Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, was an unlikely choice to defend the throne of newly crowned Queen Mary Tudor. He was 80 at the time.   More »

The battle-ax was developed in A.D. 500. The first version, the francisca, was named after Frankish warriors who used them against the Romans.   More »

The lull in the fighting on the Western Front in 1940 came to be known as the Phony War.   More »

Future Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe narrowly escaped prison, slavery, or the gallows after the misbegotten Battle of Sedgemoor.   More »

A much-feared hand-held weapon, the crossbow was once banned by the Catholic Church. But its origins are found in ancient China. Read more inside.   More »

In the spring of 1356, Edward the Black Prince launched another chevauchée north from Gascony to attack King John.   More »

The Later Crusades weren’t called as such during their time, but were considered pilgrimages by those who were said to be ‘taking the cross.’   More »

The Allied troops at Gallipoli believed they fought for democracy, but few realized that the Turks were fighting for a higher ideal—their country’s future.   More »

In October 1759, after a three-week trek through bitter winds and rough terrain, Roberts’ Rangers attacked the village of St. Francis outside Montreal.   More »

Both British and U.S. soldiers liked the Thompson submachine or ‘Tommy’ gun for its rugged dependability and knock-down firepower, and it was certainly in the fighting across Europe that the Thompson excelled.   More »