<div><B>A look at the tumult and transformations in warfare during the eighteenth century&mdash;and the world-changing events that resulted.</B><BR />  <BR /> The eighteenth century in Europe was a period of significant economic, political, and technological upheaval&mdash;which led to the American and French revolutions, and ultimately paved the way for Europe&rsquo;s domination of much of the world during the nineteenth century. The wars and political maneuvering of Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great transformed Prussia and Russia into major players in European politics. France, then the richest nation in the West, survived losing successive wars, then bankrupted itself assisting the Americans in an unnecessary war of revenge. Britain became the model of economic and financial efficiency and made itself supreme in North America, the Caribbean, and in India, only to face such financial troubles that its leaders antagonized its colonial subjects in America.<BR />  <BR /> This engaging new book by an esteemed military historian traces the evolution of war-making throughout this turbulent period&mdash;the politics, the weaponry, the organization of armies, and the transformation of mercenaries into professionals. This illuminating and highly readable account concentrates not just on high politics and military strategy, but also on the everyday experiences of those involved, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the human drama of eighteenth-century warfare.</div>

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Bayonets and Scimitars

<div>From the Greek professional armies of Alexander, through the Hundred Years War, indeed, to today, mercenaries have been ever-present, their role constantly evolving. In this compelling new history William Urban takes up their captivating and turbulent story from 1550 to 1789: from the Wars of Religion to the eve of the French Revolution. William Urbans many works include the highly acclaimed The Teutonic Knights and Medieval Mercenaries. William McNeill is the author of The Rise of the West and is among the worlds most respected historians.</div>

Bayonets For Hire

<div>After 1500, European warfare was repeatedly revolutionized by new weapons, new methods for supplying armies in the field, improved fortifications and new tactics for taking fortifications. This allowed empires to grow, with, for example, the Ottomans expanding into the Middle East and Africa, Britain dominating India, and Russia conquering the steppe.The dynamics of resistance to this expansion were remarkably similar to what we see today in ISIS, Afghan and Pakistani Talibans, and various jihadist groups that are more tribal than Islamist. The driving force behind these organizations may be tribal resentment of the modern world undermining long-established traditions and beliefs. Religion  or their interpretation of Islam  is merely a glue that holds the rebels together.Such resistance continues to be met by world powers who misunderstand the motives of the people that take up arms against them, and we should understand that ours is not the first generation to deal with this problem, and ours will probably not be the last. However, there are some methods that work better than others. The failures and successes of the past can help us now and in the future.</div>

Small Wars and Their Influence on Nation States

<div>The Middle Ages were a turbulent and violent time, when the fate of nations was most often decided on the battlefield, and strength of arms was key to acquiring and maintaining power. Feudal oaths and local militias were more often than not incapable of providing the skilled and disciplined warriors necessary to keep the enemy at bay. It was the mercenary who stepped in to fill the ranks. A mercenary was a professional soldier who took employment with no concern for the morals or cause of the paymaster. But within these confines we discover a surprising array of men, from the lowest-born foot soldier to the wealthiest aristocrat the occasional clergyman, even. What united them all was a willingness, and often the desire, to fight for their supper.In this benchmark work, William Urban explores the vital importance of the mercenary to the medieval power-broker, from the Byzantine Varangian Guard to fifteenth-century soldiers of fortune in the Baltic. Through contemporary chronicles and the most up-to-date scholarship, he presents an in-depth portrait of the mercenary across the Middle Ages.</div>

Medieval Mercenaries

<div><B>&ldquo;A big picture view of how changes in the way war was waged between 1500 and 1700 affected the world at large . . . an exemplary book.&rdquo; &mdash;War in History</B><BR /><BR /> In the early modern world three dominant cultures of war were shaped by a synergy of their internal and external interactions. One was Latin Christian western Europe. Another was Ottoman Islam. The third, no less vital for so often being overlooked, was east-central Europe: Poland/Lithuania, Livonia, Russia, the freebooting Cossacks, a volatile mix of variations on a general Christian theme.<BR /><BR /> William Urban&rsquo;s fascinating narrative is an integrated account of early modern war on the ground: of campaigns and battles, soldiers and generals. Temporally it extends from the French invasion of Italy in 1494 to Austria&rsquo;s Balkan victories culminating in the 1718 Treaty of Peterwardein. Geographically it covers ground from the Low Countries to the depths of the Ukraine.<BR /><BR /> That narrative in turn focuses Urban&rsquo;s major analytical points: the replacement of &ldquo;crowd armies&rdquo; by professionals, and the professionals&rsquo; integration into crown armies: government-supervised, bureaucratized institutions. The key to this process was the mercenary. Originally recruited because the obligations of feudal levies were too limited, mercenary forces evolved operationally into skilled users of an increasingly complex gunpowder technology in ever more complex tactical situations. By the end of the seventeenth century, soldiers were identifying with the states and the rulers they served.<BR /><BR /><B>&ldquo;This book will have a particular appeal for arms and armor collectors because it is written from the soldier&rsquo;s perspective. It charts the fighting man&rsquo;s transition from warrior to soldier and from soldier to servant of the state.&rdquo; &mdash;Classic Arms and Militaria</B></div>

Matchlocks to Flintlocks

<div><B>“The most comprehensive account available of the final years of the crusading military order” from the acclaimed author of <I>Medieval Mercenaries</I> (<I>Baltische Historiche Kommission</I>).</B><br/><br/>The Battle of Grunwald was one of the largest battles in Medieval Europe and was the most important in the histories of Poland and Lithuania.<br/><br/>It was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish-Lithuania-Teutonic War between the alliance of the Kingdom of Poland (led by King Jagiello) and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (led by Grand Duke Vytautas) against the German-Prussian Teutonic Knights (led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen) and with the assistance of Sigismund, then King of Hungary and Croatia.<br/><br/>The Teutonic Knights, a crusading military order, were defeated and most of their leaders were killed or taken prisoner. This defeat would mark the beginning of their decline and they would never again regain their former power.<br/><br/>Following the battle, the balance of power shifted in Central and Eastern Europe and so came the rise of the Polish-Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force.<br/><br/>In this compelling account the action takes place in Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Germany. There are bloody battles; fascinating characters; intrigue; betrayals; sex; unexpected twists of fate; religious heresy and a smattering of saints. There is also the monumental end of one era making way for the beginning of another.<br/><br/>While there has long been interest on the crusades outside of the Holy Land, this book is unique in the sheer breadth and depth of its research.<br/><br/><B>“A must-read for those seeking scholarly work on this pivotal period of European history.” —<I>Journal of Military History</I></B></div>

William Urban
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Books By William Urban (6 Books)

Bayonets and Scimitars

Bayonets For Hire

Small Wars and Their Influence on Nation States

Medieval Mercenaries

Matchlocks to Flintlocks

The Last Years of the Teutonic Knights

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