Synopses & Reviews
"A fascinating history ... in which the author transports readers back to the events of the day, giving a feel of what it was like to participate in combat then."
The Scots Magazine "Written for a popular audience, the narrative is always lively and entertaining." The Journal of Military History
For almost 3 centuries, a bitter war was waged along the Anglo-Scottish border. The conflict was bloody, acrimonious and continued, unabated, from the Edwardian invasions of 1296 until the Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland, James I of England in 1603.
Four hundred years later, the legacy of the Border Wars lives with us still, manifested in the character of the Scots and the English, and the residual resentment over any English attempt at domination, whether actual or perceived.
Border Fury is the first total overview of this long history. In this single volume, John Sadler has created a fascinating account using existing historical sources, his own personal knowledge of the battlefields and his access to private collections of arms and armour.
The book covers all aspects of the major campaigns and battles, including details of the terrain, commanders, weaponry, tactics and outcomes in each case. It also looks at the impact of prolonged warfare on social and economic conditions, the manner in which the rule of law was upheld and how the infamous Steel Bonnets lived and fought. John Sadler conveys what is was actually like for those combatants engaged in the fighting, and demonstrates how the distinctive styles of defensive architecture developed on both sides of the border. He introduces a colourful cast of historical characters, from Edward the I of England, who rightly demanded fealty from the Scottish rulers, through William Wallace, Rob Roy and Robert the Bruce whose reputations and exploits have become the stuff of legend.
John Sadler has spent a lifetime studying the military aspects of the Anglo-Scottish Border conflicts. He possesses an extensive knowledge of the geography and typology of the Anglo-Scottish Border region and has made detailed field studies of all the battles which are described in the book. He has written widely on the Anglo-Scottish wars, including Battle for Northumbria (1988), Scottish Battles (1996), War in the North 1461-1464 (2000), Clan Donald's Greatest Defeat, the Battle of Harlaw 1411 (2005), Raiders & Reivers (2006) and Flodden 1513 (2006) and is a regular contributor to local and military historical journals.
Review
A fascinating history ... in which the author transports readers back to the events of the day, giving a feel of what it was like to participate in combat then.
The Scots Magazine
Written for a popular audience, the narrative is always lively and entertaining.
The Journal of Military History
Synopsis
Border Fury provides a fascinating account of the period of Anglo-Scottish Border conflict from the Edwardian invasions of 1296 until the Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland, James I of England in 1603.
It looks at developments in the art of war during the period, the key transition from medieval to renaissance warfare, the development of tactics, arms, armour and military logistics during the period. All the key personalities involved are profiled and the typology of each battle site is examined in detail with the author providing several new interpretations that differ radically from those that have previously been understood.
Synopsis
A history of three long and bloody centuries of warfare between England and Scotland.
Border Fury reveals how medieval English Kings sought to dominate their northern neighbour, and why they failed.
- The only single volume covering the whole period of conflict from the death of Alexander III to James VI
Synopsis
For three hundred years England and Scotland fought a bitter series of wars for territorial enlargement. Border Fury provides a fascinating account of the period of Anglo-Scottish Border conflict from the Edwardian invasions of 1296 until the Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland, James I of England in 1603.The book looks at developments in the art of war during the period, the key transition from medieval to renaissance warfare, the development of tactics, arms, armour and military logistics during the period, and the key personalities involved.
About the Author
John Sadler has spent a lifetime studying the military aspects of the Anglo-Scottish Border conflicts. He possesses an extensive knowledge of the geography and typology of the Anglo-Scottish Border region and has made detailed field studies of all the battles which are described in the book. His previous published works include Battle for Northumbria(1998), Scottish Battles (1997) and War in the North 1461-1464 (2000).
Table of Contents
CONTENTS:
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Timeline
1 Flowers of the Forest
2 Sinews of War
3 Under the Hammer
4 The Lion Triumphant
5 The Longest Stick
6 'Nothing but their naked bodies'
7 The Disinherited
8 Neville's Cross
9 Landscape of War
10 Chevy Chase
11 'At Holmedon Met'
12 Sausages without Mustard
13 War in the North
14 Hedgeley Moor and Hexham
15 'The Sunne of York'
16 Flodden Field
17 The Road to Solway Moss
18 The Rough Wooing
19 The Two Queens
20 Last Years of the Frontier
21 The Steel Bonnets
Glossary
Bibliography
Index