"Count Bohemond" by Alfred Duggan

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"Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans!...NO MORE merciful beheadings!....and CALL OFF CHRISTMAS!...."

Typical, I always forget to check to see if there's a proper place to post before firing them off. Anyway this post is the two books I just read that I recommend.
I was amazed to see that the Lord of Blackadder fell at Flodden, I sh!t you not.

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Vino prudentiam augeri
Foresight is improved by wine

Blackadder the First was Duke of Edinburgh and Laird of Selkirk, Roxburgh, and Peebles.

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"Rules are GOOD. Rules help control the fun!" -Monica Geller, Friends

Forgive my laziness in not looking up who recommended the book, but to whoever suggested "The Sheriff of Nottingham" by Kluger.... THANKS!!!

It was one of the best works of historical fiction I have ever read and it may become required reading for players in my Harn campaign.

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"Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans!...NO MORE merciful beheadings!....and CALL OFF CHRISTMAS!...."

Three books that might make good campaign ideas:

The Pursuit of the Millenium, by Norman Cohn: A history book detailing the various cults and practices that flourished around the year 1000. Makes for an interesting read for messianic/apocalyptic campaigns.

The Quest for India, by Bjorn Landstrom: Nicely illustrated book that's easy to read, all about the Age of Exploration before Columbus going as far back as the Egyptians. May not be scholarly enough for some, but really captures the 'fantastic' elements of actual Terran history. The same can be said of Cohn's book above.

God Gave Us This Country, by Bil Gilbert: Though not a Medieval history, the book is about the Indian Wars fought around the Ohio River valley in the early part of the 19th Centrury. The characters of Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, make great NPCs for a Harn Barbarians campaign. The war could be adapted for most tribes on the island especially the Tulwyn and Pagaelin.

Landstrom has another book called "The Ship." Has anyone read this?

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Oh Crap!?! I'm starting to look like my Avatar!

You're welcome, though I know I'm not the only one who recommended them.

You're going to have a lot of fun. Fans of both Kerr and Gemmel know that you have to have them all -- and there are currently two follow-up novels to Waylander.

IMO, Waylander is quite possibly the coolest character in the sword & sorcery genre. He ranks in my esteem as highly as Josey Wales -- and The Outlaw Josey Wales is, with the possible exception of Once Upon A Time In The West, the finest Western ever made.

Wow, I think this may well be my first post in two or three months. I'm alive, guys, I'm alive.

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http://www.penultimateharn.com

Another great graphic novel by a french comic artist:

Francois Bourgeon: "Les compagnons du crépuscule" (The twilight companions), Vol. 1-3.

French edition @ casterman

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Michael - visit Tales of Chybisa.com.

Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.

One book to avoid is Alan Baker's 'The Knight'.

I'm up to page 50 and so far he's perpetuating all the old myths; plate armoured knight's unable to rise unassisted, double headed axes, 20lb greatswords, etc etc.

I'm most disappointed, this book was written in 2003, Mr Baker is regurgitating other people's work and giving life to tired old tales that historians have finally laid to rest! Fie on him! Out with him! Strike thee by the coustarde!

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Vino prudentiam augeri
Foresight is improved by wine

Also from Osprey is "Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights (1)", which gave me a lot of information about the building of red brick castles in Prussia, starting in 1230ad. Since Lythia is said to be a little ahead of Hârn, it would seem possible that there would now be some brick castles in Hurisea.

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Laboro diem, carpe noctem.

Walter:



Yup. Great art, including a score of pages about ships suitable to Harnic surroundings. Written in the 1960s, so it's already old to be taken as an up-to-date treatment of the history of ships and shipping. But a definite go just because of the art!

Those of you interested in trade and commerce should get your hands on "Power and profit: The merchant in medieval Europe" by Peter Spufford (ISBN 91-0-05-058060-0). Thick book, richly illustrated and full of information.

