The Age of Gunpowder

 I am working on a new unit in my project titled "The Age of Gunpowder." In this section, I will explore the introduction of firearms on ships in the fourteenth century, the development of heavy ordnance on galleys and sailing ships during the 1400s and 1500s, and the decline of oared armed vessels in the 1700s. I am currently gathering additional data and have just begun the development process.

I read Anderson's "Oared Fighting Ships," focusing on his discussion of Mediterranean galleys, rowing alla sensile and al scaloccio, as well as the armament of the galleass.

Rodger's paper, "The Development of Broadside Gunnery," is also highly informative. In it, he discusses the effectiveness of heavy guns mounted on galleys and describes how sailing ships slowly attempted to match these oared vessels in speed, agility, and the capacity to mount heavy artillery.

 I am currently editing a new chapter on naval tactics titled "The Fall of New Rome," which focuses on the tragic history of the Fourth Crusade. I have divided a lengthy excerpt into three parts. Part I is called "The Rendezvous at Venice." This section describes the gathering of the crusading host at the head of the Adriatic Sea and highlights the leaders' failure to cover the debt for maritime transportation.

The Age of Gunpowder

I am currently gathering data for a new unit in my project. I found John F. Guilmartin's book, "Gunpowder and Galleys," to be quite informative. It explains why navies took so long to incorporate artillery effectively and discusses the changes in ship construction that transformed galleys into floating artillery platforms.

I have released an updated version of the first chapter of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East:"

https://www.academia.edu/127139711/What_if_the_Earth_Is_the_Sphere

This chapter argues that the concept of a spherical Earth was accepted during the Middle Ages. However, many medieval scholars viewed our planet as the fixed center of a revolving universe, often reconciling their beliefs with experimental evidence.

Keywords: John Gower, John of Hollywood, Venerable Bede, Gautier de Metz, John Mandeville, Martin Behaim, Christopher Columbus

On February 2, I will deliver a new Zoom lecture in Russian based on my paper:

https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_

The lecture will focus on the siege of Constantinople, which endured a thirteenth-month assault on land and a naval blockade. I will explain why the seat of the Eastern Roman Empire proved difficult to conquer, even against the superior Umayyad forces. I will attribute the Byzantine victory to their skillful resource management, advanced maritime tactics, and support from their Bulgar allies. Additionally, I will contest the notion that the Greek fire was used and will present several alternative explanations.

Keywords: Umayyad Caliphate, Constantinople, Maslama, Leo III, Theodosian Walls, dromon, Greek fire

 

The Siege of Chandax (2)

My new paper is "out in print" after undergoing thorough editing. This chapter examines the history of Chandax, the capital of the Emirate of Crete (820s-961), and its recapture by the Byzantine army led by General Nikephoros Phokas. The author seeks to align the evidence gathered from both Byzantine and Arab chronicles. Additionally, he includes details about the use of trebuchets, the establishment of military encampments, and the methods used to undermine the walls of citadels.

https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byzantine_Recovery_of_Crete_960_961

I have re-edited the opening chapter of my second book, titled "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." The paper "What If the Earth Is a Sphere" examines medieval geography and includes numerous examples and illustrations. It demonstrates that medieval scholars viewed the Earth as a spherical body at the center of a rotating universe. I plan to upload an excerpt from this paper in three weeks. Additionally, I have begun preparing a Zoom lecture about the siege of Constantinople by an Arab army in 717-718, which will be based on my article.

https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_

Currently, I am still gathering data on naval guns and related topics. I am reading an intriguing book titled "The Sea in History: Medieval Period," which features many compelling articles about seafaring.

The Siege of Chandax (1)

I am currently revising a chapter about the Cretan War, which involved the Byzantine army led by General Nikephoros Phokas and the Muslim forces in Crete. This conflict reached its climax during the siege of Chandax (960-961). My paper will be divided into 14 sections and will include a re-evaluation of key themes.

The first section, titled "The Outcasts," narrates the story of a group of Andalusian Muslims who were exiled from their homeland. In their search for a new home, they formed a naval detachment that succeeded in conquering Crete from the Byzantine Empire.

 In the second section, "The Byzantine Chronicles," I discuss my perspective on the primary sources for this narrative, including "The History of Leo the Deacon."

The third section, "The Emirate of Crete," explores the political situation on the eve of the invasion and examines the economic relations between the Muslim and Christian populations.

Additionally, I am revising the first 25 pages of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East," which includes five chapters: 1. What If the Earth Is a Sphere? 2. How to Measure the Earth's Circumference? 3. How Long Does the Inhabited World Span? 4. The Trefoil of the World 5. Where Is the Heart of the World?

