Warfare in Medieval Manuscripts

Medieval Life in Manuscripts

by Pamela Porter

The glamour associated with knights in shining armor, colorful tournaments, and heroic deeds appeal strongly to the modern imagination. However, few pieces of military dress and equipment have survived, so for a comprehensive view of the nature of medieval warfare we rely on written documentation and the information preserved in paintings, sculptures, carvings, and other pictorial sources. The most numerous of these are the miniatures and drawings found in manuscript books, partly because books tend to survive better that other artefacts and partly because many individual volumes contain multiple representations. Pamela Porter presents a variety of evocative manuscript illuminations and reveals them as a source of information about military dress, equipment, and practices.

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction, Medieval History

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2000

About the author

Pamela Porter’s love of reading and writing began early and grew alongside a 35-year career as an elementary school teacher, where she inspired young readers and writers daily. Beyond the classroom, she treasures life with her husband, their children, and her role as GiGi to three grandchildren. Pamela enjoys writing, traveling, Bible study, and quiet moments with her tea, books, and journals.
In her debut book, Walking in Grace, Pamela shares her deeply personal testimony of faith, healing, and the power of His promises during chronic illness and a life-threatening diagnosis. This book is written for anyone searching for comfort and hope for their own life struggles or those of loved ones.
Pamela Porter is a retired educator who embraced this season of life by writing her healing testimony, Walking in Grace, as her debut into authorship. After experiencing God’s power on a raw, personal level, she was called to share her story of hope with others. 2 Corinthians 5:7 states, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Pamela has walked in faith throughout multiple life challenges, but none more powerful than her life-threatening illness. She and her husband of forty-five years are blessed with two children, their spouses, and three precious grandchildren. Pamela finds peace and purpose in writing and reading in the solitude of her back porch or at her favorite coffee shop. Her goal is to shine Jesus’ light through her life and her writing.

Reviews

[Stephen Ede-Borrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a superb little book. Intended (I suppose) for the general public this is full of interesting information and superb photographs from the British Library's collection of medieval manuscripts - most (all?) of which I haven't seen before.

Whether your interest in manuscripts or medieval warfare I would recommend this book, you will find a lot of interest here.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a concise book on Medieval Warfare as depicted in manuscripts from the Middle Ages. It covers topics such as knights, chivalry, weapons and armor. It shows pictures of siege weapons such as the trebuchet and the earliest known cannon. Its explanation of weapons and armor through the use of original manuscripts makes for a fascinating book.