Angus Konstam Book order (chronological)

Packed with illustrations, this is a new history and analysis of how the Royal Navy's most important fleet operated and fought the German Navy in the crucial first years of World War II. Throughout its history, the Royal Navy's most powerful fleet has been the one guarding home waters. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam explores the fighting power, the roles, and the battles of the Home Fleet, in the crucial first years of World War II when it was Britain's most powerful fighting force, anchored in the northern bastion of Scapa Flow. He explains the complex responsibilities of the fleet, charged simultaneously with preventing the powerful German Navy from breaking out into the Atlantic; preparing to challenge any cross-Channel invasion force; and attacking German naval operations in the North Sea. Home Fleet actions included the loss of HMS Hood, the sinking of the Bismarck and countering the invasion of Norway, Germany's biggest amphibious operation of the war. Packed with striking new artwork and 3D diagrams and maps, this book offers a detailed portrait of the Home Fleet during these most crucial years of the war, from the capabilities of the warships to logistics and intelligence-gathering, to how the fleet was organized and commanded, and how and why it fought as it did.

Superbly illustrated with original artwork throughout, this book explores the ironclad warships that fought the little-known battles of South America's War of the Pacific. In the late 19th century, a war erupted between Chile and Peru, the catalyst for which was control of guano-rich Chincha islands. Given the geography of the two countries, with a narrow, arid land border and long exposed coastlines, it was inevitable that the War of the Pacific would predominantly be a naval war. It was a unique episode of military history, fought by two newly emergent South American states, using the latest technology – ironclad, steam-powered warships – and involving more naval battles than in the American Civil War, including a blockade, the capture of key warships, and bombardments of ports. Chile's navy was larger and more modern, while Peru's trump card was the small but powerful ironclad Huáscar. In this book, naval expert Angus Konstam offers readers an essential guide to this little-known naval war, illustrated with detailed profiles of the key ironclads, spectacular original artwork of the battles and a cutaway of Huáscar. He briefly covers the strategies of the warring powers as well as exploring all the key points of the naval campaign and the details of the warships involved, as a handful of ironclads fought for naval supremacy in South America.

This new account explores the most notorious pirates in history and how their rise and fall can be traced back to a single pirate haven, Nassau. Angus Konstam, one of the world's leading pirate experts, has brought his 30 years of research to create the definitive book on the Golden Age of Piracy. Many of the privateers the British had used to prey on French and Spanish shipping during the War of the Spanish Succession turned to piracy. The pirates took over Nassau on the Bahamian island of New Providence and turned it into their own pirate haven, where shady merchants were happy to buy their plunder. It became the hub of a pirate network that included some of the most notorious pirates in history: Blackbeard, 'Calico Jack' Rackam, Charles Vane and Bartholomew Roberts. The growth of piracy led to a major surge in attacks in the Caribbean and along North America's Atlantic seaboard. With the fragile maritime economy of the Americas threatened with collapse, major ports were threatened and trade brought to a standstill, the British government finally declared war on the pirates. The Pirate Menace draws on extensive research, as well as a wide range of first-hand accounts, to produce a new history of the heyday of historical piracy.

An illustrated history of the American-built destroyers and frigates supplied to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease, which played a crucial role in Britain's war in the Atlantic. As U-boat attacks on Britain's vital sea lanes increased in ferocity, and Royal Navy warship losses mounted, the United States passed the Lend-Lease Act, the cornerstone of America's wartime role as armourer to the Allies. Naval historian Angus Konstam here offers an account of the Royal Navy's Lend-Lease destroyers and escorts. The first batch were 50 World War I-era 'four-stacker' destroyers, in a deal sealed by the transfer of several global British bases to the USA. These warships were immediately recrewed, refitted and pressed into service in the Battle of the Atlantic. These ageing destroyers were followed by over a hundred more Lend-Lease warships, many of which were built especially for British service in American shipyards. Their arrival helped tip the balance in the hard-fought war against the U-boats, while others were used to fulfil other crucial wartime missions. With detailed ship profiles of the major classes, a cutaway of HMS Campbeltown (of Saint-Nazaire raid fame) as it appeared in 1941, and superb battlescene artwork, this is a comprehensive look at a crucial aspect of the Battle of the Atlantic.

