Angus Konstam

This atlas for high school and above draws on archaeological evidence and Norse sagas and mythology to tell the story of Viking achievements. Coverage includes the first Viking settlements; Norse society; populations, war and pestilence; Norse mythology; Viking ships; exploration of the northern sea (Iceland, Erik the Red, and the evidence for Viking settlement in America); the Viking warrior (berserks, arms and armor, the battle of Contarf, and battles...

A concise, illustrated introduction to artillery from medieval times to the modern era. Over seven centuries, the artillery piece has evolved from a status symbol to one of the most deadly weapons wielded by man. Using gunpowder weapons was initially something of a black art, but over time gunnery became a science, a dependable method of breaching fortifications or overcoming an enemy on the battlefield. By the nineteenth century, most European...

By combining stunning cartography with engaging and authoritative text, The World Atlas of Pirates presents the story of piracy in a completely new way. Eighty maps plot the routes that pirates followed-whether crossing the world's great oceans or pursuing their prey through creeks and bays. Colorful archive illustrations, including photographs and images from England's National Maritime Museum and other historic collections, bring the villains, their...

The definitive biography of history's most fearsome and famous pirate Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early eighteenth century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery--until now. Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving...

Hunt the Bismarck tells the story of Operation Rheinübung, the Atlantic sortie of the Nazi Germany's largest battleship in May 1941. Bismarck entered service in the summer of 1940. She was well-armed, with eight 15-inch guns as well as a powerful array of lighter weapons, while her armored protection earned her the reputation of being unsinkable. This claim was finally put to the test in May 1941, when she sortied into the Atlantic and fought...

Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early eighteenth century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery-until now.Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its...

Konstam (an independent scholar who has written several medieval atlases) relates with great competence the complex history of the crusades. Focusing strictly on the crusades to the Holy Land, this well-illustrated atlas is divided into digestible chapters that chronicle figures, events, themes, architecture, and places.