For most of the Renaissance period; naval warfare in the Mediterranean was dominated by the war galley; a unique naval vessel for a momentous age. During the struggle for supremacy between Christian and Muslim powers; war galleys formed the backbone of the rival battlefleets. Different regions of the Mediterranean produced their own versions of the war galley; thereby producing a number of variants on the basic design tailored to the needs and resources of particular nations. This book examines the development of the war galley from its classically inspired resurrection in the 15th century until its demise in the early 17th century; providing the first ever in-depth study of this remarkable war machine.
#268152 in Books imusti 2016-08-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.00 x 11.50l; .0 #File Name: 1784534900408 pagesI. B. Tauris Company
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Not a Coffee Table BookBy dmiguerContrary to my initial suspicion; this is not a coffee table book. You still may need a small table to bear its weight while reading it however. Coffee table books are filled with fuzzy photos to help pass time and encourage light conversation. They usually avoid detailed text that could deter uninterrupted flipping through the pages.In contrast; this book has many high quality images of archaeological sites; ancient manuscripts; textiles and architecture. It is accompanied by in depth writing about the period between the rise of the Abbasid dynasty c. 750 AD to the end of Timurid dynasty c. 1500 AD. It covers a geographical area between Baghdad and Karakorum; the respective capitals of the Muslims and Mongols; and the far flung conquests between Moscow and Delhi.The author; Christoph Baumer; is an art historian and explorer of Central Asia; primarily of the Taklamakan; Tibet and Wutai Shan areas in China; although his travels have taken him all over the region. He has family connections to Sven Hedin; the late 19th - early 20th century geographer of Great Game fame; whom he has followed in the footsteps of.The strength of this book lies not only in the original photography and writing; but also in Baumer's study of the ethnic groups of the period. He covers many of the lesser known but important cultures of medieval Iran; and the Turkic and Mongol migrations. It is a great value both as a printed artifact and an illustrated exploration. After seeing it I also sent for the earlier volume in the series on the Silk Road.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. ... of this history and have awaited each succeeding volume like a kid expecting the next Harry PotterBy James C. HarrisonI'm a huge fan of this history and have awaited each succeeding volume like a kid expecting the next Harry Potter. That said; if you want to learn why Central Asia is so important to human history; you'd probably be better off to begin with Starr's book Lost Enlightenment. The Stans aren't just hard questions on Jeopardy; and they produced a lot more than ravening hordes; though they that too. Philosophy; religion; medicine; astronomy; architecture; and many other fields owe a lot to the region.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Much awaited history of the regionBy ngyalfoldAs good or better than the previous volumes. If it were lighter and cheaper; I would make it required text for my course. As it is; the series will be placed on "Reserve;" so students can enjoy them.Why? Well; first; the volumes are beautiful; the text is accessible and the chapters are organized in the most useful way.More; this is history as it should be written: Documented and clear; with just the right amount of "human interest" touches.
