Sharpen your knowledge of swords with Kristen B. Neuschel as she takes you through a captivating 1,000 years of French and English history. Living by the Sword reveals that warrior culture, with the sword as its ultimate symbol, was deeply rooted in ritual long before the introduction of gunpowder weapons transformed the battlefield. Neuschel argues that objects have agency and that decoding their meaning involves seeing them in motion: bought, sold, exchanged, refurbished, written about, displayed, and used in ceremony. Drawing on evidence about swords (from wills, inventories, records of armories, and treasuries) in the possession of nobles and royalty, she explores the meanings people attached to them from the contexts in which they appeared. These environments included other prestige goods such as tapestries, jewels, and tableware—all used to construct and display status. Living by the Sword draws on an exciting diversity of sources from archaeology, military and social history, literature, and material culture studies to inspire students and educated lay readers (including collectors and reenactors) to stretch the boundaries of what they know as the "war and culture" genre.
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Introduction: What Do Swords Mean? 1. Swords and Oral Culture in the Early Middle Ages 2. Swords and Chivalric Culture in the High Middle Ages 3. Swords, Clothing, and Armor in the Late Middle Ages 4. Swords and Documents in the Sixteenth Century Conclusion
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Living by the Sword cuts through a broad swath of history, and such a scope is necessary for a project that charts how swords were understood over time. Kristen Neuschel's Living by the Sword will interest a wide range of readers.
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Living by the Sword is a rich and elaborate book. Full of fascinating material that is gracefully presented, it is interesting, informative, and a genuinely good read.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781501752124
Publisert
2020-11-15
Utgiver
Vendor
Cornell University Press
Vekt
454 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Aldersnivå
01, G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet

Biographical note

Kristen B. Neuschel is Associate Professor of History at Duke University. She is author of Word of Honor and coauthor of several editions of Western Civilization.