Enemies at the Gate: English castles under siege from the 12th century to the Civil War

by Julian Humphrys

Buried beneath the crumbling grey walls of England's majestic castles lie some of the most colourful stories in history - tales of triumph and disaster, courage and cowardice, loyalty and betrayal, ingenuity - and stupidity. Enemies at the Gates takes an entertaining look at English castles under siege, from the tunnels and trebuchets of the early Middle Ages to the Civil War when many fortifications, left undisturbed for centuries, were suddenly propelled into the forefront of national events. Telling the stories of both attackers and besieged, Julian Humphrys takes us on a journey through the human stories of triumph and catastrophe that accompanied each campaign.

Genres: Nonfiction, Medieval, History, Military History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Culli · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half is really interesting, detailing siege techniques. The second half (or at much of it as I got through) is featureless recitations of military campaigns in England. I've never been able to keep all the g.d. monarchies straight in my head, perhaps because it's too dull to bother. I put it down and didn't read the last couple of chapters.