which is traced from Henry II’s coronation in 1154 to the death of King John in 1216. Henry II also marked the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty, which was the longest monarchy in English history, spanning almost 300 years [the House of Plantagenet was a powerful royal dynasty that ruled England for over 300 years (1154–1485). Originating from the French county of Anjou, the family produced 14 English kings, but ultimately split into the rival Houses of Lancaster and York.]
From the beginning Henry was groomed for governance and mobile battles that would mark him as a true warrior King. The death of Henry I’s only son in the white ship disaster of 1120 paved the way for Henry I’s daughter Matilda to ascend to the throne of - her only son – Henry II born in 1133.
With the sudden death of Henry I, after feasting on a plate of lamprey’s in 1135, the English barons forgetting their 1126 oaths to Matilda’s son Henry II – saw the ascension of King Stephen to the throne of England, thus triggering a nasty civil war – called the anarchy of King Stephen’s reign. Young Henry II at the time, residing in Anjou France (then part of England) travelled the channel (a feat he would do over 100 times in his lifetime) to take up arms against Stephen and claim his rightful accession to the throne. Alongside Henry II’s father Geofrey and Mother Matilda, they secured homage and alliances that eventually vanquished King Stephen - placing Henry II on the throne of England. What followed was a tumultuous rule spanning the period of 1147 – 1189 [he was Lord Baron from 1147 – 1154]. He was officially crowned at Westminster on 19 December 1154 and thereafter set himself to the governance of a kingdom vast in scope riddles with strife and usurpation and diverse in population.
Henry II’s rule established the following milestones –
Confiscate and destroy the illegal castles leftover from the anarchy of Stephen’s reign
Conduct civil war against his own brother Geofrey who had been deprived of any substantial inheritance left by their father
The conquest of Scotland and Wales [marching through Wales in 1157 but did not completely conquer the highly effective fighting Welsh that would fight from trees much like the pixes of ancient Scotland and never fully secured the March boundary]
Address the factitious issues concerning rule on the Continent that was quite similar to his rule in England – negotiation followed by force and subjugating his enemies.
Establishing himself as the dominant force and outside of Paris / Touraine with firm military and political control over Normandy, Anjou, Brittany and Maine as well as the ancillary provinces of Touraine, Poitou and Nantes; effectively beating out France, ruled by King Louis VII and later Philip II.
The Thomas Becket affair and the eventual murder of Cardinal Becket by Henry II’s loyal knights leading to issues that Henry II had to redress with the Pope Alexander III.
The Conquest of Ireland
The End of Louis VII and beginning of Phiip II’s reign of France.
The Great Revolt in England – 1173 – 1174.
The issues concerning his children [Geofrey, Henry the Younger, Richard, and John], and later as adults would wage brutal civil war against their father. Note that Henry the Younger perished, John remained loyal to his father, and Richard would eventually win out with an alliance with Phillip II and ascending to the throne as Richard I. This was just the Plantagenet way of internal fighting and cut throat tactics that would define the dynasty.
The Wars against Philip Augustus (Philip II of France) and the traitorous defection of Henry II’s own son Richard to the French camp (Richard and Philip were lovers) resulting in the ultimate defeat of Henry II at Touraine.
Henry II died from illness on 06 July 1189 at the age of 56. Richard arrived the day after to view his father and as the story goes “the corpse began to bleed in his presence”.
For the medieval aspects in the age of knights, horse and wooden ships, Henry II was a mobile warrior king, overseeing and consolidating his rule throughout the Angevin and Continental domains. Here is a list of Henry’s campaigns both before and after 1154 that occurred as a direct result of his set piece battles and infamous castle sieges –
April 1147 – England; Gloucestershire - skirmishes at Crickdale – defeated King Stephen
Summer 1149 – England; York / Devon – relieves of Devizes - fought the Eustace of Boulogne
Spring – August 1151 – Continent; Normandy – defeated Louis VII and Eustace
Summer 1152 – Continent; Vexin, Dreux, Anjou – besieges Montsoreau - defeated Louis VII and Henry II’s brother Geofrey
Jan – Feb 1153 – England; Wiltshire – besieges Malmesbury - defeated King Stephen and Eustace
Spring – August 1153 – England / Wales; Welsh March / Midlands – captures Tutbury, relieves Wallingford – defeated King Stephen and Royal Castellas
Summer – Fall 1154 – Continent; Normandy / Aquitaine – defeated Louis VII and Richard of Gloucester
