Pen & Sword Books

Traces the remarkable international history of the Brienne/Beaumont family, spanning from the Crusader states to Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.The Brienne/Beaumonts, a noble family originally from Champagne, spread across Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean in the Middle Ages. Their story begins with John de Brienne (c. 1175/78–1237), who was the emperor of Constantinople, became king of Jerusalem by marriage, and claimed the throne of a kingdom in modern-day Turkey called Armenian Cilicia. His life, his children and his grandchildren’s lives were remarkably international. His daughters were born in Italy and what is now Lebanon; one of his sons, who grew up in Constantinople, France and Spain, was the stepfather of the king of Scotland; one of his grandchildren was the king of Germany, Italy and Sicily; and several other grandchildren settled in England, where one married a Scottish heiress and was the great-grandfather of a king of England and an English-born queen of Portugal. The Beaumonts tells the story of the places where the Brienne/Beaumont family settled and held influence between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. It begins in the Crusader states and moves to the Latin Empire of Constantinople, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, France, Scotland, and England.

By the autumn of 1944, Hitler’s plans for the conquest of Europe were in disarray. The Führer’s much-vaunted Third Reich, facing an Allied onslaught from the east and west, was slowly collapsing.Desperate to seize the initiative on the Western Front, Hitler, seeing himself as a beleaguered modern-day Frederick the Great, looked for some bold counterattack that could change his fortunes. Hitler’s wish had at least one clear result, for as even as early as 19 August 1944, he had instructed Alfred Jodl to consider a bold counter-stroke in the west in November. Hitler’s generals therefore set about drawing up plans for an offensive in the area of the Ardennes Forest. It was to be an attack that would enable German forces to cross the Meuse and, decisively breaking through the Allied front-line, advance on Antwerp.Given the limitations he and his forces faced, Hitler knew he would need panzer leaders capable of a delivering a Blitzkrieg advance, perhaps one that took advantage of night-time hours. One of the German officers who was tasked with delivering this audacious victory was the battle-hardened veteran SS-Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper.A Waffen SS officer and one of the most celebrated heroes of Hitler’s armies, Peiper, and the SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte as a whole, were already on his mind. A long-time adjutant of Heinrich Himmler, and completely dedicated to the Nazi cause, Peiper had fought in every major campaign of the Second World War. However, having been wounded in Normandy following the D-Day landings, Peiper, also ailing from a combination of battle fatigue and hepatitis, had been evacuated to a field hospital and then back Germany in August 1944.It was while he was recuperating at the SS Reserve Hospital 501, overlooking Lake Tegernsee in Bavaria, that Peiper learnt of his part in the forthcoming offensive. Though his skin had a sickly ochre cast from jaundice and three years of front-line combat, too many days of coffee and cigarettes, followed by nights of fighting and frustration, and the fact that his nerves were shot, he had been selected as one of the men who would lead the Führer’s final great gamble.Comprising some 4,800 men and 600 vehicles, including a number of the powerful Tiger II heavy tanks, Kampfgruppe Peiper played a central part in the Ardennes Offensive, or the Battle of the Bulge as it is commonly known, which was unleashed on 16 December 1944. It is a role that is explored here by Danny S. Parker, who reveals the successes, defeats and war crimes that Kampfgruppe Peiper was involved in before the Ardennes Offensive ended in failure in January 1945.

The Trafalgar Chronicle is the publication of choice for new research on the Georgian era navy, sometimes called ‘Nelson’s Navy’. Its scope extends to the maritime world of 1714 to 1837. In this volume, authors from five countries provide tales of adventure, battles, conquests and intrigue that span the world’s oceans, taking readers to the UK, the US, South America, Venice, France, the Caribbean, South Africa and the Ionian Islands.The theme for this New Series 9 is naval intelligence in the Georgian era. The contributions include two articles on the methods of gathering naval intelligence — one by author Steve Maffeo who has written the definitive book on the subject. Two articles explore how Nelson and Rodney respectively applied naval intelligence in their missions. Three articles about intelligence agents follow, including a featured monograph on Baron d’Imbert, a royalist spy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.Biographical portraits include a discussion of Duckworth’s dilemma of choosing between his mission in the Caribbean and safeguarding the health of his men from the threat of yellow fever. The tale of Joshua Penny tells of a Royal Navy sailor who deserted and found refuge in a cave in South Africa. A third article documents the last survivors of the Battle of Trafalgar as they reached their final years.Five more articles of general interest cover a range of topics, to include the parliamentary debates concerning the War of 1812, the cruise of the US Frigate Essex, copper bottoms on Royal Navy ships, political wranglings in South America, and the origin of the name of Villeneuve’s flagship, Bucentaure. This richly illustrated, peer reviewed, scholarly journal of naval history is a ‘must-read’ for all enthusiasts and historians of the Age of Sail.**‘Well written, well researched, well-illustrated, this is a publication that will both delight and inform. A most enjoyable read.’ D J Paul in Naval Review****‘The Chronicle is a wonderful collection of articles, and a delight to dip into.’ ****Warship World**

