Heraldry Books

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The Oxford Guide to Heraldry $19.96 - Lavishly illustrated with color and black and white plates, The Oxford Guide to Heraldry offers a delightful tour of the heart of medieval pagentry. The only guide to heraldry written entirely by Officers of Arms with full access to the College of Arms Library, this beautiful, enriching volume covers the origins of heraldry, the composition of arms and their visual appearance, the use of arms as decoration, how and why arms are granted, and to whom, and much more.
An Introduction to Heraldry $12.99 - This book surveys heraldry from its beginnings to the present day. In concise, entertaining text, it explains the meanings behind the symbols, the all-important differences between the rampant lion, the cowed lion, and the other 30-plus variations of lions. Includes many examples of other symbols and their placement in crests and coats-of-arms.
Basic Heraldry $13.56 - This introduction to heraldry describes its beginnings in ancient times and its history from the age of chivalry to the modern period. Crusader's pennons and banners, helms and seals of conquerers, livery collars, and the development of the Union Jack are among the dozens of drawings offered in this well-illustrated volume.
Heraldry : An Introduction to a Noble Tradition $10.36 - Including a glossary of crests, a history of the European tradition of heraldry explains its origins, the meaning of its colors and symbols, and its survival in the world's flags, emblems, and corporate logos.
Heraldry : A Pictorial Archive for Artists and Designers $11.96 - This book makes a fantastic suplement to the "Design Your Own Coat of Arms" by Rosemary A. Chorzempa (Dover), because it gives you a great wealth of ideas from which to work. Geared towards artists, more than researchers.
Dictionary of Medieval Knighthood and Chivalry $90.00 - "This work should prove to be a joy and a delight to both novices and experts. Its depth of coverage within its topics places it well beyond more general works. . . . [Its] usefulness in the areas of history, literature, and the arts can justify its purchase by any library with patrons whose interests are set in the medieval period."
Heraldry : In Historic Houses of Great Britain $39.60 - This unique illustrated book explores the roots and uses of heraldry and its terminology and lore, and shows how it influenced the design and decor of 50 houses owned and preserved by Britain's National Trust. The lush color photographs reveal the decorative uses of heraldry, as seen on paneling, carpets, stained glass, china, even door latches. Line drawings of each coat of arms and a gazetteer of what to look for in other National Trust properties provide readers with plenty more to investigate in historic houses throughout Great Britain.
The Order of the Garter 1348-1461: Chivalry and Politics in Late Medieval England (Oxford Historical Monographs) $74.00 - by Hugh E. L. Collins
Hospitallers : The History of the Order of St. John $45.00 - by Jonathan Riley-Smith
The Knight in History $11.20 - This is an interesting analysis of the Knights in Medieval Society not only of England and France, but Europe in general. Easy to read, analytical and comprehensive this explains the initiation, rituals, valor and hardship that the Knight had to endour everyday.
Medieval Combat : A Fifteenth-Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat $23.96 - This book is the bible for medieval reenactors and anyone interested in ancient combat techniques. If you think the Asians have invented throwing, kicking and swordfighting then this book will be an eye opener for you. The illustrations are very detailed for a fifteenth century book and the techniques have really been used to kill each other at that time.
The Fleurs De Lis of the Kings of France, 1285-1488 $36.95 - by William M. Hinkle
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades $19.96 - In 1095 Pope Urban II granted absolutions to whomever would reclaim the Holy Land for Christendom. With that assurance began two centuries of Crusades, and the story, in contemporary chronicles, artwork, and castellated ruins, is well treated in this interpretation of the movement to take up the cross. In The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades, the story of the Crusades is told as never before in an engrossing, authoritative, and comprehensive history that ranges from the preaching of the First Crusade in 1095 to the legacy of the crusading ideals and imagery that continues today.
A History of the Crusades : The Kingdom of Acre and the Later Crusades $22.95 - A comprehensive, panoramic account of the Crusades, from the unlikely success of the First Crusade to the final, inevitable defeat of the Crusading movement. He analyzes the reasons for the success and the causes of the ultimate failure of the Crusades, and therein lies a lesson for modern times. Runciman speaks of the many causes of initial victory and ultimate defeat, and catalogs the grievous injuries to all concerned resulting from the Crusades. His analysis is sobering, and some of it is not inapplicable to the current state of affairs in the Middle East.
Chronicles of the Crusades $11.16 - by Geoffrey De Villehardouin, Jean De Joinville, Margaret R. Shaw
The Crusades : A Short History $14.36 - Although it is called a concise history the book is by no means a concise work. It spans a period of hundreds of years of history. This is one of those rare books that crosses the line between textbook and non-fiction.
Life in a Medieval Castle $10.80 - Castles really come to life in this book - as well as the people housed within. There's enough detail in here to satisfy the researcher - but the prose moves along at a trim pace so you won't get bogged down. Painstaking research is concisely and vividly presented, focusing on specific people within the strata of life within a medieval castle.
Castles of England, Scotland and Wales $19.95 - From Edinburgh to Tintagel, this is a pictorially stunning tour of Britain's many castles. Featuring 130 color photos. Together, England, Scotland, and Wales possess one of the largest and most impressive collections of castles anywhere in the world. Castles have had a key role in Britain's history, and the names of many of them--Kenilworth, Edinburgh, Bodiam, Stirling, Harlech, Tintagel, Berkeley, and Warwick--are synonymous with romance, battle, and intrigue. This handsome pictorial survey traces each stage in their development: Norman times through Plantagenet and Edwardian expansion, Tudor strengthening of the coastal defenses, the appalling devastation of the Civil War, the castle's gradual decline, on to fantastic mock castles, like Castle Drogo.
Castles of Britain and Ireland $31.96 - For readers who have ever wished they lived in a castle, Castles of Britain and Ireland is a dream come true. Author Plantagenet Somerset Fry brings to life every aspect of castles and castle life--how they were built and why; the types of defenses they employed, and what kind of weapons were used to attack them; and the social interactions of daily life. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which gives an overview of castles in England and Ireland; the second section is a region-by-region guide of more than 1,350 of the most important castles. Photographs, floor plans, and illustrations bring these ancient structures to life, while Fry's in-depth history of castles and the people who built them will fire the reader's imagination.
Castles and Fortresses $16.98 - Covering Europe during the Middle Ages, Castles and Fortresses opens with a compact but informative chapter on the evolution of the castle. The book then chronicles the political histories of Europe's various regions and how castles formed according to their military needs. Though the text is a bit general, the book's large color photographs speak volumes. The pictures are bright and crisp, shot from wide and aerial angles, capturing the majesty of these fabled, architectural masterpieces and the lovely scenery surrounding them. Among the more renowned castles featured are the Warwick Castle in England, Chateau Chinon in France, Neuschwanstein in Germany, and Miramar Castle in Italy.
Castles and Ancient Monuments of England : A County by County Guide to More Than 350 Historic Sites $15.96 - by Damien Noonan, Paperback - 256 pages (April 1999)
cover Ancestral Castles of Scotland $19.95 - An exploration of some of Scotland's most treasured landmarks, featuring 150 color photographs. Scotland's history has been a violent one, and its castles still stand as a visible symbol of its bloody and romantic past. This handsome volume explores 27 private castles--vast and celebrated, such as Blair and Glamis, as well as smaller family homes. Hugh Cantlie highlights the most colorful events associated with each castle, linking its owners with such legendary figures as Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots, and Bonnie Prince Charlie.
cover Welsh Castles : A Guide by Counties $45.00 - by Adrian Pettifer. Hardcover - 208 pages (June 2000)