Napoleon's Guard Infantry (1)

Philip Haythornthwaite

Aug 2012 · Bloomsbury Publishing

About this ebook

The concept of the bodyguard is as ancient as the practice of an individual assuming the leadership of a group or tribe. From the Companions of Alexander to the Varangians of Byzantium, bodies of élite warriors, owing personal allegiance to their sovereign and obeying no others, have illuminated or stained the annals of military history. Napoleon's Imperial Guards probably represent the last true link in a chain spanning the ages. Philip Haythornthwaite describes the history, organisation and equipment of Napoleon's Guard Infantry in an engaging work which includes numerous illustrations and eight full page colour plates superbly drawn by Bryan Fosten.

Ratings and reviews

Disappointing. One of the primary reasons to purchase these Men-at-Arms series books is that they contain very well-done color plates of period uniforms. This e-book does not contain any of those plates. The table of contents has "Plates" as one of the chapters of the book, which might make a reasonable person think that the plates are included, but they are not - only the verbal descriptions that accompany the plates. There is much useful, well-researched information but the main "draw", the color plates of uniforms, are not included. Recommend you save your money on this, as well as any of these as I'm assuming none of the other books include plates either.

About the author

Philip Haythornthwaite is an author and historical consultant specialising in the military history, uniforms and equipment of the 18th and 19th centuries. His main area of research covers the Napoleonic Wars. He has written some forty books, including more than 20 Osprey titles, and innumerable articles and papers on military history, but still finds time to indulge in his other great passion: cricket.

Bryan Fosten was born in 1928, the son of a Master Military Embroiderer and a Court Embroidress. He served in the army in Egypt and Palestine and returned to follow the printing trade. Since 1973 he has devoted himself to military research and illustration. He is the founding editor of the innovative magazine Tradition and has written and illustrated many books, often in collaboration with his late brother, Donald Fosten.