Will Durant - The Story of Civilization 09 - The Age of Voltaire
9th in the Civilization series - The Age Of Voltaire is the biography of a great man as well as the story of ideas and events that culminated in the French Revolution. IX. The Age of Voltaire (1965)
1. France: The Regency
2. England: 1714-56
3. France: 1723-56
4. Middle Europe: 1713-56
5. The Advancement of Learning: 1715-89
6. The Attack Upon Christianity: 1730-74
The Knights of Christ
The ancient warrior code which persisted in medieval Christian Europe dictated that a man's greatest virtues were physical strength, skill at arms, bravery, daring, loyalty to the chieftain and solidarity within the tribe. The primitive Church had been diametrically opposed to such ideals, however by the early 8th century the Church had grown wealthy, and the Saracen invasions of Spain and France posed a threat to that wealth. The Roman Church began to support war in defence of the faith, and by channelling the martial spirit into the service of God, the brutal warrior of the past was transformed into a guardian of society.
Military affairs occupied a very significant place during Henry VIII's reign, with English armies seeing action against two main enemies: the French and the Scots, of which France was undoubtedly viewed as the principal foe. Henry nursed grandiose ambitions to be acclaimed as the arbiter of European politics, and whilst intervention in European affairs did not necessarily dictate a policy of hostility towards France; England was invariably to be found in league with her enemies in time of war. This absorbing text by Paul Cornish deals with the history, uniforms and equipment of King Henry VIII's army.
Book converted into a single pdf file 
The Knights of Christ
Henry VIII's Army (Men-at-Arms)