Summer 1155 – England; York / Hereford / Gloucester – besieges Bridgnorth Castle – defeats Willaim le Gros and Hugh Mortimer
Spring 1156 – Continent; Poitou / Touraine / Nantes – seizes Mirebeau, Chino and Loudon – defeats Geofrey (brother)
Summer 1157 – Wales; Gwynedd – Owain ap Gwynedd – Battle of Colehill Wood (Henry II nearly killed)
Summer 1158 – Wales; Deheubarth – fights Rhys ap Deheubarth
June – Sept 1159 – Continent; Touloiuse / Vexin – seizes Cahors, Rochefort, Epernon and Montfort – fights Raymond V, Louis VII
Fall 1161 – Continent; Blois / Germany – captures Chaumont and Castillon – defeats Theobald of Blois and Louis VII
April 1163 – Wales; Gower and Carmarthen – fights Rhys ap Deheubarth
August 1165 – Wales; Shropshire / Oswestry – Vale of Ceiriog – fights Oswan and Rys
Spring – Summer 1166 – Continent; Maine – destroys Fougeres castle – defeats William Talvas; Ralph de Fougeres
Spring – Summer 1167 – Continent; Auvergne / Normandy - destroys Chaumont – defeats William VIII and Louis VII
Aug – Oct 1167 – Continent; Brittany – fights Eudo de Porhoet
Jan – Aug 1168 – Continent; Poitou / Brittany / Flanders – Captures Lusignan, destroys Chateau Josselin, skirmish at Chenebrun – defeats Loius VII; Aldebret of March; William de Angouleme; Geoffrey de Lusignan; Eudo de Porhoet
March 1169 – Continent; Poitou / Vexin – acquires Montmirail, digs Fosses le roi – fights William of Angouleme
November 1170 - Berry – defeats Louis VII and Theobald of Blois
October 1171 – Ireland – stalemate
Jun – Aug 1173 – Continent; Normandy / Brittany – skirmish at Verneuil; Battle of Dol - defeats Louis VII; Phillip of Flanders; Robert Leicester; Henry Geofrey and Richard (sons)
Nov – Dec 1173 – Continent; Touraine – captures Vendome – defeats Buchard de Lavardin
April – June 1174 – Continent; Anjou / Maine / Poitou – captures Ancenis
July 1174 – England; Huntingdon / Framlingham – defeats Hugh Bigod and David of Huntingdom
Aug – Sept 1174 – Continent; Rouen – Victory enables the treaty of Mont Louis – defeats Louis VII; Phillip of Flanders; sons; and other rebels
August 1177 – Continent; Vexin – defeats Walerin de Ivry
Ocyt – Dec 1177 – Continent; Berry / Limousin – captures Chateauroux – defeats Louis VII
May 1183 – Continent; Limoges – death of Henry the Younger (11JUN) – defeats Henry and Geofrey (sons)
July 1184 – Ireland; Worcester – fights Rhys of Deheubarth
Summer 1186 – Ireland; Galloway – fights Roalnd fitz Uhtred
Spring 1187 – Continent; Berry – non action at Chateauroux – fights Philip II (new King of France)
September 1187 – Continent; Brittany – besieges Montrelais castle – defeats Harvey de Leuns
Summer 1188 – Continent; Berry / Vexin – enters Philip’s demesne and defection of Henry II’s son Richard to the French side – fights Philip II and Richard (son)
Summer 1189 – Continent; Touraine – flees Tours and death of Henry II – fights Philip II and Richard (son)
**Brill Series. Henry II A Medieval Soldier at War 1147 - 1189. History of Modern Warfare, Volume 44. [**275 pages / 243 reading pages]
John D. Hosler
Pictured - KING HENRY sits on the throne while discussing matters of court with Thomas Becket
Engaging read on a subject that I know nothing about. The reign of Henry II ushered in the Angevin period of English history which is traced from Henry II’s coronation in 1154 to the death of King John in 1216. Henry II also marked the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty, which was the longest monarchy in English history, spanning almost 300 years [the House of Plantagenet was a powerful royal dynasty that ruled England for over 300 years (1154–1485). Originating from the French county of Anjou, the family produced 14 English kings, but ultimately split into the rival Houses of Lancaster and York.]
From the beginning Henry was groomed for governance and mobile battles that would mark him as a true warrior King. The death of Henry I’s only son in the white ship disaster of 1120 paved the way for Henry I’s daughter Matilda to ascend to the throne of - her only son – Henry II born in 1133.
With the sudden death of Henry I, after feasting on a plate of lamprey’s in 1135, the English barons forgetting their 1126 oaths to Matilda’s son Henry II – saw the ascension of King Stephen to the throne of England, thus triggering a nasty civil war – called the anarchy of King Stephen’s reign. Young Henry II at the time, residing in Anjou France (then part of England) travelled the channel (a feat he would do over 100 times in his lifetime) to take up arms against Stephen and claim his rightful accession to the throne. Alongside Henry II’s father Geofrey and Mother Matilda, they secured homage and alliances that eventually vanquished King Stephen - placing Henry II on the throne of England. What followed was a tumultuous rule spanning the period of 1147 – 1189 [he was Lord Baron from 1147 – 1154]. He was officially crowned at Westminster on 19 December 1154 and thereafter set himself to the governance of a kingdom vast in scope riddles with strife and usurpation and diverse in population.
