Some battles - Hastings, Bosworth, Naseby - have a major and lasting effect on the history of this country and remain strongly etched in the public consciousness. Others are relatively unknown, even to the people living on or around the battle sites. Yet what they have in common is the memorable and often devastating effect they had on the participants, and for many people it is this story of ordinary individuals in extraordinary circumstances that give battles a particular fascination. Clash of Arms examines twelve very different English battles and explains how vital, often unpredictable and sometimes overwhelming factors may have influenced their eventual outcomes. Each chapter contains vivid battle narratives, fascinating contemporary accounts and information about the battle's historical context and significance. Special sections cover themes such as weapon development, changes in battlefield tactics, biographies of some of the most influential leaders, battlefield archaeology and how studying the landscape can aid our understanding of a battle. Lavishly illustrated with maps, contemporary pictures, historical re-enactments and photographs of the battlefields, it is the story of how men at war changed a country forever.