The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry

by Christine de Pizan, Sumner Willard (Translator)

It is unexpected in any era to find a woman writing a book on the art of warfare, but in the fifteenth century it was unbelievable. Not surprisingly, therefore, Christine de Pizan's The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry, written around 1410, has often been regarded with disdain. Many have assumed that Christine was simply copying or pilfering earlier military manuals. But, as Sumner Willard and Charity Cannon Willard show in this faithful English translation, The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry contains much that is original to Christine. As a military manual it tells us a great deal about the strategy, tactics, and technology of medieval warfare and is one of our most important sources for early gunpowder weapon technology. It also includes a fascinating discussion of Just War.

Genres: History, Classics, Nonfiction, Medieval, Philosophy, War, France

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1401

About the author

Christine de Pizan (also seen as de Pisan) (1363–c.1434) was a writer and analyst of the medieval era who strongly challenged misogyny and stereotypes that were prevalent in the male-dominated realm of the arts. De Pizan completed forty-one pieces during her thirty-year career (1399–1429). She earned her accolade as Europe’s first professional woman writer (Redfern 74). Her success stems from a wide range of innovative writing and rhetorical techniques that critically challenged renowned male writers such as Jean de Meun who, to Pizan’s dismay, incorporated misogynist beliefs within their literary works.

In recent decades, de Pizan's work has been returned to prominence by the efforts of scholars such as Charity Cannon Willard and Earl Jeffrey Richards. Certain scholars have argued that she should be seen as an early feminist who efficiently used language to convey that women could play an important role within society, although this characterisation has been challenged by other critics who claim either that it is an anachronistic use of the word, or that her beliefs were not progressive enough to merit such a designation

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that the editor of this edition included footnotes telling the reader specifically what each chapter is based on.
I think that too often medieval military enthusiasts look at a contemporary work and conclude that it's just a copy of something else, so why bother looking at it. Yes, Christine based much of her work on Vegetius. So did most medieval authors writing on warfare. But it doesn't follow that the best way to understand medieval warfare is to read Vegetius - WHAT Christine chooses to include, how she interprets different anecdotes, and where she strays from Vegetius can tell us far more about medieval attitudes towards warfare than Vegetius himself can.

[Joss Ratcliffe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unless your very interested in medieval warfare don't bother, primarily about religion and battle tactics

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. I'm glad I read it, but it lost my interest with about 40 pages remaining. I felt like the author was beating a dead horse near the end. I enjoyed some of the earlier chapters on training and leadership interactions. That is why I also placed this book on the leadership shelf as well as the 100 must reads for men shelf. It is worth your time to read.

[Michael Falk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew a book like this even existed? A how to wage medieval war right down to the nitty gritty. Like how to lodge your forces and how many crossbows to inventory. Strategies for laying seige on a city or being under seige yourself. Taking advantage of the field, battle formation options and even how a commander should spend his day prior to battle--it's all in here. The section with tricks you can play on your opponent is particularly useful. Definitely a must read and fine addition to any book collection.

One suggestion, a more detailed index for quick reference could be helpful. Time is of the essence if you need to block your harbor in a hurry.

I hope a pocket edition comes out soon.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource, and full of great stories to boot. Not just a research document, but useful as such nonetheless.

[Christina Packard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and detailed.

[Jason Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the late 14th and early 15th century in which Pizan lived, it was not common for women to write book (which she wrote 41) and it was even more unbelievable for a woman to write a manual for warfare, arms, and chivalry., which see did in The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry.

Using prior manuals as reference and also advisers, she discusses such topics as who has the right to declare war, what is a just war, the rules of engagement, and the law surrounding different aspects of war. She give outlines of how to attack and how to protect fortified cities, the weaponry needed, supplies needed and more.

My favorite part was the examples of chivalry in prior wars, such as Julius Caesar, Hannibal, Cicero and many others. This was the only part that did not read like a manual. When discussing the laws of war, it is done in a question and answer format. She poses a questions and a legal and rational answer is given for the situation she has outlined.

I learned a bit about history, much about how cities were attacked and how the were defended, and the definition of some terms. A legion was considered 6,666 men.