The first ever illustrated study of the largest and most significant clash between the Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina. The Battle of Matapan witnessed the first use of decisive new technologies to bring about a stunning British victory over the Italian Navy. The Allies had tapped into the Ultra coded messages sent by the Axis powers, and the battle witnessed the use of radar and carrier-based air strikes to bring about a critical night action. The result was the most decisive engagement of the Mediterranean naval war. Written by renowned naval historian Angus Konstam, this book offers for the first time a unique and fully illustrated exploration of the battle. It also examines why, despite the emphatic and decisive Royal Navy victory, the Allies failed to capitalize on the strategic advantage earned in the months that followed. Battlescene artworks bring to life the cruiser clashes early on 28 March off Gavdos, the Fleet Air Arm attacks on the Italian fleet, and the 28/29 March night action that resulted in the destruction of Admiral Carlo Cattaneo's ships – Italy's worst naval defeat. The progress of the action from the initial Operation Gaudo sweep by Italy's powerful battle fleet towards Crete (aimed at disrupting Allied convoys) to the events of the climactic battle itself is revealed in detailed maps.

A highly illustrated introduction to some of the greatest battles in world history, from the iconic encounters of the Ancient World such as Thermopylae and Cannae, through to the major clashes of the 20th century epitomized by Stalingrad and Khe Sanh.This concise study by renowned military historian Angus Konstam examines one hundred of the most famous battles from world history. It includes great naval engagements such as Salamis, Trafalgar, Jutland and Midway; pivotal land battles that decided the fate of nations, such as Hastings, Yorktown, Gettysburg and the Somme; and the impact of the new dimension of aerial warfare in the 20th century at Pearl Harbor, in the Battle of Britain and in the skies over Hiroshima.This highly illustrated book features 100 full-colour battlescene artworks from Osprey's comprehensive archive and is the ideal introduction to the battles that changed the course of history.

A superbly illustrated new account of how Germany's High Seas Fleet was built, operated and fought, as it challenged the world's most powerful navy in World War I. Seven years before the outbreak of World War I, the Imperial German Navy rebranded its Home Fleet as the Hochseeflotte, or High Seas Fleet. It was a force designed to take on the Royal Navy, then the world's most powerful, and for the next four years the North Sea would be their battleground. Drawing on extensive research, Angus Konstam offers the reader a concise, fully illustrated account of how the entire High Seas Fleet was designed and built, how it operated, and how it fought. The fleet was a modern, balanced force of dreadnought battleships, battlecruisers, cruisers and torpedo boats, using Zeppelins and U-boats for reconnaissance. The ultimate test between them came in May 1916, when they clashed at Jutland. Packed with spectacular original artwork, maps, 3D diagrams and archive photos, it explains how and why the fleet was built, its role, and how and why it fought as it did. From fighting doctrine and crew training to intelligence, logistics, and gunnery, this book is an essential guide to the Kaiser's audacious bid for naval glory.

In recent years the phrase 'gunboat diplomacy' has been used to describe the crude use of naval power to bully or coerce a weaker nation. During the reign of Queen Victoria, 'gunboat diplomacy' was viewed very differently. It was the use of a very limited naval force to encourage global stability and to protect British overseas trade. This very subtle use of naval power was a vital cornerstone of the Pax Britannica. Between the Crimean War (1854-56) and 1904, when the gunboat era came to an abrupt end, the Royal Navy's ocean-going gunboats underpinned Britain's position as a global power and fulfilled the country's role as a 'global policeman'. This exciting New Vanguard title describes the rise and fall of the gunboat, the appearance and capability of these vital warships, and what life was like on board. It also examines key actions they were involved in.

