Pen & Sword Military, 2018. Hardcover. New tightly bound hardcover with new DJ. 8vo. 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches). Clean text free of marks or underlining.B&W maps and illustrations. Includes endnotes, bibliography and an index. 280 pp.

Fast shipping in a secure book box mailer with tracking. New. Item #100162
ISBN: 9781526733573

David Cooper's book reappraises the evidence regarding the early battles for Wessex territory. It charts the sequence of battles from the c. AD 500 siege of Badon Hill, in which the Britons defeated the first Saxon attempt to gain a foothold in Wessex territory, to Langport in 710, which consolidated King Ine's position and pushed the Britons westwards. Discussion of the post-Roman British and Germanic factions provides context and background to Badon Hill, which is then covered in detail and disentangled from Arthurian legend. In considering how the opposing commanders are likely to have planned their campaigns, enduring principles of military doctrine and tactics are discussed, using examples from other periods to illustrate how these principles applied in Dark Ages Britain. Going on to follow subsequent campaigns of the West Saxons in southern Britain, a credible assessment is made of how these resulted in the establishment of a viable Wessex kingdom, two centuries after Badon. Grounded in the latest academic and archaeological evidence, David Cooper offers a number of new insights and ideas.

Price: $15.95