SeanF Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 On 2/16/2024 at 7:53 PM, Zorral said: For whatever reasons, am finding this week's installment on Brad Devereaux's Unmitigated Pedantry particularly interesting -- it's been a while since any of his entry subjects have grabbed enough to read all the way through or read the comments. https://acoup.blog/2024/02/16/collections-phalanxs-twilight-legions-triump-part-iib-handfuls-of-maniples/ Strategic Depth -- yes! let's go, and Logistics, yay! Brett is very good at logistics, not so good with some other subjects. This was particularly appreciated as a point for making his case(s): I not knowing so much about these matters, wonder if this means the British empire managed to do both -- extract tribute (in whatever form it was called, whether opium or slaves or tea, as well as booty, gold, jewels) and service, even if the Raj wasn't composed of what exactly could be called allies -- colonies, perhaps, but not allies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Finally finished reading Ambler, Sophie T. (2019) The Song of Simon de Montfort: England’s First Revolution and the Death of Chivalry. https://www.military-history.org/books/review-the-song-of-simon-de-montfort-englands-first-revolution-and-the-death-of-chivalry.htm It was rather hard going as the author is a good researcher and historian but doesn't have the gift / skills that make for being a good writer. It was a bit disconcerting to read a history of this period centered on this figure, when mostly I, at least, have encountered him as a Foreign Rebel and primary enemy for the young Edward I's succession Whereas in this study, this Montfort, who got himself to become an English Earl at one point, was passionate about reforming the abuses of the royal rule and extending the Magna Carta, and a truly devout fellow who wore a hair shirt 24/7 by the end, even under armor. As his father in France before him massacred Albigensians and Jews as enemies of The Faith, so Simon Monfort in England slaughtered and / or held up Jews for their monies whenever it suited him, as, 1) killing Jews was Good; 2) he needed/wanted the money. Not a great deal is made of this by the writer, while a great deal is made of him as a political reformer for 'the non-powerful'. Yet it seems Montfort himself was as guilty of power hubris as anyone else, and that along with an insatiable desire for more lands and titles for himself and his large number of sons and daughters, is what really brought him down. However, the argument the author makes, that Simon Montfort was a bellwether for the end of the classical manner of chivalry among one's own is a very interesting one, and one into which i can buy to a large degree. Funnily enough, I sat next to Sophie Ambler, at dinner, after hearing her give a lecture based on that book. She’s right that warfare turned increasingly brutal c.1270. Both Edward I and Philip the Fair maximised cruelty. We also got talking about the chevauchee, which she described bluntly as “murder, rape, and arson.” Myrddin and Zorral 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 (edited) 3 hours ago, SeanF said: Funnily enough, I sat next to Sophie Ambler, at dinner, after hearing her give a lecture based on that book. She’s right that warfare turned increasingly brutal c.1270. Both Edward I and Philip the Fair maximised cruelty. We also got talking about the chevauchee, which she described bluntly as “murder, rape, and arson.” O wooooo! Lucky you! And you betcha that's what chevauchee was, and nothing else -- except plunder too, before everything else got burned. I just keep thinking of those regions in France, for decades of the Hundred Years War, subjected to this from every side -- and the Black Death too. No wonder many entire sections and communities didn't recover until sometime in the 18th C -- or never at all. And speaking of: the sequel volume to Dan Jones's Essex Dogs, Wolves of Winter, is now out and available. https://mjporterauthor.blog/2023/10/22/today-im-reviewing-wolves-of-winter-by-dan-jones-on-the-blog-blogtour-newrelease-thehundredyearswar-wolvesofwinter/ https://openlettersreview.com/posts/wolves-of-winter-by-dan-jones Edited February 21 by Zorral Myrddin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilbur Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 2 hours ago, Zorral said: These very short books, in which protag and his ensemble don't ever get too disturbed, are perfect for fone/tablet reading while traveling -- Pearce, Michael. Mamur Zapt 19 book series -- first volume in 1988, last one 2016. Starts in 1903, pre-WWI, Anglo Egypt Cairo. The title is the head of the Secret Police/Intelligence, who is our protagonist, Gareth Cadwallader Owen, a Welsh army captain. Michael Pearce's Mamur Zapt books are tremendous in that he absolutely gets the tone and worldview of the multi-ethnic post- (or nearly-post) colonial environment of places like Cairo. His portrayal of what it is like to live in <an area with multiple, competing, distinct ethnic, cultural, and religious groups in an environment with different legal codes operant depending upon an individual's ethnicity or religion> is very accurate. If you are an American, this is very likely a world so alien to your experience that it practically qualifies as Science Fiction. But the stories are set in an historical reality of the Anglo-French colonial administration of Egypt. And his characters and mysteries are interesting and well-plotted. Pearce is a very good writer, and his prose is smooth and easy. I highly recommend them. Zorral 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 (edited) 53 minutes ago, Wilbur said: If you are an American, this is very likely a world so alien to your experience that it practically qualifies as Science Fiction. Not in the least, not to me anyway. I'm not entirely ignorant of the history of Egypt in the 19th Century -- or for that matter how the Empire(s) dealt not only with