This illustrated history explores the cruiser forces of the Italian and British Royal navies, the jack-of-all trades warships of the Mediterranean Naval War. In 1940, when Italy entered World War II, the Royal Navy was badly overstretched, and its Mediterranean Fleet had to face both the Italian Navy and the German and Italian Air Forces in a battle for supremacy. Although the British and Italian battle fleets squared off against each other, they were both often held in reserve, in case the enemy fleet put to sea. So, it was left to the cruisers to wage their own naval war in the Mediterranean. This involved a range of missions, from escorting convoys and hunting enemy ones, to fighting for control of the sea around key locations such as the waters off Malta and Crete. This superbly illustrated study, written by renowned naval expert Angus Konstam, compares and contrasts the design, weapon technologies and combat performance of the opposing cruiser forces. It also documents several major clashes between British, Commonwealth and Italian cruisers, including spirited actions fought off Cape Spada in 1940, a string of actions in the Gulf of Sirte throughout 1941, battles against Axis convoys in 1941–42, and the Battle of Pantelleria in 1942. Among the subjects of the specially commissioned colour artworks are HMAS Sydney, HMS Naiad, RM Trento and RM Raimondo Montecuccoli.

This work offers an intriguing examination of the British naval intervention in the Baltic from 1918 to 1920, detailing the conflict involving British, Soviet, and Baltic nationalist fleets. Following the October 1917 Russian Revolution, the Baltic states became a battleground for Russian Reds and Whites, German forces, and emerging independence movements. In November 1918, Britain intervened to protect its interests and support the nascent Baltic states, initially deploying a small force of cruisers and destroyers, which later expanded to include aircraft carriers, a monitor, and submarines. They faced the formidable Russian Baltic Fleet under Bolshevik control. The ensuing campaign featured naval engagements, highlighted by a daring June 1919 attack on the Soviet naval base at Kronstadt, where British torpedo boats sank the cruiser Oleg, effectively trapping the Russian fleet in port. By early 1920, the British squadron withdrew after the Soviet recognition of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This account delves into the political context of the conflict and the naval operations, providing a concise overview of a strategically significant yet often overlooked campaign that played a role in reshaping Europe's borders.

A gripping examination of the Battle of the Barents Sea, fought in the near darkness and icy cold of the northern winter, in which the Kriegsmarine sought to sever the crucial Allied Arctic Convoy route once and for all.The Arctic convoys that passed through the cold, dangerous waters of the Barents Sea formed a vital lifeline – a strategic link in tanks, supplies and above all goodwill between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. In December 1942, under Operation Regenbogen (Rainbow), the German Kriegsmarine sought to strike a crippling blow on the Arctic convoys and finally sever this all-important sea route. In this fascinating work, renowned naval expert Angus Konstam documents the fate of the Allied Convoy JW 51B as it came under attack from some of the Kriegsmarine's most powerful surface warships – a pocket battleship, a heavy cruiser and six destroyers. Illustrated with stunning battlescene artworks, maps, 3D diagrams and photographs, it explores the David and Goliath struggle between the Allied ships defending the convoy and the powerful German force, until the arrival of the two British cruisers tipped the balance of power. The Battle of the Barents Sea, fought amid snowstorms and the darkness of the Arctic night, would prove to be a turning point in the hard-fought war in northern waters, and would test Hitler's patience with his surface fleet to the limit.

This detailed study of the naval Spanish Civil War describes how the Spanish Navy, torn in two and comprising a Republican and Nationalist part, fought a civil war at sea involving both Hitler's and Mussolini's navies.In July 1936, a pro-fascist coup orchestrated by General Franco tore Spain apart and plunged the country into a bitter civil war. Like Spain itself, the Spanish Navy was torn in two: crews and most ships remained loyal to the Republican government but many of the Navy's officers joined Franco's rebels, and warships under repair or 'mothballed' in southern ports soon fell to the rebel advance. These formed the basis of Franco's 'Nationalist fleet,' and with both Italian and German help, the rebels were able to contest the Republic's control of Spanish waters. Overall the Republican Navy held its own, despite mounting losses, until the collapse of the Republican Army led to the fleet seeking internment in French North Africa.Packed with contemporary photographs and full colour illustrations, this study examines the composition and organization of the two rival fleets, the capabilities of their ships and submarines, and the performance of their crews. It also covers the warships of the Basque Auxiliary Navy - an offshoot of the Republican Fleet - and other navies who played a part in the conflict, most notably the Italian Regia Marina.

