Bøker av Richard Barber

Henry II (1154-89) through a series of astonishing dynastic coups became the ruler of an enormous European empire. One of the most dynamic, restless and clever men ever to rule England, he was brought down both by his catastrophic relationship with his archbishop Thomas Becket and his debilitating arguments with his sons, most importantly the future Richard I and King John. His empire may have ultimately collapsed, but in Richard Barber's vivid and sympathetic account the reader can see why Henry II left such a compelling impression on his contemporaries.

The Marlborough Mound has recently been recognised as one of the most important monuments in the group around Stonehenge. It was also a medieval castle and a feature in a major 17th century garden. This is the first comprehensive history of this extraordinary site.

Gilles li Muisit was the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Martin of Tournai, a city on the north-eastern border of France. This region was a at the centre of Edward III's campaigns in Flanders at the beginning of the Hundred Years War. Le Muisit's chronicle covers events in France and Flanders from the point of view of a well informed contemporary. He kept records of important events from around 1330 onwards, and when he went blind in 1345, he occupied his time by writing up these notes, which were read to him. He then dictated the text to a scribe. An operation for cataracts restored his sight in 1352, but he never managed to revise his text. It consists of a full chronicle up to 1348, and then annals after that. He is a spirited writer, and his comments on fashion (with illuminations) are often quoted; he also has a remarkable passage on how it is impossible for anyone to know what is goingon in a battle (apropos of the battle of Crécy), let alone for a historian to produced an accurate account afterwards. He uses some written records, and writes at first hand of the siege of Tournai in 1340. Much of his informationcomes from the distinguished guests who visited his abbey, but he is very wary about what he hears. 'What they say is partly false, partly true... if I write down things about which I may not be certain, my whole work will be indisrepute'. He is a largely realistic counterweight to the narratives of chivalrous exploits in Jean le Bel and Froissart, who cover the same place and period. And his voice speaks not for the nobility, for whom war represented glory and profit, but for the defenceless and weak who were the main sufferers.

This highly-illustrated volume, by bestselling author Richard Barber, shows how medieval princes proclaimed their special status through displays of magnificence.

Geoffrey le Baker's chronicle covers the reigns of Edward II and Edward III up to the English victory at Poitiers. David Preest's new translation includes extensive notes and an introduction by Richard Barber.

The first book to give an account of the major pilgrimage traditions of all the great religions of the world.

Tales from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets reveal a mythology in its time as potent as that of the classical world.

In this volume are the second part of Christine Poulson's survey of the Arthurian legend, an update to Mary Wildman's guide to modern Arthurian literature, an article on Ponticus Virumnius and the text of Gildas, and an article on the origins of Chretien de Troyes' "Conte del Graal".

The vital index to all previous volumes, I-X; plus new research.

This collection of new essays on Arthurian themes contains one on Layamon, two on Chretien, and one on Victorian art. The contributors are Oliver Goulden, Claude Luttrell, Christine Poulson, W.R.J.Barron and Francoise Le Saux. The contents of previous volumes are listed at the back of this volume.

.

The first serious study of tournaments throughout Europe reveals their importance - in the training of the medieval knight, the development of arms and armour, as an instrument of political patronage, and as a grand public spectacle.

A fascinating recreation of the world of one of England's most charismatic monarchs, from award-winning author and historian Richard BarberThe destruction of the French army at Crecy in 1346 and the subsequent siege and capture of Calais marked a new era in European history. The most powerful, glamorous and respected of all western monarchies had been completely humiliated by England, a country long viewed either as a chaotic backwater or a mere French satellite.The young Edward III's triumph would launch both countries, as we now know, into a grim cycle of some 90 years of further fighting ending with English defeat, but after Crecy anything seemed possible - Edward's claim to be King of France could be pressed home and, in any event, enormous rewards of land, treasure and prestige were available both to the king and to the close companions who had made the victory possible. It was to enshrine this moment that Edward created one of the most famous of all knightly orders, the Company of the Garter.Barber writes about both the great campaigns and the individuals who formed the original membership of the Company - and through their biographies makes the period tangible and fascinating. This is a book about knighthood, battle tactics and grand strategy, but it is also about fashion, literature and the privates lives of everyone from queens to freebooters. Barber's book is a remarkable achievement - but also an extremely enjoyable one.Reviews:'Barber [has an] infectious passion for and deep knowledge of his subject matter ... elegant prose and rigorous historical analysis ... a valuable and thorough addition to the body of work on this most impressive of English monarchs' Sunday Times'In Edward III and the Triumph of England [Barber] has written the kind of book that the king would have enjoyed: full of battles, glitter and ceremony ... he has an original eye and an elegant pen' Jonathan Sumption, Literary Review'Barber share's his hero's love of chivalry ... The book sparkle[s] with some of Edward's own glitz' Telegraph'This absorbing book is layered rather than linear, sifting with uncommon sensitivity through challenging sources to test the boundaries of what we can and cannot know ... We discover the complexity of the world in which Edward and his commanders lived' Helen Castor, The TimesAbout the author:Richard Barber has had a huge influence on the study of medieval history and literature, both as a writer and as a publisher. His major works include The Knight and Chivalry (winner of the Somerset Maugham Award), Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe and The Holy Grail: The History of a Legend. He lives in East Anglia.

Letters, reports, campaign diaries and the chronicles of Geoffrey le Baker and Chandos Herald document the life and dazzling exploits of the legendary Black Prince.

Bestiaries are a particularly characteristic product of medieval England, and give a unique insight into the medieval mind. Richly illuminated and lavishly produced, they were luxury objects for noble families. Their three-fold purpose was to provide a natural history of birds, beasts and fishes, to draw moral examples from animal behaviour (the industrious bee, the stubborn ass), and to reveal a mystical meaning - the phoenix, for instance, as a symbol ofChrist's resurrection. This Bestiary, MS Bodley 764, was produced around the middle of the thirteenth century and is of singular beauty and interest. The lively illustrations have the freedom and naturalistic quality ofthe later Gothic style, and make dazzling use of colour. This book reproduces the 136 illuminations to the same size and in the same place as the original manuscript, fitting the text around them. Richard Barber's translation from the original Latin is a delight to read, capturing both the serious intent of the manuscript and its charm. RICHARD BARBER has written many books on the history of and life in the middle ages, from his Somerset MaughamAward-winning The Knight and Chivalry, by way of biographies of Henry II and the Black Prince, to an anthology of Arthurian literature from England, France and Germany, Arthurian Legends, and an account of the historical Arthur, King Arthur: Hero and Legend.

`...excellent study of the prince's career. A first-class synthesis of the entire literature of this subject.' BRITISH BOOK NEWS