Even as a canon, he lived in princely style, with a retinue of two knights and forty squires, and he wrote at the request of John of Hainault, the uncle of queen Philippa. He was thus able to draw directly on the verbal accounts of the Crécy campaign given to him by soldiers from Hainault who had fought on both sides; and his description of warfare in Scotland is the most realistic account of what it was like to be on campaign that survives from this period.
The medieval court historian Jean Froissart is famous today for writing the ‘Chronicles’, a voluminous and detailed account of the fourteenth century, which concerns the “honourable adventures and feats of arms” of the Hundred Years’ War. As a scholar, Froissart lived among the nobility of several European courts and he travelled widely. His ‘Chronicles’ remains the most important document of feudal times in Europe and the best contemporary exposition of chivalric and courtly ideals. Delphi’s Medieval Library provides eReaders with rare and precious works of the Middle Ages, with noted English translations and the original texts. This eBook presents Froissart’s ‘Chronicles’, with multiple translations, illustrations and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Froissart's life and works * Features the two translations of the ‘Chronicles’, as well as the original French text * Concise introduction to Froissart’s work * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the chapters you want to read with individual contents tables * Lord Berners’ celebrated translation (edited by G. C. Macaulay), widely regarded as one of the greatest translations of the English language * Includes Thomas Johnes’ comprehensive 1848 translation, first time in digital print * Features two bonus biographies — discover Froissart’s medieval world CONTENTS: The Translations The Chronicles: Lord Berners’ Translation, 1535 The Chronicles: Thomas Johnes’ Translation, 1848 The Original Text Contents of the French Text The Biographies Jean Froissart (1911) by Walter Besant Jean Froissart (1913) by Louis René Bréhier
The story of the First Crusade, as witnessed by contemporary writers 'O day so ardently desired! O time of times the most memorable! O deed before all other deeds!' The fall of Jerusalem in the summer of 1099 to an exhausted and starving army of western European soldiers was one of the most extraordinary events of the Middle Ages. It was both the climax of a great wave of visionary Christian fervour and the beginning of what proved to be a futile and abortive attempt to implant a new European kingdom of heaven in an overwhelmingly Muslim world. This remarkable collection brings together a wide variety of contemporary accounts of the First Crusade, including Pope Urban II's initial call to arms of 1095, as well as the first-hand writings of priests, knights, a Jewish pilgrim, a destitute noblewoman, an Iraqi poet and the historian Anna Comnena. Together they provide a vivid and nuanced picture of the First Crusade and the people who were swept up in it. Edited with an introduction and notes by Christopher Tyerman
"In Jeans, journalist and pop culture critic James Sullivan tells the story of this amazing garment, from its humble utilitarian origins to its ubiquitous presence in the twenty-first-century global economy. Beginning with the appearance of front-buckled denim pants in nineteenth-century America, Sullivan untangles the legends surrounding the origin of jeans and traces their adoption as work clothing in the West. Jeans then follows their mass production by regional entrepreneurs including San Francisco's legendary Levi Strauss, their widespread adoption as youth clothing and westernwear in the twentieth century, and their popularization around the world."--BOOK JACKET.
The story of denim's rise from modest workpants to high-fashion statement. Ever since Levi Strauss made the first blue jean pants in California in the 1870s, everyone has wanted a pair. No one imagined America's love of denim would travel around the world, yet jeans remain an essential part of our lives. The Blue Jean Book chronicles this love affair. Researchers suggest we're happiest when we're in our jeans. They express our personalities: compare the person who wears the latest designer label to someone who prefers the thrift store variety. The Blue Jean Book takes you deep into the world of denim. Chapters include: The Birth of the Blues: 1870 to 1900 -- Levi Strauss and the origin of jeans Movers and Shakers: 1900 to 1940 -- From workpants to play pants Blue Jean Time Machine: 1940 to 1970 -- From WWII wear to the trademark of teen rebellion The Jean Scene: 1980s -- Jeans go designer Borderless Blues: 1990s -- The politics of pants: sweatshops, ecological impacts Panting for Perfection -- 21st century jeans From their origins with hardscrabble miners and cowboys, to their popularity among laborers, rebels, and the incurably hip, The Blue Jean Book is the perfect fit for anyone who wants to know the story behind the seams.