At the outbreak of World War II, the German Kriegsmarine had a small U-boat fleet that faced challenges in reaching Britain's North Atlantic convoy routes. To address this, larger surface warships like the armored cruiser Deutschland and the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were deployed as commerce raiders against Allied convoys, yielding mixed results but demonstrating the potential of such operations. The fall of France, Denmark, and Norway in early 1940 significantly changed the strategic landscape, making the Atlantic more accessible. Throughout 1940, cruisers Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper conducted moderately successful sorties. By year-end, with increasing British mercantile losses, plans for a larger raid emerged, culminating in Operation Berlin—the Kriegsmarine's most extensive North Atlantic sortie. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau operated for two months, sinking 22 Allied merchant ships and severely disrupting British supply lines. Following this success, Admiral Lütjens was tasked with a similar mission using the new battleship Bismarck. These early raids illustrated the effectiveness and risks of German surface ships as commerce raiders. This work offers a detailed analysis of the Kriegsmarine's Atlantic operations from 1939 to 1941, appealing to those interested in World War II and Germany's naval history.

Vikingové měli po velkou část historie pověst špinavých a nekulturních barbarů drancujících přímořská území rozsáhlých částí Evropy. Ze svých nuzných domovů na severu se vydávali na nebezpečné výpravy skrz rozbouřené moře, aby v cíli svých plaveb rozsévali strach a zkázu. Počáteční loupežné nájezdy z 8. a 9. století se později proměnily v dobyvačné války s obsazováním nepřátelského území, ale také v navazování obchodních kontaktů. Podobnou transformací prošlo i hodnocení vikingů, a to od loupeživých pirátů přes dobyvatele až k obchodníkům, objevitelům a profesionálním válečníkům. Je možné, že tato kniha změní zažité představy o primitivních vikinzích terorizujících mírumilovné anglosaské a franské obyvatelstvo, odstraní stereotypní obrazy nemytých barbarů s rohatými přilbami a představí nový pohled na bohatý život i svébytnou kulturu vikinského válečníka. Vydejte se spolu s námi na dobrodružnou cestu do jeho domova: Objevte, jakým způsobem vikingové žili, bojovali, ale i umírali, a odhalte bohatství světa vikingů skrývající se v tajemných runách a hrdinských ságách! Podrobná překladová publikace z uznávané edice britského vydavatelství Haynes, plná zasvěcených informací, detailních schémat a ilustrací.

A history and analysis of one of the most dramatic moments in both air power and naval history. With the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse, no battleship was safe on the open ocean, and the aircraft took its crown as the most powerful maritime weapon. In late 1941, war was looming with Japan, and Britain's empire in southeast Asia was at risk. The British government decided to send Force Z, which included the state-of-the-art battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse, to bolster the naval defenses of Singapore, and provide a mighty naval deterrent to Japanese aggression. These two powerful ships arrived in Singapore on 2 December--five days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But crucially, they lacked air cover. On 9 December Japanese scout planes detected Force Z's approach in the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike at Pearl Harbor, battleships at sea could maneuver, and their anti-aircraft defenses were ready. But it did no good. The Japanese dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers were the most advanced in the world, and the battle was one-sided. Strategically, the loss of Force Z was a colossal disaster for the British, and one that effectively marked the end of its empire in the East. But even more importantly, the sinking marked the last time that battleships were considered to be the masters of the ocean. From that day on, air power rather than big guns would be the deciding factor in naval warfare.