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Lucas Magnusson, editor of Thonahexus

Thonahexus:



Yup. Actually anything by Spufford is worthy indeed. This one is specifically written for a wider audience, and is (methinks) the best and most up-to-date general description of trade in medieval Europe. It's general, though, and plays with anecdotes: check the bibliography for more.

Medieval Trade in the Mediterranean World by Lopez and Raymond is also a very good resource just for the translation of actual documents.

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Roy Denton - the title says Baron, but Queen for a year. (Cheselyne I)

"Nathamh na hoibre an t-eolas"
(Knowledge comes through practice)

I'd also recommend Medieval Military Technology by Kelly DeVries.

I just got this Book in yesterday and I am already finding it to be very interesting useful in regards to fighting orders and what Harn terms barbarian tribes.

Give it a look:

The Teutonic Knights by William Urban

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Roy Denton - the title says Baron, but Queen for a year. (Cheselyne I)

"Nathamh na hoibre an t-eolas"
(Knowledge comes through practice)

My amazon list of favourite medieval history & archaeology books:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/ ... 67-1253400

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http://www.penultimateharn.com

Great list Andy, now all I have to do is see if the US based one carries these. I have a couple of them.

I personally found "making a living..." to be informative but also a very dry read.

I really want to find the Wharram Percy book and the Rural Settlements one.

Thanks for the link again.

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Roy Denton - the title says Baron, but Queen for a year. (Cheselyne I)

"Nathamh na hoibre an t-eolas"
(Knowledge comes through practice)

I found my copy of Rural Settlements (and A Medieval Capital and its grain supply) through abebooks.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk

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http://www.penultimateharn.com

I just bought the e-book version of Medieval Naval Warfare. I'm hoping this will enable me to do a good writeup on Harnic Feudal Navies, a paper I have just started working on over the last week.

If any of you have read it or know of another useful title let me know please.

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Roy Denton - the title says Baron, but Queen for a year. (Cheselyne I)

"Nathamh na hoibre an t-eolas"
(Knowledge comes through practice)

Thanks for recommending them.

Just ordered a book I could find at a reseanable price anywhere here in the states.

Medieval Ships and Shipping, whould have it in two weeks. That's the only downside. The book was in Lincoln, Lincolnshire and I live in Washington state, an ocean and a whole continent away.

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Roy Denton - the title says Baron, but Queen for a year. (Cheselyne I)

"Nathamh na hoibre an t-eolas"
(Knowledge comes through practice)

Not a book, but I saw the film 'The Last Samurai' recently, and it has struck me how well the plot would work set in the Solori Crusade:




<Possible Spoilers>




Paladin of Larani (knight of the Order of the Lady of Paladins) goes to fight in Solora. Ordered on a 'punitive mission' - turns out the village's warriors are away so the Reblena orders the destruction of the place. Knight is sickened by what he sees and does...

Later - the knight is leading a patrol when they are ambushed. The knight fights as a rearguard to let his men get away (some of them, at least). He is badly hurt but captured, not killed, and taken to a village in the hills where he is kept all winter. Gradually he comes to see that the Solori are not really the devils they are claimed to be. Next spring, the LoP patrol is surprised to see a mailed figure with the savages. The knight's old Reblena recognises him - calls out "So - you have abandoned the Lady and become a vile mercenary!". The knight cries back "It may come to it that I must take money for killing. But remember this - I would gladly take your life for free!".

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Balesir
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- Eschew Obfuscation!

I would add Dragonslayer to the list of Film/TV items as well. Also theTV versions of Cadfael staring Derek Jacoby in the titular role which is also on DVD now. He was also outstanidng as Claudius in "I, Claudius" as well.

Osprey has numerous publications which are very useful for Hârn and many other regions of Lythia. While these are about military history and don't go into the culture as much they give great detail and understanding to much of the military aspects during the middle ages (from the time of the Roman emperor Hadrian to the approach of the high middle ages). Here is a list of relevant offerings from Osprey. I have roughly grouped them by regions and in descending order of period, but there is some blurring and overlap because Lythian/Hârnic history, cultures, and geography are not direct one-to-one comparative cultures but this is a useful rough guide.

