Bücher von Marion McNealy

The wars of the 16th century were different from the isolated conflicts of the 15th century, spanning the continent and engaging many different parties at the same time. Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V were challenged on many fronts, externally by the Swiss, French, and Ottoman Turks, along with internal conflicts between the German princes and their people. It was a time of uprisings and invasions, of broken treaties and of instability, religious reformation and rebellions. Some of these conflicts were recorded in woodcut form, and published shortly after they happened. These woodcuts show the Landsknecht and their opponents in action, instead the more commonly seen individual depictions. The book contains scenes from the battles and sieges depicted in the German single sheet woodcuts: Pavia, Vienna, Budapest, and Münster… these along with many others, are all presented as a whole, then each individual plate, and pages of details, magnified for better viewing. There is also a brief description of the battle, and an explanation of the scenes in the woodcuts.

Heraldry was an important part of everyday life in early modern 16th century Germany. It defined in easily identifiable pictures who and what belonged to whom. It was used by towns and families alike to mark property, identify members of the family and staff, and served as a rallying point for patriotic identity. However, it was not always easy for the ordinary person to keep track of which flag belonged to which town or family. During this era, many heraldry books and resources were created and published to assist in identification, such as this guide to the heraldic flags of the Holy Roman Empire. Published originally in 1545, this guide provides the modern reader with an amazing wealth of 143 full color woodcuts depicting the flags, Landsknecht military clothing and amour of the time. Amazingly, the woodcuts were painted very close to the publication date, resulting in a fantastic reference source for the wide range of colors and styles in male military clothing fashions for the 1540s. It's a must have reference book for anyone interested in mid-16th century German clothing, armor or heraldry.