The Art of War in the Middle Ages (378-1515) (Summarized Edition)

The Art of War in the Middle Ages (378-1515) (Summarized Edition)

Enriched edition. From Adrianople to Marignano: Knights, Longbowmen, Swiss Pike, and the Rise of Gunpowder WarfareBy Charles Oman
Michael Caine
Listen with Sir Michael Caine™ and 1,000+ voices
Length2h 20m

About this audiobook

Spanning from Adrianople (378) to Marignano (1515), Charles Oman's classic surveys the long transformation of European warfare from late Roman and Byzantine paradigms through the ascendancy of the mailed knight to the infantry revolutions of the longbowman, the Swiss pike, and early gunpowder. In lucid Victorian prose, Oman interweaves battle narratives—Hastings, Bouvines, Courtrai, Crécy, and Agincourt—with analysis of recruitment, armament, and command to show how social institutions molded tactics. His comparative method, grounded in close reading of chronicles, places the book at the birth of professional military historiography. A scholar of vast range and later Chichele Professor of Modern History at Oxford, Oman brought philological rigour and a campaign historian's eye to medieval sources. His training amid late nineteenth‑century debates on feudalism and state formation, and his lifelong interest in tactical evolution, shaped a project intent on disentangling legend from practice. This work remains indispensable for students of medieval studies, military history, and the history of technology. Even where subsequent archaeology and source criticism have refined particular conclusions, Oman's sweep, clarity, and taxonomic insight make the book a reliable scaffolding for further study and an invigorating guide to how Europeans learned to fight across a millennium. Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the author's voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable—distilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.

Audiobook details

GenreHistory
Length2 hrs 20 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 8, 2026
LanguageEnglish

Table of contents

1Introduction
9The Byzantines and their Enemies - A.D. 582–1071.
2Introduction
10The Supremacy of Feudal Cavalry - A.D. 1066–1346.
3Synopsis
11The Swiss - A.D. 1315–1515.
4Historical Context
12The English and their Enemies - A.D. 1272–1485.
5The Art of War in the Middle Ages (378-1515)
13Conclusion
Show all chapters
6Introduction
14Analysis
7The Transition from Roman to Mediæval Forms in War - A.D. 378–582.
15Reflection
8The Early Middle Ages - A.D. 476–1066–81.

More from Charles Oman

You may also like

Unarmoured ships
Unarmoured shipsThomas Allnutt Brassey1h 5m$2 · $0.00
Naval Warfare
Naval WarfareJames R. Thursfield2h 33m$2 · $0.00
The Battle of Stone River
The Battle of Stone RiverHenry Myron Kendall25m$2 · $0.00
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783Alfred Thayer Mahan22h 4m$2.30
Saarbrück to Paris, 1870: A Strategical Sketch
Saarbrück to Paris, 1870: A Strategical SketchLt. Col. Sisson C. Pratt5h 12m$15
The Art of War
The Art of WarAntoine Henri baron de Jomini13h 57m$2 · $0.00
Battle Of Alerheim, 1645, In The Thirty Years' War
Battle Of Alerheim, 1645, In The Thirty Years' WarAndré Geraque Kiffer2h 10m$5 · $0.00
The Histories of Polybius
The Histories of PolybiusPolybius51h 33m$2 · $0.00
The Navy as a Fighting Machine
The Navy as a Fighting MachineBradley A. Fiske11h 25m$1 · $0.00
Some Principles of Maritime Strategy
Some Principles of Maritime StrategyJulian Stafford Corbett10h 16m$2 · $0.00
History of the British Army (Vol.1&2)
History of the British Army (Vol.1&2)J. W. Fortescue44h 42m$3 · $0.00
Naval Battle Of Salamis, 480 Bc
Naval Battle Of Salamis, 480 BcAndré Geraque Kiffer1h 6m$5 · $0.00
The Navy as a Fighting Machine
The Navy as a Fighting MachineBradley A. Fiske7h 45m$1 · $0.00
The War with Mexico (Vol.1&2)
The War with Mexico (Vol.1&2)Justin Harvey Smith$2 · $0.00
The gunsmith's manual
The gunsmith's manualJ. Parish Stelle, Wm. B. Harrison9h 15m$2 · $0.00
The Art of War in the Middle Ages (378-1515)
The Art of War in the Middle Ages (378-1515)Charles Oman6h 1m$1 · $0.00
The History of Naval Warfare 1660-1783
The History of Naval Warfare 1660-1783Alfred Thayer Mahan20h 55m$2 · $0.00
Our Second Line of Defences
Our Second Line of DefencesJ. W. Brooks1h 13m$2 · $0.00
Latin for Beginners
Latin for BeginnersBenjamin L. D'Ooge12h 38m$1 · $0.00
Naval Battle Of Lissa, 1866
Naval Battle Of Lissa, 1866André Geraque Kiffer1h 15m$5 · $0.00