David Lindholm – författare

While Scandinavia's 'Viking Age' is one of the most studied aspects of early medieval history, much less has been published about the centuries that followed.Yet the armies of Sweden, Norway and Denmark offer fascinating differences from the rest of medieval Western Europe, both in their organisation and their war gear - due partly to their remoteness, climate and terrain, but partly to their long freedom from the feudal system of other kingdoms.This book explains the special nature of Scandinavian armies, shaped by the relative weakness of kings and aristocrats, and the contrasts between the separate nations of the North.

This book describes and illustrates the armour, weapons, fortifications and ships of one of the least-known phases of the Medieval Crusades.The expeditions by Scandinavian Catholics against the pagan peoples to the east of the Baltic Sea, resulted in clashes with the Eastern Orthodox Russian princes of Novgorod and Muscovy. From isolated castles built in this bleak wilderness of forests, lakes and bogs, the small garrisons struggled equally against the enemy and the harsh terrain and climate.The text is illustrated with photographs of rare museum relics and of castles, and spirited colour plates by Angus McBride.