Wars of Louis Quatorze: October 2024

Wednesday 30 October 2024

Lace Wars 1 and 2

A couple of late seventies titles. Came out earlier in French. Did you get them?

Professor Ronald Hutton Did Monmouth's Rebellion Matter?

Here for a talk he did earlier this year.

As part of Wimborne Militia's 25th anniversary celebrations, Professor Ronald Hutton presented this talk at the Museum of East Dorset in Wimborne Minster. Was the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion a justified stand against King James II? Did it truly matter in the grand scheme of English history? Professor Hutton delves into these questions and more offering fresh insights into this pivotal moment.

Tuesday 29 October 2024

Steel Lobsters out now

Looks interesting.

A dramatic history of the Steel Lobsters, Sir Arthur Hesilrige's Regiment of Horse, in the English Civil War – the last fully armoured knights in England.

The 17th-century battlefield ushered in a new era, with formed musketeers and pistol-wielding cavalry gradually taking over from the knights and men-at-arms that had dominated the European battlefield. Based on a detailed study of the primary sources, Steel Lobsters tells the story of this transition through the history of the last fully armoured knights in England.

Myke Cole, an award-winning novelist, historian, and veteran, examines the life and times of Sir Arthur Hesilrige and his Regiment of Horse, known as 'the Lobsters' as they were encased in plate armour. Steel Lobsters covers the full history of England's last knights, from the seeds of their creation in Hesilrige's experience as a young cavalry officer, to their final defeat at Roundway Down in July 1643, and the decision to abandon their armour. It provides lavish detail on arms, armour, and tactics, but also covers the human story of Sir Arthur Hesilrige, the men who served under him, and even those who opposed him.

The story of this amazing unit is the story of the end of super-heavy cavalry, and this book delves into how wars were fought in the 17th century, the personalities, politics, and even spiritual beliefs of the combatants, how they fought, and why they ultimately lost.