Henry II’s rule established the following milestones –
Confiscate and destroy the illegal castles leftover from the anarchy of Stephen’s reign
Conduct civil war against his own brother Geofrey who had been deprived of any substantial inheritance left by their father
The conquest of Scotland and Wales [marching through Wales in 1157 but did not completely conquer the highly effective fighting Welsh that would fight from trees much like the pixes of ancient Scotland and never fully secured the March boundary]
Address the factitious issues concerning rule on the Continent that was quite similar to his rule in England – negotiation followed by force and subjugating his enemies.
Establishing himself as the dominant force and outside of Paris / Touraine with firm military and political control over Normandy, Anjou, Brittany and Maine as well as the ancillary provinces of Touraine, Poitou and Nantes; effectively beating out France, ruled by King Louis VII and later Philip II.
The Thomas Becket affair and the eventual murder of Cardinal Becket by Henry II’s loyal knights leading to issues that Henry II had to redress with the Pope Alexander III.
The Conquest of Ireland
The End of Louis VII and beginning of Phiip II’s reign of France.
The Great Revolt in England – 1173 – 1174.
The issues concerning his children [Geofrey, Henry the Younger, Richard, and John], and later as adults would wage brutal civil war against their father. Note that Henry the Younger perished, John remained loyal to his father, and Richard would eventually win out with an alliance with Phillip II and ascending to the throne as Richard I. This was just the Plantagenet way of internal fighting and cut throat tactics that would define the dynasty.
The Wars against Philip Augustus (Philip II of France) and the traitorous defection of Henry II’s own son Richard to the French camp (Richard and Philip were lovers) resulting in the ultimate defeat of Henry II at Touraine.
Henry II died from illness on 06 July 1189 at the age of 56. Richard arrived the day after to view his father and as the story goes “the corpse began to bleed in his presence”.
For the medieval aspects in the age of knights, horse and wooden ships, Henry II was a mobile warrior king, overseeing and consolidating his rule throughout the Angevin and Continental domains. Here is a list of Henry’s campaigns both before and after 1154 that occurred as a direct result of his set piece battles and infamous castle sieges –
April 1147 – England; Gloucestershire - skirmishes at Crickdale – defeated King Stephen
Summer 1149 – England; York / Devon – relieves of Devizes - fought the Eustace of Boulogne
Spring – August 1151 – Continent; Normandy – defeated Louis VII and Eustace
Summer 1152 – Continent; Vexin, Dreux, Anjou – besieges Montsoreau - defeated Louis VII and Henry II’s brother Geofrey
Jan – Feb 1153 – England; Wiltshire – besieges Malmesbury - defeated King Stephen and Eustace
Spring – August 1153 – England / Wales; Welsh March / Midlands – captures Tutbury, relieves Wallingford – defeated King Stephen and Royal Castellas
Summer – Fall 1154 – Continent; Normandy / Aquitaine – defeated Louis VII and Richard of Gloucester
Summer 1155 – England; York / Hereford / Gloucester – besieges Bridgnorth Castle – defeats Willaim le Gros and Hugh Mortimer
Spring 1156 – Continent; Poitou / Touraine / Nantes – seizes Mirebeau, Chino and Loudon – defeats Geofrey (brother)
Summer 1157 – Wales; Gwynedd – Owain ap Gwynedd – Battle of Colehill Wood (Henry II nearly killed)
Summer 1158 – Wales; Deheubarth – fights Rhys ap Deheubarth
June – Sept 1159 – Continent; Touloiuse / Vexin – seizes Cahors, Rochefort, Epernon and Montfort – fights Raymond V, Louis VII
Fall 1161 – Continent; Blois / Germany – captures Chaumont and Castillon – defeats Theobald of Blois and Louis VII
April 1163 – Wales; Gower and Carmarthen – fights Rhys ap Deheubarth
August 1165 – Wales; Shropshire / Oswestry – Vale of Ceiriog – fights Oswan and Rys
Spring – Summer 1166 – Continent; Maine – destroys Fougeres castle – defeats William Talvas; Ralph de Fougeres
Spring – Summer 1167 – Continent; Auvergne / Normandy - destroys Chaumont – defeats William VIII and Louis VII
Aug – Oct 1167 – Continent; Brittany – fights Eudo de Porhoet
Jan – Aug 1168 – Continent; Poitou / Brittany / Flanders – Captures Lusignan, destroys Chateau Josselin, skirmish at Chenebrun – defeats Loius VII; Aldebret of March; William de Angouleme; Geoffrey de Lusignan; Eudo de Porhoet
March 1169 – Continent; Poitou / Vexin – acquires Montmirail, digs Fosses le roi – fights William of Angouleme
November 1170 - Berry – defeats Louis VII and Theobald of Blois