Very interesting but not a riveting or great read. I do recommend the examples of chivalry (basically bravery, not holding doors open for women) in prior wars. The stories and strategy was funny, amazing, and enlightening.

[Kaethe Dundon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A widely ranging work, which touches on everything from the morality and religion of a man-at-arms to how many crossbow bolts to stock for an entire city when preparing for a siege and battle formations. Having read de Pizan’s other works that focused on the role and values of the medieval woman, it is interesting to see the extent of material she published on.

While I don’t think this was the most engaging of her writings, and not the most entertaining of the period works on chivalry I have read, it certainly has an impressive breadth. Additionally, it has a focus and organization that is less present in the works written by her male peers (lacking, for example, Lull’s interjection of a rant complaining about how tight young men’s pants are these days).

I found it very useful, in the copy I was reading, that the editor heavily included the works Christine de Pizan cites in the footnotes. While I still absolutely want to read Vegetius as a work itself, the connections and extra background information gave significant context to the medieval treatise. What she chose to include, what stories and values she focused on, the fantastical elements dwelled on by the medieval mind on those historical legends, and where she strays from the classical advice provide significant insight to changes in warfare and mindset over the centuries.

[Cristian · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fascinating to learn about medieval warfare. The preparation, the positioning of troops, the weapons used, deceptive measures used to trick the enemy, the types of foods to take, etc. While providing examples from historic battles to support the reasoning behind these guidelines. But after reading the long list of supplies and rations, it became too tedious and exhausting to continue.

[Christine Ansorge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific compilation of useful information for knights just starting out. This is a fun read if what you are looking for is an authentic survey of how to wage war and the rules governing soldiers behavior.

[Drew Reilly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was torturous. I don't know if it is the style, the translation, or the genre, but this book is so difficult to get through. Scratch this off the list and say it was a major dud.

[Richard Rossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating account of the art of war practiced by the Romans and medieval knights. The anecdotes were delightful

[Richard Bracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written between 1365 and 1431, the French Christine de Pizan lays out great swaths of detail involving past military leaders, the kinds of arms they used to attack or defend an army or castle, not to mention some of the oddest ethical chivalric dilemmas one could imagine. For instance,

”Whether a great lord of England, or some other country at war, who has been found alone in a forest, out of his mind, may rightly be captured and held for ransom while he is out of his mind”

That is the word for word chapter heading for that section!

Another set of lessons and information involve “arms” that, barring a comet strike or EMP attack, seem rather too antiquated for our modernity. After all, long past are the days of “particular needs for stocking a fortress with food supplies as well as weapons. For example, to provide 200 men-at-arms (and servants) for 6 months with adequate meat alone would require:

…”100 large oxen, both salted and alive, … 120 flitches of bacon, eight score of sheep, … a supply of poultry, as many as can be kept”.

It was curious to read so many details like that. What I personally most benefited from however, was Christine’s discussion in the first section dealing with “Deeds”. In particular, I found her return to various honorable historical generals (one of whom I had never heard of before) to be of value. The great pre-Cesar-civic-and-military leader, Fabricius.

Christine brings him up a number of times in describing instances where the the infamous and wealthy King Pyrrhus (from whom the phrase “Pyrrhic victory” derives) regularly and unsuccessfully sought to lure and bribe the incorruptible Fabricius with enticements ranging from from gold dining ware up to to 1/4 of the king’s kingdom. Nevertheless, anything that wasn’t aboveboard, including offers by traitors in the king’s own kitchen to poison the king, was rejected by Fabricius. My favorite passage described a servant’s impression of Fabricius and his retinue.

“…it is said that when Cymas, the messenger of King Pyrrhus, was dispatched to deal with the Roman army, he found there knights of such high and noble bearing that he reported back that he had seen an army made up entirely of kings.”

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating military treatise. I found it to be a informative for tactics and laws for medieval warfare, as well as the theological debates concerning warfare. This is a fantastic resource for anyone who is interested in military history, medieval history and warfare, and writers who want to do research either for fantasy or historical fiction set in the medieval era. Christine's encyclopedic knowledge is on display in this book, as is her brilliance and ability to offer insights into many areas of medieval life.