W listopadzie 1859 roku miało miejsce wodowanie francuskiego La Gloire. Był to pierwszy na świecie pełnomorski okręt pancerny co prawda zbudowany z drewna, ale z kadłubem pokrytym ochronną warstwą płyt żelaznych. Wielka Brytania, aby nie dać się wyprzedzić, zwodowała w następnym roku swoją własną jednostkę tego typu. Był to HMS Warrior, który po wejściu do służby stał się najpotężniejszym okrętem wojennym na świecie. Podobnie jak Dreadnought pół wieku później, okręt ten zmienił na zawsze naturę wojny morskiej i stał się iskrą rozpoczynającą szalony wyścig zbrojeń. Elegancki i jednocześnie potężny, HMS Warrior ucieleśniał postęp techniczny początku ery wiktoriańskiej oraz ducha nowej ery pary, żelaza i siły ognia. W pełni ilustrowana i zawierająca szczegółowe przekroje książka opisuje brytyjskie okręty pancerne od ich opracowania i pojawienia się w 1860 do 1875 przełomowego roku, podczas którego zbudowano nową generację zdecydowanie nowoczesnych pancerników wieżowych.

From renowned author and naval historian Angus Konstam, this is a gripping account of one of the Royal Navy's bloodiest and most dramatic mutinies.

This title explores the ships and history of the enterprising American patriots who fought the Royal Navy as privateers, and played a major part in winning the Revolutionary War at sea. číst celé

The German battleship Scharnhorst earned a reputation as a lucky ship, having successfully engaged a British battlecruiser and sunk a carrier early in the war. By spring 1943, she was redeployed to Norway, where, alongside the battleship Tirpitz, she threatened Allied Arctic convoys vital to Russia. Over six months, Scharnhorst made two forays into the Barents Sea but only shelled Spitzbergen, yet her presence forced the British to allocate ships to Arctic waters. After Tirpitz was incapacitated and with Hitler demanding naval support for the Eastern Front, Scharnhorst's crew prepared for action. In late December 1943, under Rear-Admiral Bey, she set out to intercept the Allied convoy JW55B in the Barents Sea, unaware that Admiral Fraser was using the convoy as bait. This led to a fierce two-day running battle in harsh conditions, culminating in the destruction of Scharnhorst and nearly all her crew. The loss marked the end of any serious German naval threat to Arctic convoys. In this illustrated study, Angus Konstam, a leading naval historian, provides a compelling analysis and narrative of this pivotal engagement, offering a fresh perspective on the battle that sank the Scharnhorst.

Pirátství existovalo od chvíle, kdy člověk poprvé vyplul na moře. Slovo „pirát“ okamžitě vyvolá představu děsivé postavy v obnošeném kabátě a třírohém klobouku, hrozivě mávající mačetou na palubě lodi jeho bezmocných obětí. Snadno rozeznatelným symbolem pirátství a vzpoury se staly lebka a zkřížené hnáty, které kdysi zdobily pirátské vlajky. V této knize se odborník na piráty Angus Konstam vydává dějinami pirátství napříč stoletími - od mořských nájezdníků, kteří sužovali starověké Egypťany, až po moderní piráty v Somálsku a na Filipínách. Na své cestě se setkává s vikingskými nájezdníky, berberskými korzáry, piráty Dálného Východu, a především slavnými piráty „Zlatého věku“, kdy vody světových moří brázdili muži jako „Černovous“ Teach. Tím, že odděluje reálné dějiny pirátství od hollywoodem inspirované fikce, a mapuje vývoj pirátství v průběhu staletí, podává kniha Svět pirátů realistický obraz tohoto nebezpečného a obávaného podnikání. Díky barevným ilustracím a speciálním mapám představuje ojedělou sondu do světa pirátů.

A ground-breaking narrative account of one of World War II's most exciting chase stories, the pursuit of the legendary German battleship Bismarck. Hunt the Bismarck tells the story of Operation Rheinübung, the Atlantic sortie of Nazi Germany's largest battleship, Bismarck, in May 1941 and her subsequent pursuit by the Royal Navy. Bismarck entered naval service in the summer of 1940. She was well-armed, with eight 15in guns as well as a powerful array of lighter weapons, while her armoured protection earned her the reputation of being unsinkable. This claim was put to the test in May 1941 when she sortied into the Atlantic and fought the legendary battle of the Denmark Strait, destroying HMS Hood, the pride of the Royal Navy. Bismarck was now loose in the North Atlantic. However, damage sustained in the battle limited her ability to roam at will, and the Royal Navy deployed the Home Fleet to avenge the sinking of the Hood. The stage was set for the greatest chase story in the history of naval warfare. Drawing on a wealth of first-hand accounts and intertwining extensive research into a fast-paced narrative, this is the most readable and accurate account of Bismarck's epic pursuit ever produced.