Egypt but all of North Africa, from the Sudan to the Maghrib, and even points south. Good grief, Mbanza Kongo, and its diplomatic relations with Europe and the Vatican, already by the end of the 15th C. Or for that matter, the Asian parts, the Caribbean and the Americas. Meaning by empires, Portugal, Spain, France, Britain starting with the age of exploration/colonialization, and then in the 20th century, the second age of Revolution/Independence. Or the literary works that came out this experience from both sides. Not to mention how much time I've been putting into the Ottomans and Mamelukes, and previous to that, for that matter. Also, Ptolemies and Romans. Ha! I also live in a very diverse condition of languages, cultures, and histories. Now the legal code is supposed to be the same for us all, even here, but it differs tremendously depending on money, color, religion, etc. in how one is treated, and -- as, say, with the Hasidim, for instance, and the rich and connected, never punished for one's crimes and transgressions. But the poor -- the homeless now -- o my. Edited February 22 by Zorral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 8 hours ago, Wilbur said: Michael Pearce's Mamur Zapt books are tremendous in that he absolutely gets the tone and worldview of the multi-ethnic post- (or nearly-post) colonial environment of places like Cairo. His portrayal of what it is like to live in <an area with multiple, competing, distinct ethnic, cultural, and religious groups in an environment with different legal codes operant depending upon an individual's ethnicity or religion> is very accurate. If you are an American, this is very likely a world so alien to your experience that it practically qualifies as Science Fiction. But the stories are set in an historical reality of the Anglo-French colonial administration of Egypt. And his characters and mysteries are interesting and well-plotted. Pearce is a very good writer, and his prose is smooth and easy. I highly recommend them. One of the things that it can be very hard to appreciate is that the kind of nationalism that's taken for granted today, barely existed prior to c.1800. Few thought it strange to have rulers who were foreign. Most peoples' loyalties were to their religion, their tribe, their clan, their family, their lord, or their king. The concept of being loyal to a "nation", made up of of multiple creeds and ethnic groups, would have seemed absurd to most people. And, the whole idea of different religious groups having different codes of law, would have made far more sense than having citizens governed by the same laws. Even the whole idea of treason means something quite different today. Today, it means betraying your country. Once, it meant betraying your king, lord, master, or husband. European armies were full of soldiers of fortune from different countries, and no one thought of them as traitors. The French Revolution really upended how people thought about group loyalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Napoleon and his Code / New System upended so much. Not for women though ... and he did re-establish slavery as legal and right. Or tried to. We still do have mercenary military forces, sometimes as unofficially part of the state, as with Prince during the age of cheney/bush, or Prigozhin's Wagner group -- which are continuing to havoc throughout Africa, allying with extremist, authoritarian evangelical and muslim groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 32 minutes ago, Zorral said: Napoleon and his Code / New System upended so much. Not for women though ... and he did re-establish slavery as legal and right. Or tried to. We still do have mercenary military forces, sometimes as unofficially part of the state, as with Prince during the age of cheney/bush, or Prigozhin's Wagner group -- which are continuing to havoc throughout Africa, allying with extremist, authoritarian evangelical and muslim groups. That's true, but some armies were almost entirely comprised of non-nationals, in the 18th century, like that of Spain. Zorral 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Bret Devereaux, on why fascists are catastrophically bad at war. https://acoup.blog/2024/02/23/fireside-friday-february-23-2024-on-the-military-failures-of-fascism/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 Ha! I read it in our hotel room here in Madrid! Fascists: bad at war. very bad. Ha! SeanF 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 52 minutes ago, Zorral said: Ha! I read it in our hotel room here in Madrid! Fascists: bad at war. very bad. Ha! It seems to go hand in hand with his pieces on Sparta. Granted, Sparta was not terrible at war, simply distinctly average. But like fascists, they had great PR. Fascists believe that wars are won by will, racial superiority, and unrestrained violence, rather than by making sure that your soldiers get food, petrol, and ammunition in the quantities they need. It’s similar to Rhett Butler, commenting about the North’s technological advantage over the South, but “we’ve got cotton, and slaves ….and arrogance.” maarsen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 Cruising, well walking, about in the "literay" Cervantes area of Madrid this classically winter weather of rhe city -- those dense grey skies over the Messeta Central, the wind, yet for us, the temps in the lowe 50's are warm, while NYC was hitting 24 degrees this early AM -- we ran into a small, beautifully stocked literary bookstore, with a section of medieval literature, including new translations of works made in French-Anglo Norman, from the early 13th C, inspired by classical Roman roman, and commentary works on them. Gods! How civilized it is here! What a wonderful place to get over jetlag, as well learned last year, prior to heading back down to Andalusia, and being joined by 30 people who have paid Partner for the Travel Experience of A Lifetime! Nor is it the first Travel Experience of a Lifetime he's