Osprey Trade Editions : Arthur and the Anglo Saxon Wars

In the minds of most the name 'King Arthur' conjures up images of an armour-clad king surrounded by his loyal knights. It is more likely that the real King Arthur, if he truly existed, was a Romano-British warlord in the dark days that followed the collapse or Roman rule in Britain. This book looks at the realities behind the myth of king Arthur against the backdrop of invasion as a nation was forged on the bloody anvil of war. The Arthurian Age - the Celtic Twilight - the Dark Ages - the Birth of England: these are the powerfully romantic names often given to one of the most confused yet vital periods in British history. It is an era upon which rival Celtic and English nationalisms frequently fought. How far, for example, were the Romano-Celtic culture and population of Britannia obliterated by invading Angle, Saxon and Jutish barbarians? Or are the British Isles still essentially Celtic, even though the larger part of their population now speaks a Germanic tongue? Such questions will probably exercise historians and archaeologists for generations. But one thing is clear: it was an era of settlement, and of the sword. Since title to the land was both won and maintained by force of arms, the military or socio-military history of the early medieval period is of fundamental importance. Paradoxically it is an aspect which has received relatively little attention, with too many historians dismissing Anglo-Saxon and Celitc warfare as little more than a disorganised but bloody brawl. David Nicolle transports us to an England shrouded in mystery and beset by savage conflict, a land which played host to one of the most enduring figures of our history - Arthur. The history, organisation, weapons and armour of the warriors who fought the Anglo-Saxon Wars is explored in detail, with many splendid illustrations and photographs, and eight atmospheric full page colour plates by Angus McBride.