Covers the evolution of transport history, from walking and packhorses to modern rail, motoring, and air travel.An accessible book to draw on popular interest in transport history, routes, vehicles and experiences. Transport history is social and industrial national history. Passengers and freight will be covered including all types of transport from walking and packhorses, that predominated for much of national history, both of which tend to be underrated, to changes brought by improvements to road transport from the Romans to medieval bridgebuilders and eighteenth-century turnpikes, and, in parallel, river, coastal and canal travel, again from the Romans to the eighteenth century. The story moves to the age of rail, motoring and lastly air. All forms overlap. as well as being sequential.

The story of wool covers 4,000 years of human history — the first written record of dying wool for cloth was found on a Mesopotamian papyrus c. 2000 BCE. In this book, the whole story is told, from the rearing of the different animals that provide the raw material to its transformation into woven cloth and knitted material. Much of the emphasis is on Britain, where, in the Middle Ages, wool was the basis for much of the country’s prosperity, as can still be seen in the magnificent opulence of the churches endowed by the wool merchants. It deals with the different techniques used for spinning, weaving and finishing cloth. The eighteenth century saw great changes, as production moved from cottage to mill and the mill towns grew. But this is also an international story, looking at a variety of different topics, from the work of Incan and Mayan people in South America to the development of the flocks of Australia. But, this is not just about technology — it is also about how that technology has an impact on the lives of people, from th life of the shepherd to the industrial disputes that broke into the violence of the Luddite rebellions.

The Wantage Tramway, part tramway and part light railway, had many claims to fame. It was Britain’s first tramway to use steam traction and had a fascinating and eclectic collection of locomotives and rolling stock throughout its short life which gave the company a look all of its own. The company’s unique history created a legend which still endures to this day.The unique company had its origins in the nineteenth century when the Great Western Railway’s route to Bristol bypassed Wantage and local people gathered together to form a company to build a link to the local main line. The company’s relationship with its bigger neighbour was often friendly, sometimes stormy, but always close despite the tramway company’s fierce independence. The company was an important addition to Wantage’s transport network although not everyone agreed! This new history of the company, based upon primary research, explores how the company was formed, tells the stories of some of the people who worked for the tramway, and its working relationship with the Great Western Railway. The book looks at the tramway’s eclectic rolling stock, its operations and the company’s relationship with its customers, which was not always as good as it would have hoped. It also reveals for the first time the true reasons for its closure in 1946 and its relationship with the United States Army.

Diaries and letters from service personnel who were held captive throughout the Second World War survive in quite large numbers, but rarely are they so detailed as those of John Blomfield Dixon, whose home was in the Hertfordshire town of Ware. Having joined the Territorial Army in 1938, he soon found himself hurried through officer training and, with the outbreak of the Second World War, being commissioned as a subaltern, attached to the East Riding Yeomanry.Following his death in 2013, his family were bequeathed a series of scrapbooks, folders, maps, photographs and documents, along with a small pile of well-worn booklets, revealing his voracious appetite in describing his training, life and death during the retreat to Dunkirk, his humiliating capture by the enemy at the culmination of the Battle of Cassel and the long arduous journey through a series of ‘Offizierslagers’, which would, ultimately, lead him to Oflag VIIB, which was located in the Bavarian town of Eichstätt.Complimented by a series of annotated photographs, some of which have not been seen before, this book provides an insight to the long tedious days, miserable food shortages, his thoughts for home, the woman he desperately loved, his hatred for both captors and captives, the killing of his comrades both on and off the battlefield, the tireless efforts and disasters of escape, and his passion for the theatrical life, which was borne out on dusty prison camp stages, all of which provide a picture of his experiences and emotions. His views and opinions on the wild and inaccurate rumours, as well as propaganda relayed through both the German and Allied press, paint an oft distorted picture of the war’s progression at that time.The Normandy landings in June 1944 brought a sudden realisation that freedom may soon become a reality. However, the frustration and anxiety of anticipated release culminate in a terrible disaster at the very moment liberty appears upon the horizon. This was on 14 April 1945, when the prisoners were machine-gunned by U.S. aircraft as they moved to Moosburg. Fifteen were killed and a further forty-one were wounded.Liberation too brings its own frustrations, borne out in the final diary entries and supplemented by a post-war summary of his long journey home.Combined with a narrative lifted from both official records of the period, and the recollections of men who served or were imprisoned with him, the carefully selected entries not only provide one of the most detailed pictures of life at Oflag VIIB, but also serve to memorialise the service of John Blomfield Dixon and those with whom he shared his incarceration.

