Harald Hardrada: The Warrior's WayThe History Press, 24. lis 2011. - Broj stranica: 256 One of the greatest medieval warriors Harald Sigurdsson, nicknamed Hardrada (Harold the Ruthless or hard ruler) fell in battle in an attempt to snatch the crown of England. The spectacular and heroic career which ended at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire on 25 September 1066 had taken Harald from Norway to Russia and Constantinople and saw him gain a kingdom by force and determination rather than right or inheritance. He was one of the most feared rulers in Europe and was first and foremost a professional soldier, who acquired great wealth by plunder and showed no mercy to those he conquered. 'Harald Hardrada: The Warrior's Way' reconstructs a military career spanning three and a half decades and involving encounters with an extraordinary range of allies and enemies in sea-fights and land battles, sieges and viking raids across a varity of theatres of war. John Marsden's superbly researched and powerfully written account takes us from the lands of the Norsemen to Byzantium and the Crusades and makes clear how England moved decisively from three hundred years of exposure to the Scandinavian orbit to a stronger identification with continental Europe following the Norman invasion. |
Ostala izdanja - Prikaži sve
Uobičajeni izrazi i fraze
aboard already AngloSaxon Chronicle appears army arrival battle bonders brother brought Bulgars Byzantine Byzantine service Byzantium campaign century claim closely contemporary Cnut Cnut’s command Constantine Constantinople court Danish death Denmark Dnieper earlier Eilif Einar emperor enemy England English evidence expedition Fagrskinna father fightingmen Finn Flateyjarbók fleet forces fought Godwinson Hakon Halldor Harald Hardrada Harald’s saga Heimskringla housecarls Icelandic imperial invasion Jaroslav Kalv Arnason Kiev king’s kingship known land later Magnus Michael military Morkinskinna Nidaros Norman Norse northmen Norwegian Novgorod numbers Olaf Olaf’s Onund Orkney Orkneyinga saga Pechenegs plunder Primary Chronicle probably Psellus raiding reason recognised reference retinue Rognvald Brusason Russia saga account saga record saga tells sagamakers sailed saint Scandinavian ships Sicily Sigvat skald skaldic verse slain Snorri Sturluson Snorri tells Snorri’s saga sources Stamford Bridge Stiklestad story strophe Svein Sweden Swedish Thjodolf Thorfinn Tostig Trondelag troops Upplands Varangian Guard Varangian mercenary victory viking warfare warrior warships