The Armour And Arms Of Henry Viii

This book is a guide to the armours and weapons of Henry VIII in the Royal Armouries collection, together with pieces from other collections in Britain and abroad.

The Inventory is not only a catalogue of magnificence but also a key text for evaluating the successes and failures of the Tudor monarchy. Henry VIII had extravagant ideas of image and authority and loved his possessions, amongst which were over 2,000 pieces of tapestry, 2,028 items of gold and silver plate and 41 growns. Although he left the country with heavy debts and an empty exchequer, he was far from bankrupting the monarchy as some scholars have suggested. Indeed the Inventory allows us to calculate that at the time of his death the contents of his palaces and wardrobes were worth about 300,000GBP and the military and naval stores a further 300,000GBP. Most of what the King owned has unfortunately since disappeared. Yet the Inventory tells us what once existed, enables us to identify surviving objects as well as what once belonged to him. The transcription of the inventory is accompanied by a historical introduction, a glossary of technical terms, and an exhaustive Index which is a major tool of scholarship in its own right.

In celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the English throne, an international exhibition, 'Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill', was held at the Tower of London in partnership between the Royal Armouries and Historic Royal Palaces. Published to coincide with the launch of the exhibition, this definitive publication illustrates and records over 90 Henrician treasures drawn from the Royal Armouries' own collections and from museums and institutions worldwide. Leading historians and specialists in arms and armour have contributed major essays on subjects which encompass the wide-ranging aspects of Henry's reign from war and politics to dress and dining.

Volume 1: European Armour is the first catalog to offer a comprehensive inventory of this substantial and historically significant collection in more than one hundred years. Among the highlights of the collection are imposing sets of Greenwich armor created in the sixteenth century for Henry VIII and Sir Christopher Hatton; an exceptionally beautiful set of armor created in the early seventeenth century for Henry, Prince of Wales; and an ornate field garniture belonging to Julius, Duke of Brunswick, a fine example of armor in the continental style. In addition to fresh research, the book features more than five hundred new photographs that provide clear front, back, and side views, as well as close-ups of ornamentation, maker's marks, and other features for the most important pieces. The book also includes full resources for further study, including two essays giving a broad overview of the history of the collection; specially commissioned reconstruction drawings of important Greenwich garnitures, including lost pieces; a glossary of important terms; and an index, appendix, and bibliography.

This work provides an interesting study on British Arms and Armour. This incredible report was written in an attempt to educate and interest general readers, students, artists, or antiquarians. The author explains this intriguing subject in detail, from the weapons of prehistoric times to the introduction of gunpowder. He structures the work skillfully with accurate information to add to people's knowledge. He interests the readers with unknown facts from the history of England concerning arms and armor. It's a must-read for history enthusiasts. Table of contents: Weapons of Prehistoric Man The Assyrians The Romans Saxons and Danes The Norman Period to 1180 The Chain Mail Period, 1180-1250 Chain Mail Reinforced, 1250-1325 The Cyclas Period, 1325-1335 The Studded and Splinted Armour Period, 1335-1360 The Camail and Jupon Period, 1360-1410 The Surcoatless Period, 1410-1430 The Tabard Period, 1430-1500 The Transition Period, 1500-1525 Maximilian Armour, 1525-1600 The Half-Armour Period After 1600 Weapons of the Early and Middle Ages Projectile-throwing Engines German, Italian, and Other Influences Upon European Armour The Introduction of Gunpowder and Its Influence Upon Armour

This volume brings together papers written by curators, conservators and scientists who have worked very closely with European and Oriental arms and armour from some of the world's finest collections. The pieces, which have been examined in detail, include not only those made for royalty, such as the helmet of the Black Prince, the armours of King Henry VIII and the jewel-encrusted dagger of Shah Jahan, but also the apparently more mundane and those created to deceive. Through careful study and hands-on experience, each of the authors provides an eye-opening insight into the history, science and interpretation of these important objects.The essays in this title were written in honour of David Edge.Published by Archetype Publications Ltd in association with the Arms and Armour Society

The idea of late medieval arms and armour often conjures up images of lumbering warriors, clad in heavy plate armour, hacking away at with each other with enormous weapons - depictions perpetuated in both bad literature and bad movies. In this introductory guide, replete with fabulous photography and marvellous anecdotes, internationally-renowned edged weapons expert Robert Woosnam-Savage describes the brutal reality of personal protection and attack in the so-called 'age of chivalry'. From Bannockburn to Bosworth, Poitiers to Pavia, this book is an indispensable introduction to an iconic era.

The English Civil Wars was the greatest political upheaval in the British Isles in six hundred years. Raging across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the conflict tore families and friendships apart, and led directly to the execution of King Charles I in 1649. Keith Dowen tells the absorbing story of the arms and armour of the civil wars.