Hârn itself
Medieval Siege Warfare
Medieval Siege Weapons (1)
Medieval Scandinavian Armies (1)
Pictish Warrior AD 297–841
The Sarmatians 600 BC–AD 450
Anglo-Saxon Thegn AD 449–1066
Saxon, Viking and Norman
Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars
The Normans
Campaigns of the Norman Conquest
Hastings 1066 (Revised Edition)
Norman Knight AD 950–1204
English Medieval Knight 1200–1300
English Longbowman 1330–1515
Stirling Bridge and Falkirk 1297–98
Bannockburn 1314

Castles
Norman Stone Castles (1)
Norman Stone Castles (2)
Fortifications in Wessex c. 800–1066
Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights (1)
Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights (2)

Orbaal / Ivinia
The Vikings
Viking Longship
Viking Hersir 793–1066 AD

Shorkyne
The Sarmatians 600 BC–AD 450
The Age of Charlemagne
Lake Peipus 1242
French Medieval Armies 1000–1300
Germanic Warrior AD 236–568
German Medieval Armies 1000–1300
The Scottish and Welsh Wars 1250–1400

Trierzon, Azeryan & Gothmir Regions (moving from west to east)
The Roman Army from Hadrian to Constantine
Late Roman Infantryman 236–565AD
Late Roman Cavalryman AD 236–565
Italian Medieval Armies 1000–1300
Romano-Byzantine Armies 4th–9th Centuries
Byzantium at War
Byzantine Armies 886–1118
Byzantine Armies AD 1118–1461
Saracen Faris AD 1050–1250
Knight of Outremer AD 1187–1344
The Crusades
Armies of the Crusades
The First Crusade 1096–99
Knight Hospitaller
Armies of the Caliphates 862–1098

Karejia Region
Armies of Medieval Russia 750–1250
Hungary and the fall of Eastern Europe 1000–1568

Dalkesh Region
Armies of the Muslim Conquest
The Armies of Islam 7th–11th Centuries
Saladin and the Saracens
Hattin 1187

Hodiri (on Hârn) and/or Far Eastern Azeryan Regions
The Mongols
Attila and the Nomad Hordes
Mongol Warrior 1200–1350
Kalka River 1223

Hepkeria
The Mamluks 1250–1517
The Moors

Diramoa & Shoji Regions
Early Samurai AD 200–1500
Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949–1603
Imperial Chinese Armies (2)
Medieval Chinese Armies 1260–1520
Siege Weapons of the Far East (1)
Siege Weapons of the Far East (2)
Fighting Ships of the Far East (1)

Great post Nice to see all the Ospery stuff all in one list.

You should add
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P1319~ser=WAR~per=41

and http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=Q8978~ser=WAR~per=41

to the Shoji list...

Thanks.

Just added these to the list in their respective sections (good catch for the two you mention for the Diramoa and Soji regions):

Pictish Warrior AD 297–841
The Sarmatians 600 BC–AD 450
Late Roman Cavalryman AD 236–565
Early Samurai AD 200–1500
Imperial Chinese Armies (2)
Attila and the Nomad Hordes
Byzantium at War
Armies of the Caliphates 862–1098
Germanic Warrior AD 236–568

I added the Sarmatians to the Hârn region as well as Shorkyne region even though these were peoples mainly in the mid-continent Germanic regions (i.e. Shorkyne). I added them to Hârn as well because of how those are the basis of the culture that gave rise to the Norman invasion and are also the basis for the upcoming Arthurian based retelling in the soon to be released movie King Arthur. This telling makes a lot of sense in the cultural mythos of the Arthurian legends which are part of the roots to the Tolkien and hence Crosby mythos.