Sieges of the Middle Ages (Penguin Classic Military History S.) - Softcover

In the Middle Ages the castle was an important military and administrative centre, essentially utilitarian in its design and in the purposes it served. Because it played so central a role in medieval history, and because the wealth of material is sogreat, the author has concentrated on English sieges undertaken in the period from the Norman Conquest to the Wars of the Roses. This includes many dramatic actions fought in the continental dominions of the English Crown such as Chateau Gaillard and Rouen. Drawing from contemporary records and his own inspection of sites, Philip Warner's readable and stirring narrative explores the skills of the architect, the engineer and the miner as well as the courage of the troops and their commanders.

Philip Warner was, for many years, Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He is the author of PASSCHENDAELE, FIELD MARSHAL HAIG, THE BATTLE OF LOOS, and THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE, to be published in Penguin Classic History in September 2001.