Uncovers the untold story of Britain’s atomic bomb program, revealing the devastating human cost and decades-long cover-up.Once upon a time, it was necessary to have a weapon that could unleash hell. Britain hand-picked its healthiest and cleverest men to undertake a truly terrifying mission: to create and detonate an atomic bomb. Somehow, a country beset by post-war rationing and isolated from her allies created the most devastating weapons known to man, on the cheap and at the hurry-up. But it came at a horrifying price for them — and their families. The race to build a nuclear bomb sucked thousands into its vortex, who are still dealing with the effects of radiation today: veterans, widows, children, scientists and indigenous people, all subjected to fear, radiation, and experimentation. A black cloud still hangs over those who survive, and their descendants who fear the consequences of every fresh pregnancy. Exposed tells the complete story of the Cold War arms race, from inception to fallout, and for the first time reveals the blood-stained truth at the heart of the British state's longest criminal cover-up.Today, the UK's nuclear deterrent is a theoretical shield that shelters millions worldwide, protects it from aggressors, and guarantees its Prime Minister a seat at the top table. But for seven decades the veterans who created it have been denied truth and justice. As the handful of survivors launch a last-ditch legal bid for the answers, Exposed reveals the full price they paid for our peace and prosperity.

Shares the personal stories of the men and civilians who died in the Falklands War, ensuring their immortality.The Falklands War of 1982 was a brief 74 days of intense warfare resulting in the losses of 255 British Service personnel and just three civilians.Many books have been written with varying accounts about the military action, this book is the personal stories of the men behind the uniforms, the untold details of the three civilians who died towards the end of the war.Whilst researching the backgrounds of the fallen links to other military campaigns come to life through the personal stories of these brave men and their forebears. These stories are often unknown even to family members but ensure their immortality.We say ‘Lest We Forget’ this book is a stark reminder of how easy it is to lose history should we not document it.

The campaign for Iwo Jima (Operation Detachment) from 19 February–26 March 1945 pitted the USMC Fifth Amphibious Corps (VAC) and the USN’s Fifth Fleet against the IJA 109th Division and assorted IJN ground troops under the command of Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. After neutralizing Japanese air assets on Iwo Jima, the objective was to seize Iwo Jima’s two completed airfields in the southern and central sectors and make them operational after the heavy pre— and post-invasion aerial, naval and Marine artillery bombardment. USAAF 7th Fighter Command would then have this Volcano Island as a base from which to escort the four-engine B-29 heavy bombers on their Japanese Home Islands’ raids from their Mariana Islands bases and to provide emergency airfields for battle-damaged or low-on-fuel Superfortresses on their return flight that otherwise would have crashed in the sea. The combined American force numbered over 100,000 troops against 20,933 Japanese soldiers and sailors. Kuribayashi’s defences were so well fortified with caves, tunnels and daunting terrain that the VAC lost 6,821 KIA and 19,217 wounded compared to approximately 18,000 Japanese troops KIA or MIA with only 216 prisoners taken. In a ‘mopping up’ phase to clear the remaining Japanese hidden in the island’s caves, the Army’s 147th IR, 37th Division captured an additional 867 prisoners. This epic USMC campaign resulted in an unprecedented ratio of three American casualties for every two Japanese soldiers. In all, 2,251 emergency B-29 landings were made saving the lives of almost 25,000 aircrew members. The flagraisings atop Mount Suribachi on 23 February 1945 galvanized American morale at home.

