ARMIES OF THE NORMANS: 911-1194

1-242450

Discusses the armies of the Normans in all their theaters, including Spain, Sicily, Malta, Italy, and Albania. Outlines the major battles and campaigns, with focus on their equipment, weapons and tactics. Supported by numerous color photographs of replica costume, weapons, and equipment. Contains 90 color illustrations.

The Norman story began in 911, when a frightened French king (Charles III 'the Simple') gave land on the Channel coast to the Viking leader Rollo in return for adopting Christianity and helping repel other Viking marauders. Rollo and his fellow Norsemen (hence 'Normandy' and 'Normans') adopted all the trappings of feudalism, evolving from pagan ship-borne raiders to archetypal Christian knights and builders of castles. However, they seem to have lost none of their ferocity and adventuring spirit. As well as Duke William's famous cross-Channel conquest, Norman forces (often mercenaries) conquered territories in and formed the hard core of the early Crusades. Bohemond captured Antioch from the Turks and set up a principality that endured almost two centuries.