Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe

Some seminal works get the exposure they deserve; others languish. The difference between the two is often the flash of the subject. John Keegan made his mark with The Face of Battle, beginning his investigations of battle experience with three famous battles. Bert Hall’s Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe: Gunpowder, Technology, and Tactics doesn’t have the allure of Waterloo or Agincourt and won’t get the attention Keegan’s book did. Nonetheless, …

…to this indicates he realizes his vulnerability on this point. Hall’s book could have been deadly dull, especially because he discusses technical areas such as chemistry and metallurgy. However, his style remains lively throughout. He intersperses his discussion of technical points with vivid descriptions of how the topics discussed were used and seen by contemporaries. All military historians wishing to gain insight into the relations of technology, society and war should read this book.