Arms and Armour
5 total works
India is a vast sub-continent with a complex history and a great array of languages, cultures and religions. This book serves as a short introduction to the exquisite weapons used in the region, focusing on the Royal Armouries' collections from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Beautiful photography is interwoven with remarkable historical and cultural detail about archery, swords, shields, daggers, firearms, artillery and elephant armour.
The Royal Armouries' collection of Asian arms and armour is among the finest in the world. With the aid of stunning photography, former Deputy Master Thom Richardson outlines a rich and vibrant diversity of military cultures from the Ottoman Empire to East Asia. The book provides fascinating information about medieval Islam, the Ottoman Turks, the Arabian Peninsula, Islamic kingdoms of North Africa, Iran and Iraq, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, India and Indonesia.
The history of England records no more charismatic figure than King Henry VIII. His reign reveals an intriguing amalgam of the old and the new, during which his kingdom emerged as a European power to be reckoned with. Henry was fascinated by weapons and armour, taking a personal interest in their design and manufacture, and playing a vital role in the development of the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London. This publication showcases the armours made for him, his personal guard and his army, and with the aid of beautiful photography explores the sporting and military equipment of an historical colossus.
The fabled treasures of China span thousands of years of history. From the exotic Silk Road to the mysterious Great Wall, China's allure is as vast as the country itself. Here, Natasha Bennett introduces the fascinating world of Chinese arms and armour in the Royal Armouries' collection. Offering a colourful insight into one of the world's earliest civilisations, she chronicles the development of personal weapons and armour from the late Bronze Age to the early twentieth century. It is ideal for anyone interested in the military and material culture of this absorbing land.
The Elizabethan court was a vibrant and colourful place, where the inherited traditions and technological skill that had characterised the Middle Ages came face to face with the decorative techniques of the Renaissance. The book includes fascinating background about the court, government and armies of the age (including the main protagonists of the Spanish Armada) together with information about the individual owners of many pieces. It features beautiful photographs of key objects from the Royal Armouries' collection including the Lion Armour, the 'Forget-me-not' Gun and the Burgonet of Smyth armour.