Als das deutsche Schlachtschiff Bismarck 1940 in Dienst gestellt wurde, war es das größte und kampfstärkste Kriegsschiff, das die Welt bis dahin gesehen hatte. Diese Stärke allerdings wurde ihr zum Verhängnis, denn für die Briten war klar, dass die Bismarck mit allen Mitteln daran gehindert werden musste, in den Atlantik zu gelangen. Angus Konstam erzählt in diesem Prachtband die spannende Geschichte der längst zur Legende gewordenen Bismarck, beginnend bei ihrem Bau und Indienststellung über ihre höchstdramatische und tragisch endende erste Feindfahrt bis zur sensationellen Wiederentdeckung ihres Schiffswracks im Jahr 1989.

Since the days of the Ancient Greeks, naval ships of all sizes have revolutionized warfare. This guide provides essential information on 40 iconic ships, using detailed profile artwork to illustrate and aid recognition, as well as specification boxes to provide all the technical details.

During the 17th century, England and Holland engaged in three wars over economic and naval supremacy in the North Sea and the English Channel. The First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-54) saw the Dutch face Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth Navy, which excelled at sea much like his New Model Army on land. After the Restoration in 1660, the Second Dutch War (1665-67) turned the tide in favor of the Dutch, who humiliated the English by burning their fleet in the Medway, forcing Charles II to seek peace. This peace was short-lived, leading to the Third Dutch War (1672-74), characterized by a fiercely contested naval struggle. Ultimately, the Royal Navy emerged victorious, establishing a legacy of naval dominance that would endure for two centuries. This era was revolutionary in warship design, armament, and tactics. The ships at the conflict's start were remnants of an earlier age, designed for chivalrous duels. By the end of the Third Dutch War, they had transformed into ships-of-the-line, which would dominate naval warfare until steam power emerged. This work explores the evolution of these warships during this pivotal period, highlighting how both sides developed their own design doctrines, but ultimately, it was the English who forged a battle-winning navy of sailing ships-of-war.

Exploring the multifaceted history of piracy, this book delves into the lives of notorious figures like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, as well as lesser-known characters, including two women pirates who used cunning to evade execution. It contrasts the romanticized image of pirates with the brutal realities they faced, spanning from ancient marauders to contemporary Somali pirates. By separating myth from reality, it provides a captivating and comprehensive account of piracy's evolution through the ages.

Krvavá historie námořního lupičství od antiky po současnost Dějiny pirátství začaly vzápětí poté, co se člověk vydal na moře. Zkušený historik Angus Konstam, který se tímto tématem zabývá už dlouhou dobu, zavede čtenáře přímo do hlubin temného pirátského světa a poskytne mu dokonalý přehled o krvavých dějinách námořního lupičství od antiky po současnost. Konstam píše o mořských lupičích, kteří sužovali starověký Egypt, o nájezdech Vikingů a o éře privatýrů. Podrobně se zabývá takzvaným „zlatým věkem pirátství“ a populárními postavami, jako byli Černovous a kapitán Kidd, pokračuje prvním setkáním západních mořeplavců s východními piráty u čínského pobřeží a končí fenoménem moderního pirátství. Důsledně při tom odděluje realitu od hollywoodské fikce, nejnověji ztělesněné populární sérií Piráti z Karibiku, a nabízí tak plastickou představu o skutečné krutosti a násilnosti námořního lupičství.

Kniha přináší rozbor invaze španělské Armady do Anglie roku 1588. Podává způsob, jakým mnohem slabší Angličané zabránili loďstvu Filipa II v invazi a jak ho přinutili k ústupu. Plánky bitev a nákresy střetů z ptačí perspektivy.

