The ascent of the Plantagenets to the English throne in 1154 led to the
beginning of a new historical phase in the British Isles, which was
marked by numerous wars that were fought between the Kingdom of England
and the 'Celtic nations' of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. During the rule
of the Norman kings, the English armies had not completed the conquest
of Wales and had established only some footholds in Ireland; Scotland
was still independent and was ready to contest the Plantagenets'
possession of northern England. As a result of this situation, the two
centuries between the rise of the new dynasty and the beginning of the
Hundred Years' War were characterized by a series of wars that ravaged
feudal England. Gabriele Esposito covers all these conflicts, following
the campaigns of Richard the Lionheart as well as those of his younger
brother who was defeated on the continent at the large Battle of
Bouvines; the conquest of Wales is analyzed in detail, as well as the
First Scottish War of Independence that saw William Wallace playing a
prominent role. The organization and equipment of all the troop types
taken into account is described in full detail and lavishly illustrated
with color images of reenactors, bringing these forces to life.