October 1171 – Ireland – stalemate
Jun – Aug 1173 – Continent; Normandy / Brittany – skirmish at Verneuil; Battle of Dol - defeats Louis VII; Phillip of Flanders; Robert Leicester; Henry Geofrey and Richard (sons)
Nov – Dec 1173 – Continent; Touraine – captures Vendome – defeats Buchard de Lavardin
April – June 1174 – Continent; Anjou / Maine / Poitou – captures Ancenis
July 1174 – England; Huntingdon / Framlingham – defeats Hugh Bigod and David of Huntingdom
Aug – Sept 1174 – Continent; Rouen – Victory enables the treaty of Mont Louis – defeats Louis VII; Phillip of Flanders; sons; and other rebels
August 1177 – Continent; Vexin – defeats Walerin de Ivry
Ocyt – Dec 1177 – Continent; Berry / Limousin – captures Chateauroux – defeats Louis VII
May 1183 – Continent; Limoges – death of Henry the Younger (11JUN) – defeats Henry and Geofrey (sons)
July 1184 – Ireland; Worcester – fights Rhys of Deheubarth
Summer 1186 – Ireland; Galloway – fights Roalnd fitz Uhtred
Spring 1187 – Continent; Berry – non action at Chateauroux – fights Philip II (new King of France)
September 1187 – Continent; Brittany – besieges Montrelais castle – defeats Harvey de Leuns
Summer 1188 – Continent; Berry / Vexin – enters Philip’s demesne and defection of Henry II’s son Richard to the French side – fights Philip II and Richard (son)
Summer 1189 – Continent; Touraine – flees Tours and death of Henry II – fights Philip II and Richard (son)
I continue to reduce historical ignorance by avoiding revisionist historical narratives and accessing prime source material. Please consider Dr. Bruce Lenman. An Excellent narrative. I love this quote regarding the treatment of the Loyalists and the amusement suffered under Shelburne’s secretive peace treaty “Losers have as valid identities as, and sometimes, more honorable ones than, the often savage and always arrogantly self righteous identity which breaks them by force before burying their memory under propaganda.” A foreshadow of Lincoln’s imperial administration in the persecution of the secessionist South.
Took a quick detour on 17th/18th-century conflicts and read the MOAB on 'what if' scenarios. Forget Netflix's 'House of Dynamite'... read Annie Jacobsen's 'Nuclear War - A Scenario.'
This book only ends in one way, but it ensconces the fail-safe defense turned rapidly to offense in response to a suborbital launch. In the 24-minute timeline, this book covers launch on warning, bolt out of the blue, interceptor and counterstrike, doomsday planes, MAD policies, and of course the dreaded SLBM (ELE) lurking in underwater worldwide locations.
Operation Proud Prophet rings true.
In the dawn of the nuclear age, Albert Einstein was asked what he thought about nuclear war, to which he responded, 'I know not with what weapons WWIII will be fought, but WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones.'
Jacobsen has written several greats - 'First Platoon,' 'Area 51,' 'Operation Paperclip.' 'Biological War - A Scenario' is set to release soon.
If you want a book that slumbers in the brain like Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road,' then this is a must-read.
I finished it under three days.
Another riveting book review for FB consideration [LOL]……The Wars of LOUIS XIV 1667 - 1714.
Professor John Lynn scores high accolade’s with excellent source materiel and fantastic profile on one of Europe’s most prolific and famous monarchs. Riveting detail on the wars fought [The War of Devolution, The Dutch War, The Reunions, The Nine Years War, Protestant Revolts, the attempted usurpation of William III with restoration of the Jacobite James II, the rampant War of the Spanish Succession], battles waged [Siege of Namur (the cover), numerous sieges and capitulations, Blenheim, Ramillies, Malplaquet], the Commanders [Berwick, Boufflers, John Churchill the Duke of Marlborough, The Great Conde, Prince Eugene of Savoy, Iberville, Noailles, Rooke, Tallard, Vendome, Villars, Villeroi], and the ravishes inflicted on the landscape by the leg powered, mobile, massed fighting armies.
Major wartime innovations was scored during these conflicts, especially the Nine Years War. Flintlock replaced Matchlock, Pikeman all but disappeared from the battlefield, zigzagged interlocking trench warfare only witnessed again in WWI, and the ketched bomb mortar ships which wreaked devastation on the Flanders and Catalonian coasts. Not until the War of Spanish Succession was fixed geography of battle lines ‘a thing’.
On his deathbed, Louis XIV confided to the frightened boy of 5 who would succeed him as Louis XV ‘my legacy is ruined for I loved war too much’. Wars of Gloire came full circle.