Charles XII's Karoliners


Book Description

This book is a continuation of the special series devoted to the Swedish Army from the time of Charles XII. It examines in detail the uniforms and equipment of the Swedish cavalry during the Great North War. Based on iconographic and written sources, the development, changes, and differences in the uniforms and equipment of officers, non-commissioned officers, troopers and musicians, of both the Horse and the Dragoon regiments, as well as their horse furniture are covered. A separate chapter examines changes in the uniform of the Royal Drabant Corps. The book uses material from published studies and articles, as well as previously unpublished documents and other little-known illustrated material. The text is complemented by paintings, details of paintings, and engravings of Swedish cavalrymen created during the period of the Great Northern War. Many of the details from the paintings are shown here for the first time. The author has used numerous artifacts and portraits, as well as archive sources, on the theme of the Swedish army during the Great North War from the collections of Swedish museums as well as those of museums in both Russia and the Ukraine. As in the first volume dedicated to the Swedish infantry and artillerymen, the book presents photographs of various finds of items of Swedish equipment found on the battlefields of the Great North War. Additionally, the book presents many of the author's reconstructions of uniform items of the Swedish cavalry, in both color and black and white, especially created for this book. The presented information will prove invaluable to professional historians, museum staff, artists, participants in the various military-historical re-enactment societies, as well as to those enthusiasts who reconstruct the armies and battles of the Great North War on their wargaming tables.




Masters of Warfare


Book Description

In Masters of Warfare, Eric G. L. Pinzelli presents a selection of fifty commanders whose military achievements, skill or historical impact he believes to be underrated by modern opinion. He specifically does not include the household names (the "Gods of War" as he calls them) such as Alexander, Julius Caesar, Wellington, Napoléon, Rommel or Patton that have been covered in countless biographies. Those chosen come from every period of recorded military history from the sixth century BC to the Vietnam War. The selection rectifies the European/US bias of many such surveys with Asian entries such as Bai Qi (Chinese), Attila (Hunnic), Subotai (Mongol), Ieyasu Tokugawa (Japanese) and Võ Nguyên Giáp (Vietnamese). Naval commanders are also represented by the likes of Khayr al-Din Barbarossa, Francis Drake and Michiel de Ruyter. These 50 "Masters of War" are presented in a chronological order easy to follow, with a concise overview of their life and career. Altogether they present a fascinating survey of the developments and continuities in the art of command, but most importantly their contribution to the evolution of weaponry, tactic and strategy through the ages.




Charles XII of Sweden


Book Description




Transitional Justice in Troubled Societies


Book Description

This book discusses the crucial strategic topic for the practical implementation of transitional justice in post-conflict societies by arguing that the dilemma is defined by the extent to which the actual achievement of the political goals of transition is a necessary condition for the long-term observance and implementation of justice. While in many cases the ‘blind’ criminal justice does not enhance, and even militates against, the achievement of political transitions, an understanding of transitional justice as a fundamentally political process is novel, controversial and a concept which may shape the future of transitional justice. This collection contributes to developing this concept both theoretically and through concrete and current case studies from the worlds most pronounced crisis spots for transitional justice.




Peter the Great's Revenge


Book Description

The siege of the Swedish stronghold of Narva by the Russians in 1704 is very typical yet rather unusual operation of this kind. Its study covers both operational and tactical levels, deals with peculiarities of the siege warfare, and describes everyday life of the participants.




Charles XII's Karoliners Volume 2


Book Description

The book is the second part in a special series dedicated to the Swedish army of Kara 12. It looks at the uniforms and equipment of the Swedish cavalry. The first part deals with the uniforms and equipment of the infantry and artillery. The book uses rare and previously unpublished illustrative material, photos, black and white graphic, and color reconstructions of Swedish soldiers and officers by the author.







Charles XII's Karoliners


Book Description

This book examines the evolution and changes in Swedish infantry and artillery uniforms during the Great Northern War. The author reconstructs in detail the appearance of infantry and artillery officers, NCOs, and privates of the time of Charles XII, drawing on a number of studies and articles, and based on extant artifacts, and written and iconographic documents that have survived to our time. The book illustrates both major and minor changes in the cut, style, and adornments of the uniforms of infantry and artillery officers, NCOs, and privates that occurred shortly before or during the war. It also provides detailed insights into the differences between the Carolean uniforms of the “older model” of 1687, which served as the basis for later modifications, and the “younger model” of 1706, as well as into different variations in transitional models existing between the two. The book also studies the different variations of headgear used by Swedish officers, NCOs, and privates, with a particular focus on grenadier caps, and examines soldiers’ accouterments and dress. The uniforms and insignia of Swedish infantry and artillery officers are described in a separate section. Along with published sources, this book also relies on little-known or previously unpublished documents. The text is accompanied with photos of surviving uniforms, archaeological finds and period artworks, and is richly illustrated with the author’s graphic reconstructions of period uniforms. A full-color section is dedicated to the author’s own plates, which show officers, NCOs, and privates of Charles XII’s army during the Great Northern War. These eye-catching graphic reconstructions with detailed descriptions will be helpful for historians, artists, reenactors, and filmmakers. They will also be invaluable to those who are fond of historical figurines and to those who create their own tabletop armies to play out historical battles.




Armies of the Great Northern War 1700–1720


Book Description

This detailed study explains and illustrates the Russian, Scandinavian, Polish, and German armies of the crucial series of wars that saw Russia's arrival as a great military power in Northern Europe, displacing Sweden's 60-year hegemony. The Great Northern War was a long series of campaigns in which Russia, linked with several other countries in temporary alliances, confronted and eventually replaced Sweden as the predominant power in Northern Europe. While contemporary with the Duke of Marlborough's pivotal campaigns against France, the Great Northern War was in fact more decisive, since it reshaped the Northern European power balance up to the eve of the Napoleonic Wars. It began with a series of astonishing Swedish victories lead by King Charles XII, from Denmark to Poland and deep into Germany. But Peter the Great of Russia showed steadfast determination, and Charles overreached himself when he invaded Russia in 1708; the Russians adopted classic “scorched earth” tactics until they could destroy the Swedish army at Poltava in 1709, one of the most overwhelming victories in history. Nevertheless, Sweden continued to fight, and frequently win, in Germany, Denmark, and Norway, until Charles' death in battle in 1718, though the war itself did not conclude until 1721. This study explores, in detail, the numerous armies and complex alliances engaged in the war for Northern European dominance. Containing accurate full-color artwork and unrivaled detail, Armies of the Great Northern War offers a vivid insight into the troops which battled for control of the North.




Young Rilke and His Time


Book Description

A look at neglected aspects of the early career of one of the premier poets of the German language.