Dilip Sarkar’s fifth volume examines September 1940 in the Battle of Britain, challenging myths with detailed research and firsthand accounts.In this unprecedented series exploring the big story of the Battle of Britain, renowned historian Dilip Sarkar investigates the wider context and intimate details of the epic aerial conflict in the summer of 1940 from all sides. In so doing, he gives due acknowledgement to the roles of Bomber and Coastal Commands in addition to the fabled Few of Fighter Command.This unique narrative draws upon a lifetime of research, the author having enjoyed a long relationship with survivors and the relatives of casualties; his innumerable interviews and first-hand accounts collated, in addition to privileged access to personal papers, providing essential human interest to this inspirational story.In this the fifth volume, Battle of Britain: Target London, Dilip continues to examine the fighting on a day-by-day, combat-by-combat basis from 7 September to 17 September 1940. It was on 7 September that the Luftwaffe changed tack, and instead of continuing its successful strikes on 11 Group and its airfields, switched its focus to the round-the-clock bombing of London. According to popular narrative, this move lost the Germans the Battle of Britain, providing Fighter Command an opportunity to recover. This, however, is not necessarily the opinion of certain German scholars — all of which is explored by the author.The events of 7 September also saw the 12 Group Duxford Wing go into action for the first time, the effects of which are analysed. This review confirms that the formation massively over claimed and was not, therefore, as successful as believed at the time by certain senior commanders and politicians. Likewise, the events of 15 September 1940, long accepted as ‘Battle of Britain Day’, are often stated to represent a great turning point in the aerial fighting of the summer of 1940 — but is this correct? Two days later, Hitler postponed Operation Sealion, the invasion of the United Kingdom, indefinitely. Could, therefore, this day be considered the date the Battle of Britain really ended?Through diligent research, combined with crucial official primary sources and personal papers, Dilip unravels many myths, often challenging the accepted narrative. This is not simply another dull record of combat losses and claims — far from it. Drawing upon unique first-hand accounts from a wide-range of combatants and eyewitnesses, along with Daily Home Intelligence Reports and numerous other primary sources, this book forms part of what is likely to be the first and last such comprehensively woven account of this epic air battle.

A spine-chilling exploration of premature burials, miraculous escapes, and humanity's deep fear of being buried alive throughout history.The macabre meets the factual in this spine-chilling exploration of humanity's darkest fear: being buried alive. From ancient folklore to modern medical marvels, Buried Alive delves deep into the annals of history, uncovering tales of premature interment and miraculous escapes.Imagine the horror of waking up in a coffin, surrounded by suffocating darkness, with no hope of escape. Drawing on historical records and eyewitness accounts, this book reveals the grim reality of those who were inadvertently entombed before their time. From cases of war, where whole battalions have been covered in earth whilst still living, to ritual and superstition, from voodoo to suttee in Haiti and India, as well as the immurement in walls or errant monks and convent sisters. Less-known cases of burials of the living, through murderous intentions and natural disasters are also told, alongside tales of fakirs and hypnotists whose challenges were to have themselves put into a grave and left for days.Amidst tales of terror, this book also celebrates the resilience and heroism of those who defied death's grasp, providing a wealth of historical detail and many cases which have never before appeared in print. From the invention of bell-rigged coffins to the formation of societies dedicated to preventing premature burials, discover the remarkable measures taken to combat this age-old fear.Through meticulous research and a gripping narrative, Buried Alive separates fact from fiction, shedding light on the truth behind centuries of taphophobia. This book is a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring power of human resilience in the face of our deepest fears.

Nirvana's meteoric rise and tragic end, details their impact on music with a day-by-day account.After Nirvana, everything changed. Kurt Cobain and his band ushered in a new era in music, bringing the authenticity of US underground punk to mainstream rock audiences. Award-winning biographer and music critic Marc Burrows dives into the world of Nirvana, providing an exhaustive day-by-day account of the lifespan of the band, from their early days touring the dive bars of the Pacific North-West through the release of ’Smells Like Teen Spirit' and Nevermind, the dark masterpiece of In Utero and Kurt Cobain’s tragic death in 1994. The timeline is augmented by hyper-detailed footnotes, diving deep into the songs and albums, the impact and the fascinating unexplored corners of one of the most exciting and impactful bands that have ever been.

