The Cathedral Flying Buttresses

As Cathedrals got bigger, especially taller, a technique to strength the wall to hold the additional weight was needed. The builders of the Middle Ages came up with a unique design to meet this difficulty, the Flying Buttress.

The Flying buttress was an additional arch support that was "free standing" outside the main walls of the building. This additional support allowed the walls to be thinner and rise to here to fore unknown heights.

Tutankhamun, the Boy King

The beautiful funeral mask of King Tutankhamun (King Tut) is one of the greatest surviving works of the Ancient Egyptian Goldsmiths. As he ruled circa 1341-1324 BCE, this mask is over 33 centuries old.

Knights of the Realm

A troop of knights advances to the commands of their Lord.

Each man is equipped at his own expense and carries his families crest or coat of arms design to identify himself to friends and foes.

For the centuries of the Middle Ages after the fall or Rome, knights were the main fighting force of the Nobles and Monarchs of Europe. The equipment, warhorse and training of knights was extremely expensive and limited to those who could afford the cost. This meant that in most cases the number of knights in an army was relatively small (William the Conquer took over the entire Kingdom of England by using a force of less than 7000 knights.    The advent of cheap workable firearms would eventually destroy the power of these elite warriors.

We destroyed the Empire!

Dracians

Dracians

Germans

Gaul

Gaul More pictures are at http://worldhistoryprof.blogspot.com/search/label/Barbarians At the barbarians sections of Rick's Worldhistoryprof-Miniatures from History & Fantasy