Die bekanntesten Schiffskatastrophen der Weltmeere, mit Ortsangaben und detaillierter Beschreibung§- Mit Karten für Taucher und Schatzsucher§- Aufregende Unterwasserbilder.

The Ultimate Warship Her keel measured 126 feet, and she stretched to 160 feet overall. Her 46.5-foot beam sacrificed speed for the sake of stability, and the 19 feet of water she drew denied her access to smaller ports. Some saw her enormous size and ungainly proportions as serious drawbacks, but the 102 heavy bronze cannon that bristled from her flanks guaranteed that this black-hulled, ornately decorated monster would live up to her Sovereign of the Seas. The Dutch sailors who faced her in battle called her by another name, “The Golden Devil.” This immensely powerful floating fortress was the culmination of more than two hundred years of competition among the kingdoms of Europe to create the perfect marriage between guns and ships. Their relentless quest for maritime supremacy had produced a seemingly endless succession of grandiose flagships, from Henry V’s Grace à Dieu to Sweden’s ill-fated Vasa. Emerging nation-states had invested vast portions of their treasuries, kings had vied as much for prestige as for power, and thousands of hapless seamen had perished in pursuit of this goal. Sovereigns of the Sea is a gripping tale of an arms race that created and ruined empires, changed the map of the world, and led Europe out of the Renaissance and into the modern age.

Publikace podává nesmírně poutavý a zároveň pravdivý obraz pirátů, kteří se plavili ve vodách Karibiku a podél pobřeží Ameriky během "zlatého věku" pirátství v letech 1660 až 1730. Podrobně líčí, co přimělo jednotlivce k pirátskému životu, jak se piráti oblékali, jaké používali lodě a zbraně, jaké bylo složení posádky i to, jakými zákony se řídila a jak si dělila kořist. Značné místo je pak věnováno portrétům nejvýznačnějších pirátů, kteří představovali skutečnou hrozbu pro námořní dopravu a obchod. Text doprovází velké množství obrazového materiálu.

Seznamuje s dějinami bukanýrů, pirátů a korzárů od 17. století po poslední rozmach pirátství na počátku 19. století. Pohled na loď, na jejímž stěžni se třepotala vlajka s lebkou a zkříženými hnáty, stačil sám o sobě vyvolat hrůzu i v srdci toho nejstatečnějšího námořníka. Pověst pirátů jako krutých, krvežíznivých a nemilosrdných banditů je předcházela přes mnohé oceány. Byli však tito vodní tuláci tak špatní, jak o nich tvrdí legendy? Angus Konstam vypráví celý příběh pirátství od „éry bukanýrů“ v 17. století až po poslední velkou vlnu pirátství na počátku 19. století a zkoumá bouřlivé dějiny těchto hrozivých lupičů. Metla moří popisuje hrůzostrašné piráty ze zlatého věku pirátství, proslulé bukanýry, kteří své loupení prováděli pod záštitou anglické koruny, a neblaze proslulé korzáry z dob americké revoluce, a vypráví o dobrodružných dnech dávno minulých. V této knize jsou rovněž popsány lodě, zbraně, způsoby chování a životy těchto svérázných postav, které brázdily širá moře ve své honbě za kořistí. Knihu doplňují desítky fotografií a ilustrací.

Das Buch von Angus Konstam präsentiert das Mittelalter als eine Zeit voller technischer, künstlerischer und intellektueller Errungenschaften. Es bietet eine anschauliche Darstellung der Baukunst und Kultur dieser Epoche, ergänzt durch zahlreiche Farbfotos, Karten und Illustrationen für eine sinnliche Entdeckung.

Beschreibung der Heiligen Kriege mit ihren streitenden Parteien und Machtkämpfen: Mit zahlreichen Karten, Diagrammen, Skizzen und farbigen Bildern über die Welt der Kreuzfahrer.

"Die Kelten" beschreibt die keltische Geschichte, die Gesellschaftsordnung und ihre Überzeugungen. Das Buch verfolgt die Entwicklung der keltischen Religion und Mythologie von den Anfängen bis heute und präsentiert die unvergleichlichen Meisterwerke keltischer Metallbearbeitung, Plastik und Buchillustration. Zahlreiche Karten, Fotos und Zeichnungen ergänzen den Text, der einen informativen, fundierten Einblick in die keltische Vergangenheit wie auch das bis heute lebendige Erbe der keltischen Kultur und Identität vermittelt.