provided, considering how many repeat Travelers/Pilgrimss het gets. SeanF 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A wilding Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I have been reading Q by "Luther Blissett". (Luther Blissett is apparently actually a pseudonym for a group of Italian authors who co-wrote the book). Nothing to do with QAnon thankfully, this is a rather odd fiction book, somewhat reminiscent of The Name of the Rose. The story takes place over several years and multiple locations in Reformation Europe. It drops you right into the period in an impressively detailed and immersive way. Nearly all of the characters are real people (often quite obscure ones) shown doing what they actually did in real life - for example a "history with dialogue" account of the Münster rebellion plays a significant part in the story. As with Umberto Eco's books, there is also a good deal of philosophy included. Theological obviously, but also political, and a fair amount of what felt like some sort of Marxism (though I am not an expert). Lastly, there is a central plot, involving a Protestant reformer character becoming gradually aware of the long running machinations of a Catholic spy (the titular "Q") but it is oddly low key and ends with something of an anticlimax, I assume deliberately so. Worth reading for anyone interested in this period of history. Wilbur and Myrddin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 2 hours ago, A wilding said: I have been reading Q by "Luther Blissett". (Luther Blissett is apparently actually a pseudonym for a group of Italian authors who co-wrote the book). Nothing to do with QAnon thankfully, this is a rather odd fiction book, somewhat reminiscent of The Name of the Rose. Say so more. Just ordered it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A wilding Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 10 hours ago, Myrddin said: Say so more. Just ordered it. Well, hope you like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 On 2/24/2024 at 12:56 PM, SeanF said: It seems to go hand in hand with his pieces on Sparta. Granted, Sparta was not terrible at war, simply distinctly average. But like fascists, they had great PR. Fascists believe that wars are won by will, racial superiority, and unrestrained violence, rather than by making sure that your soldiers get food, petrol, and ammunition in the quantities they need. It’s similar to Rhett Butler, commenting about the North’s technological advantage over the South, but “we’ve got cotton, and slaves ….and arrogance.” Every leader who believes he is appointed by a God to lead the lesser beings is truly guilty of delusional behaviour. No surprise they fail, and badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 19 minutes ago, maarsen said: Every leader who believes he is appointed by a God to lead the lesser beings is truly guilty of delusional behaviour. No surprise they fail, and badly. I’m not sure I agree. Genghis Khan believed he’d been appointed to rule by Eternal Heaven. But, he still planned his campaigns meticulously. I think you fall flat on your face when you think being chosen by God, or being racially superior, means that you don’t have to put in hard thinking and hard work. Wilbur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Just now, SeanF said: I’m not sure I agree. Genghis Khan believed he’d been appointed to rule by Eternal Heaven. But, he still planned his campaigns meticulously. I think you fall flat on your face when you think being chosen by God, or being racially superior, means that you don’t have to put in hard thinking and hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 On 3/5/2024 at 10:40 AM, SeanF said: I’m not sure I agree. Genghis Khan believed he’d been appointed to rule by Eternal Heaven. But, he still planned his campaigns meticulously. I think you fall flat on your face when you think being chosen by God, or being racially superior, means that you don’t have to put in hard thinking and hard work. Napoleon once said that god is on the side with the heaviest artillery. What one says to the masses and what one truly thinks are two different things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted March 14 Author Share Posted March 14 We visited one of the major bookstores in Madrid, in the elegant shopping district. I took foto after foto to send to mi amiga, the editor of the Review of Historical Fiction in the US. I wanted to cry. This was on the ground floor, even, not in the floors above, that arre more specialized. Stack after stack of historical novels, almost all of them by Spanish authors, with a few exceptions for authors such as Ken Follett, in areas of history I'd die to read a novel set -- including the Visigothic era. In the tiers of History shelves upstairs, one could find works titled (trans. into English) such as Between the Phoenicans and the Romans! Both Partner and I were melting from desire for All the Books. Books nobody will ever see in the USA, translated or not. In the meantime the shelves of fiction, so much fiction generally, of all kinds of tastes from literature so to speak to pot boilers, were endless. Spain, probably Europe all together, is a much better place to be a writer than the US -- where now,, even if a writer is important enough, lucky enough to get publiished with backing from the imprint, AI versions and synopses are offered that same day on amazon. There is no incentive any longer to do what it takes to be a writer in the USA. Myrddin, The Grey Wolf Strikes Back and maarsen 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted March 14 Author Share Posted March 14 (edited) BTW, there are multiple coples of the two Essex Dogs novels available on thie historical fiction shelves. Also rode down a calle in Madrid today, named Zorrilla. Edited March 14 by Zorral The Grey Wolf Strikes Back 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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