(Combined Books, Inc., 151 East 10th Ave., Conshohocken, PA 19428.
ISBN 0-938289-84-5 1996. Price $16.95)

This book caught my eye in the local Border's bookstore. After an initial look inside, it quickly made its way onto my library shelf. The book has chapters dealing with the various equestrian military cultural systems of Medieval Europe, the Mongols, Muslim states and Crusader armies. The chapter which I immediately accessed dealt with Anglo-Saxon mounted warfare, and it is from that chapter that the following information is derived. All eight chapters have the same depth of research and astute observations as this one, by the way.

Ms. Hyland begins the chapter by stating "(T)he laws of King Ine (688-726)...informs us that the 2 horse-wealh stood in high regard (as) watcher of the king's horses". She elaborates convincingly on the obvious value which the Anglo-Saxons placed upon ownership, breeding and use of the warhorse. She notes that records regarding the value of horse breeding appear again in Aethelberht's reign (860-6), suggesting ®)9¯practiced®):¯ breeding. Over 300 horses were brought over from France in the mid-10th century and Danes brought in even more French horses in 892.

Beowulf has references to Hrothgar's stallion and gift of warhorses "That was the war seat of the great king". Mention is also made in the epic poem of transporting horses by ship and their use in battle. Now I have read Beowulf, but managed to miss this important evidence of Anglo-Saxon mounted ability. Ann Hyland has managed to put forth a good amount of compelling information and it gets even better.

She writes, "It used to be generally accepted that all Anglo-Saxon armies were infantry, using horses only for transport to battle. I have always found that a hard notion to swallow in its entirety because it seemed a complete waste of potential energy--and resources. I am not suggesting that whole armies were mounted on trained warhorses, but that common sense prevailed and the wealthier eoldermen and thanes were capable of mounted fighting and would, as circumstances dictated, utilize the horse in offensive tactics." Hear, hear! For years I have looked at the visual evidence in such manuscripts as Ms. Cott. Claud. in the British Museum, which clearly show mounted Anglo-Saxons with spears, held ready for attack. Ms. Hyland continues with evidence in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland in 870 notes that "Danes charged on horseback." In 878, Alfred the Great of Wessex routed the Danish invaders and followed them in a mounted pursuit. "It seems highly improbable that the Danes, attacked on several occasions by Alfred's small and obviously mobile mounted force, would have had time to remount and flee rapidly enough to outdistance Alfred or that Alfred would have had all his own band dismounted to fight, and from that position force flight on Danes who had the benefit of horses." In 891, King Earnulf was reported as "...fighting with the mounted troops."

Add to this evidence the fact that throughout the chronicles, rapid movement is continuous from point to point as the Danes are battled. Also, Ms. Hyland makes note of the grave site finds of horse-shoes buried with thanes. She then mentions the illuminated manuscript visual finds, such as the 11th century Prudentius piece, showing (again) mounted, spear-carrying warriors, the leader charging with a levelled lance!

Finally, the author digs into wills and heriots due from vassals based upon pre-Conquest dues lists. These include numbers of horses "saddled and bridled (with comparable war gear)". The wills, for an example, show "Eight horses, four with trappings, and four without, four helmets and four coats of mail...." There is also in these wills a differentiation of stallions from transport horses (palfreys, etc.). Finally, Ms. Hyland notes that the Anglo-Saxon warrior cniht is translated into Latin as miles, or mounted warrior.

All told, this is a great book, with sound research and an easily readable text. Highly recommended.