Auf Spurensuche in der heroischen Welt des Odysseus' und Sokrates': Griechische Dichter und Philosophen schufen die Grundlagen unseres kulturellen Erbes. In Griechenland blühten die ersten Demokratien, und das Reich umspannte zu Zeiten Alexanders des Großen einen Großteil des damals bekannten Erdkreises. Spezielle Karten und viele Abbildungen lassen die einflussreiche Zivilisation lebendig werden.

Osprey's examination of the naval conflict between England and Spain in 1588. The thwarted invasion of England by the Spanish Armada is studied here in fascinating detail. How, in a few short days, Philip II's fleet was stopped from invading England and forced into full retreat is looked at in a new and unique way. With the help of battle plans and bird's eye views of the action, leading historian Angus Konstam considers many of the intriguing questions surrounding the campaign, concluding with details of how the Armada's disastrous return voyage around Scotland and Ireland became one of the most tragic episodes in maritime history.

The swashbuckling English sea captains of the Elizabethan era were a particular breed of adventurer, combining maritime and military skill with a seemingly insatiable appetite for Spanish treasure. Angus Konstam describes these characters, including such well-known sea dogs as Francis Drake, Walter Raleigh, John Hawkins and Martin Frobisher. For about 40 years they fought a private war with the Spanish, and while their success in defeating the Spanish Armada is well known, this book also covers their exploits in the New World.

A study of the age of exploration includes short biographies of explorers and their accomplishments, and profiles of cultures such as the Japanese and Inca, and their response to foreign invaders.

For over 50 years, English, French and Dutch buccaneers launched devastating attacks on Spanish towns, ports and shipping. Well-known buccaneers such as Henry Morgan carried out raids under the protection of the English crown, and the French even used buccaneers to help capture the great Spanish city of Cartagena!

This second volume (see MAA 297) by Angus Konstam on the Russian Army of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) concentrates on the cavalry, both the regular troops and irregular forces, considering their composition, nature and effectiveness. It also outlines the state of the Russian train of artillery, which was seen as the premier branch of the army and dominated Russian military doctrine throughout the 18th century. As a result of reforms, the Russians entered the war with Prussia somewhat wrong footed. The ability of the army to recover from this in the crucible of war is a major part of this story.

Osprey's Campaign title for the climax of the Italian Wars (1494-1559). The battle of Pavia has been hailed as the first modern battle, marking the rise of hand held weapons as a tool of warfare. In this titanic clash - the most decisive of the Italian Wars, caused by French territorial ambitions in first the Kingdom of Naples and then the Duchy of Milan - the French troops were smashed by the Spanish Imperial Army. King Francis I was captured, and the cream of his nobility slaughtered. France's greatest defeat since Agincourt, the battle dramatically swung the balance of power in Western Europe.

During the long and costly conflict known as the Great Northern War (1700-1721), Peter the Great and his newly formed Russian army, which was modelled on western European lines, defeated their Swedish counterparts, who were generally regarded as being the finest troops in Europe. Angus Konstam examines the development, equipment and organisation of the Russian army following the death of Peter the Great, and describes its emergence from three decades of experimentation and political involvement as a major military power during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). This first of two volumes covers the Russian infantry, with its companion, Men-at-Arms 298, focusing on the cavalry.

The figure of Tsar Peter the Great dominated Russia in the 18th century. Within a few decades his reforms had brought about changes from which no section of Russian life remained immune, paving the way for Russia's emergence as a major military power. By the time of his death in 1725, the man who greeted the birth of his son with the exclamation 'another recruit' had forged a dominant European power, and his legacy is still felt today. In this first of two volumes, Angus Konstam examines the organisation, tactics, uniforms and equipment of Peter the Great's infantry troops, in a text complemented by a multitude of illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by David Rickman.