By Sword and Fire: Cruelty and Atrocity in Medieval Warfare

For all the talk of chivalry, medieval warfare routinely involved acts which we would consider war crimes. Lands laid waste, civilians slaughtered, prisioners massacred: this was standard fare justified by tradition and practical military necessity. Sean McGlynn´s compelling portait of war in the Middle Ages reveals the true face of medieval conflict through its battles, seiges and campaigns.