I am also working on the beginning of "The Enigma of the Antipodes." Unit I of this book, comprising the first three chapters, will be titled "The Three Trick Questions of Mathematical Geography."

Finally, I have continued to collect data on early naval guns in the Mediterranean to investigate their development, function, shooting range, and accuracy.

Wishing you and your families a Happy New Year! I plan to introduce new developments in my narrative next January.

The Siege of Chandax

I am re-editing a new chapter on medieval naval tactics in the Mediterranean, focusing on the final Byzantine attempt to recapture Crete from the Muslim Emirate (c. 824-961). My paper relies on both Byzantine and Arab sources to create a more balanced perspective; however, this approach also leaves some gaps in the narrative. For instance, it remains unclear what happened to the Muslim fleet, which did not participate in the defense of the island. Additionally, the accounts of the size of the East Roman fleet are often exaggerated. The Roman commander Nikephoros Phokas appears to be a solitary figure, lacking the support of senior officers. We only know the name of one officer who perished, as he disregarded his orders.

This is the chapter template: a. The Importance of Crete b. An Overview of Byzantine Chronicles c. The Emirate of Crete d. The Declaration of War e. The Voyage f. Landing g. Setting Up Camp h. The Siege i. Guerrilla Operations j. Winter k. Relations Among Muslim Allies l. The Traction Trebuchet m. The Final Assault n. The Triumph Reassessment 

On December 12, I delivered a lecture on the Vandalic War based on my article: https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum. I began the talk by addressing some misconceptions about this topic. First, it's important to clarify that the Vandal polity was a state, not merely a pirate base. While the Vandal army did conduct raids across the sea, this does not automatically categorize them as pirates. After the Roman destruction, Carthage was revitalized and regained its prominence as a major Mediterranean port. It served as the capital of a Roman province, then became the center of the Vandal kingdom, followed by a Byzantine province, until it eventually fell to the Arabs.

I have decided to make another effort to find a literary agent for my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." Currently, I am revising the first 25 pages, which consist of five chapters. Once I complete the revisions, I will upload them to my Academia page:

https://independent.academia.edu/BaizermanMichael.

The Battle of the Gulf of Corinth

 As planned, I completed revising my paper on Niketas Ooryphas and uploaded it to my Academia page:

https://www.academia.edu/125356518/The_Battle_of_the_Gulf_of_Corinth

The Battle of the Corinthian Gulf is significant not for its naval tactics during combat but for the meticulous preparation that preceded the engagement. The victorious commander successfully transported warships overland across the isthmus connecting the Aegean Sea with the western Peloponnese. The exact method of this transport remains a mystery. However, the Byzantine admiral launched a surprise attack against the Cretan Muslims, who were unable to maneuver their ships for a defensive position. While this victory was important, it was not decisive, as Arab warships continued to dominate the Aegean, Ionian, and Adriatic sea lanes. This dominance instilled fear in coastal settlements and posed a persistent threat to the weakened provinces of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Furthermore, I have completed the draft of "The Battle of Chioggia" and left it to sit for a while. All seven articles from the series "The Intricacies of Naval Warfare" are finalized. You can also read two other updated papers:

https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum

https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_

My lecture on enslaved people in the galley was a success. I was thrilled that over 1,000 participants listened to the recording, and some replied.

The English version of this article is available: 

https://www.academia.edu/121984361/_Galley_Slaves_

Based on my article, I am developing a new lecture on the Battle of Ad Decimum.

The Battle of Chioggia

 I have created a series of articles on medieval warfare tactics, collectively titled " The Intricacies of Naval Warfare." The first two papers are available on my Academia page:

https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum

https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_

I have penned three additional essays, but they are not yet edited. Currently, I am revising one of them, tentatively titled "The Portage of Ships Across the Isthmus." However, I have paused writing the draft for my final study, "The Battle of Chioggia."

My latest paper, "The Umayyad Siege of Constantinople," has gained moderate traction with over 100 views. Interestingly, many readers have shown interest in older articles from my second book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East: Breaking the Ice Between the Latin West and the Far East." The total view count for this book approaches 13,000, and I have over 150 followers—not bad for an independent researcher and amateur historian!

Last Monday, I delivered a Zoom lecture on "Galley Slaves," based on my previous articles:

https://www.academia.edu/119225233/Rowing_a_scaloccio

https://www.academia.edu/121984361/_Galley_Slaves_

My audience was international; in addition to listeners from Israel, I had participants from Russia and Ukraine. During the lecture, I answered questions and elaborated on the difference between pirates and corsairs. I also provided information about the watering of crews and the average speed of galleys.

Next week, I plan to complete a new draft of my article about Niketas Ooryphas, a Byzantine admiral who transported his warships overland across the Isthmus of Corinth to confuse the enemy, the Cretan Muslims.

  

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