The Imperial Japanese Navy developed the submarine faster than any other country in the world. But as a result of rivalries between the two military hierarchies, the Army and the Navy, they never utilized the submarine to its full extent. Nevertheless, during the Second World War, Japan deployed a number of unique submarines.These included the Type B1 which carried a Yokosuka E14Y1 reconnaissance seaplane in a watertight capsule attached to the deck of the submarine. One of these aircraft carried out two bomb attacks on a forest in Oregon by dropping six incendiary bombs, taking the war to the American mainland. The use of aircraft from submarines as scout planes proved not to be as successful as hoped, mainly because of the difficulty after launching the aircraft of it finding the submarine again in the vast Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Japanese also developed the giant I-400 class submarines that carried three Sieran bombers.There were other notable actions involving IJN submarines. This included I-17 that attempted to shell, unsuccessfully, an oil refinery off the coast of Santa Barbara, causing a major panic along the West Coast of America. Also memorable are the midget submarines that attempted to attack Pearl Harbor, and the submarines that carried the one-man submarines (Kaitens) and the human torpedoes.The submarine losses suffered by the Japanese Navy as the war progressed, when Allied, and in particular US, destroyers and aircraft hunted them down are all recorded in this comprehensive account of a fascinating element of the war at sea.

This comprehensive work details the auxiliary units of Roman Britain, covering their histories, movements, campaigns, and notable members.The majority of work on Roman Britain's military focuses on the legions, with much less attention paid to the auxilia, even though the latter formed the vast majority of the manpower. The auxiliary units were drawn from all over the Empire and provided both infantry and cavalry units, many of which provided specialisms that the legions lacked. For example, the Cohors I Hamiorum Sagittariorum were a cohort of archers from Syria stationed at Carvoran fort on Hadrian’s Wall.Simon Turney, following decades of research, presents this work, referencing every one of the fifty-nine auxiliary units identified in Britain. For each there is a unit history, detailing their movements, involvement in campaigns and anything noteworthy. This is followed by a set of lists detailing known, attested members of the unit and any inscriptions that mention them. Each entry is also accompanied by photographs and/or maps, including the sites the unit occupied, tombstones, images, inscriptions and so on. This is the finest, most up-to-date reference available for the auxiliary units of Britain.

Elizabeth of York, often overshadowed by her famous descendants, was a strong and influential queen who united the warring houses of York and Lancaster.Elizabeth of York has often been overlooked by Tudor historians in favor of her infamous son King Henry VIII and his six wives, as well as her glorious ‘Virgin Queen’ granddaughter Queen Elizabeth I. But Elizabeth, the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, deserves far more recognition than she currently receives. She suffered the loss of her younger brothers, the Princes in the Tower, and lived through the reign of her maligned uncle King Richard III, who it has been suggested plotted to marry his niece.Elizabeth was born at a time when having women in power was not considered desirable, but if she had been able to rule then Elizabeth would have been England’s first queen regnant. It was her position as the heiress to the House of York that solidified her husband’s claim to the throne. When she married Henry VII they finally united the warring houses of Lancaster and York. It is often thought that Elizabeth was a weak, ineffectual and pious woman who was too meek to challenge her husband’s rule, but in reality she held some sway over her husband and he often valued her opinion. If anything, Elizabeth was a resolute, well-respected and influential queen.Despite being of Plantagenet blood, Elizabeth of York was the mother of the Tudor dynasty, one of England’s most powerful and ruthless monarchies. Yet she was a devoted mother and an adored queen to the people of England.

Traces the history of anti-vaxxers, from 19th-century opposition to Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccine to modern-day vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.Retired drug regulator and medical historian Anthony C. Cartwright tells the story of the anti-vaxxers, starting with objections by ‘Anti-Vacks’ to Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine in the early 19th century, and then a propaganda war waged by the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League and its successor from 1853 to 1972. There was political lobbying and demonstrations across Britain against compulsory smallpox vaccination for children. Parents who refused to have their children treated were fined and even went to prison. The campaign spread to America and there were links to many countries. The popular appeal of anti-vaxxer views is reviewed in a new analysis and linked to libertarian objections to compulsion and fears of vaccine safety for their children. The early anti-vax leaders were germ theory deniers, and believers in alternative medicine.Using his regulatory expertise to review issues of historic safety, quality and efficacy of vaccines, major questions about later vaccines such as an early polio vaccine actually increasing polio deaths, infant deaths in Lübeck from a TB contaminated BCG vaccine, and reports linking neurological reactions to Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine are considered. These caused reluctance to vaccinate.Andrew Wakefield’s fraudulent 1998 scientific paper linking MMR vaccine to autism fuelled the fire for the anti-vaxxers and caused an epidemic of measles cases in children. Although modern Covid-19 vaccines were thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy, anti-vaccine sentiment came to a head again. Demonstrators marched in cities round the world carrying signs protesting government policies, and this book looks at the websites which proliferated on the Internet, bearing false witness about dangers.Lessons can be learned from history to mitigate vaccine hesitancy and mistrust, and to ensure all ethnic groups and sections of society receive the healthcare they deserve.

