Over 70 years ago an epic conflict took place between allied and axis powers. It was one of the defining moments of World War II and changed the nature of armed conflict forever. The Battle of Britain was an exclusively aerial campaign between allied and axis forces which began in the summer of 1940 and …
Providing invaluable defensive strongholds, hill forts were a common feature of Bronze and Iron Age Europe. Hill forts were raised defended settlements, often built on cliff tops or large knolls and spurs, that provided trading centres and secure enclosed habitats for people during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Their construction came to a peak in …
At the height of its power the trebuchet was an unstoppable force, crushing fortifications, buildings and men alike. The setting: King Richard’s crusades in the latter half of the 12th Century. A counterweight trebuchet’s arm and sling swing up to a vertical position, releasing its housed projectile at a ferocious speed and power. The result? …
Medieval sword fighting styles were brutal and far less elegant than those associated with the Renaissance. However, it was the first time in European history that a combat technique employed the art of self defence. The fighting style was passed on from Italian and German training disciplines and encouraged blocking, increased attention to footwork, better …
Discover the history behind celebrating Guy Fawkes Night in the UK! Outraged by the continued suppression of the Catholic faith by the Protestant King James I, several schemes were hatched to bring about his downfall and to restore a Catholic to the throne. Early in his reign, in 1603, there was a plot to kidnap …
One of the most cataclysmic and influential conflicts in British history, the Battle of Hastings marked both the demise of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England as well as the commencement of a transformative period of Norman rule! The Battle of Hastings was the culmination of a fierce conflict over who would succeed Edward the …
One of the most famous ships of all time, HMS Victory was instrumental in ensuring British naval supremacy during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The only surviving warship to have fought in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic wars, the HMS Victory is one of the most …
First used in the 8th Century BC, the trireme was a state-of-the-art military machine. Fast and agile, triremes were designed to exert maximum power during military engagements. Both the Greeks and the Phoenicians employed these ships for military and trading purposes – its name is derived from its ability to seat three levels of rowers …
The samurai, Japan’s warrior elite for centuries, sported armour that offered both protection in warfare and ornamentation for ceremonial purposes. Tied to their elite position in society as the ruling class of feudal Japan, a samurai’s armour first offered them a large amount of protection while on the battlefield. Alongside this they also displayed their …
An iconic image of the middle ages, crafting, donning and utilizing medieval armour were complex skills, requiring great expertise. Medieval armour worked by protecting its wearer in battle through a series of fashioned steel plates and chain mail links. To achieve this, armour was designed to absorb impacts from blunt weapons such as maces and …
