Osprey Men-at-Arms №287. Ian Heath. Byzantine Armies AD 1118-1461

Osprey Publishing, 1995. — 45 p. — ISBN: 1-85532-347-8.The Byzantine Empire's disastrous defeat by the Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in 1071 effectively marked the end of what is often described as the 'middle' period of Byzantine history. Thereafter, surrounded on all sides by younger, more vigorous nations, the once all-powerful Empire slipped into a steady decline which, ultimately, was to prove terminal. However, the Empire's demise was anything but peaceful, and, one way or another, for much of the last four centuries of its existence it was to find itself in a state of virtually constant war. This book examines the fascinating history of the Byzantine Empire and its armies from 1118-1461 AD.Introduction
Military Chronology
The Byzantine Armed Forces 1118-1453
Pronoiai.
Unit organization.
Guard units.
Provincial armies and frontier defence.
The navy.
The chain of command.
Firearms and the Empire.
"Soldiers Hired amongst all Nations"
Alans.
Albanians.
Armenians.
Bulgarians.
Burgundians.
Catalans.
Cretans.
Cumans.
Englishmen.
Georgians.
Hungarians.
"Latins".
Mongols.
Patzinaks.
Russians.
Scandinavians.
Serbs.
Turks.
Uzes.
Vlachs.
The End of the Empire
The Empire of Trebizond
Recommended readind.
The Plates