The untold story of how Agatha Christie conquered the serial market with her thrilling mysteries.Dame Agatha Christie reigns supreme as the ‘Queen of Crime.’ Numerous books have been written about the legendary crime writer, focusing on nearly every aspect of her craft. But until now no one has carried out an in-depth investigation into how she conquered the serial market with her thrilling tales of murder and intrigue.In the UK and US, Agatha Christie’s work was serialized in the most prestigious magazines and newspapers of the day, often under an array of different titles, prior to being published by Collins and Dodd, Mead and Company. Second serial rights could result in a single title being syndicated to over 40 newspapers. Over the decades, numerous records have been lost or destroyed and keeping track of her literary legacy has proved a major challenge for her publishers, literary agents and others until now.Jared Cade, author of the ground-breaking biography Agatha Christie and the Eleven Missing Days, has unearthed a huge plethora of hitherto unknown facts about the timeline of her publishing history that will delight her devotees and enable future generations to write about her work with far greater authority and accuracy than ever before, especially when correlating her publications to the parallels in her life.Illustrated with rare pictures, Secrets from the Agatha Christie Archives is destined to become an essential reference tool for fans, librarians, scholars, antiquarian booksellers, broadcasters and others interested in the making of one of the 20th century's most beloved writers.‘Jared Cade is an acknowledged authority on Christianna’ — Crime Time

Highlights the overlooked contributions of women like Betsy Cadwaladyr and Mother M. Francis Bridgeman to nursing during the Crimean War.Florence Nightingale is synonymous with nursing in the Crimean War of 1854 -1856. There were, however, many other women who contributed to nursing at this time. Martha Clough, who dismissed the rule of Nightingale and took charge of nursing the Highland Regiments; Eliza Roberts, an experienced hospital surgical nurse who became Nightingale’s aide-de-camp, nursing Nightingale when she fell ill with Crimean Fever and those with a wider scope of caring, such as Mary Seacole, whose nutritious supplements and caring demeanour meant everything to the soldiers.This book focuses on the relationship between Nightingale and two very interesting characters: the irascible Betsy Cadwaladyr and the equally strong-willed Mother M. Francis Bridgeman, head of the nursing Irish Sisters of Mercy in the Crimea. Bridgeman came from a similar social standing as Nightingale but whose pathway saw her leaving society lifestyle as a young girl and following the convent life. Cadwaladyr earned Nightingale’s respect towards the end of her time in the Crimea due to her care of soldiers and her ability to run the kitchen at Balaklava, but nothing would change her stubborn dislike of Nightingale.The Sisters of Mercy, much overlooked in nursing history, were clinically nursing the victims of cholera and dysentery (two of the biggest killers in the Crimea) in their localities long before their journey to the battlefront. Betsy Cadwaladyr preferred domestic service and cooking to nursing, whilst Nightingale had the unenviable task of proving the nursing experiment to those watching from Westminster, trying not to upset the medical men as well as trying to filter out the best women to nurse with her, which was a nightmare in itself.

No one can deny the enduring power of medieval myths and legends. Tales of King Arthur, Merlin, Robin Hood, Sir Lancelot, magic, dragons, giants, demons, and the Holy Grail are as fascinating for us today as they have ever been.However, the stories we have inherited from our medieval forebears have often been transformed by the embellishments and additions of later generations. In every century since the Middle Ages, stories have been re-imagined, re-told, and sometimes radically changed to suit the audience of the day.This book aims to transport the reader back to the age of the Plantagenets and re-tell these stories as they would have been understood at the time. It explores the stories in detail and looks at what they meant to people living then, how they were told and why they were important.Myths and Legends of the Medieval World provides a detailed account of medieval mythology in its original context. It offers a window into a medieval mind-set in which such things as angels, demons, visions, magic, holy relics, and other supernatural entities were an accepted reality.Explore some of the most puzzling and captivating mysteries of the Middle Ages. What lay behind the legend of the Holy Grail? How did people regard the perilous world of the medieval fairy? How did the medieval world view witchcraft? And what happened during the infamous trial of the Templars?These are all questions that Myths and Legends of the Medieval World sets out to answer.