Featured battle : Assaye

Part of British Conquest of India

Date : 23 September 1803

Arthur Wellesley, later to become the Duke of Wellington, with a force of only 13,500 men and 22 guns defeated the Princes of Scind and Berar with their army of 95,000 men and 98 guns. The engagement was close run, very tough, and displayed Wellesley's offensive brilliance.

Lepanto 1571

Nic Fields
Here it is all you need to know about Lepanto and much more. This is Lepanto in the round set within its context which is the sixteenth century almost everything which has a bearing on the battle is herein. For instances included are a brief history of the Knights Hospitallers, the development of the galley, Janissaries, the confusion around the naming of big guns and the power politics of all participants. The footnotes alone make fascinating reading and also refer out to more information on most of the topics discussed in the book. The bibliography covers eleven pages in fairly small typeface. There are a few illustrations and maps.
The author, Nic Fields, does not ‘talk down’ to the reader but, while not being a dry academic tone, leaves one aware of the considerable scholarship which has gone into the writing.
This is a book to get immersed in and we highly recommend it to everyone with any interest in the sixteenth century generally and the development of naval warfare in particular.

Pen & Sword Maritime, 2020