Michael Baizerman Author

 The new trend is taking shape. The material is so vast that the title, "The Intricacies of Naval Warfare," will cover the entire book unit instead of individual chapters. The content will spread via the sixth-fourteenth centuries and include the main battles viewed through their strategy and tactics. As an epithet, I chose the following extract from Thucydides:  “Sea power is a matter of skill; it is not possible to get practice in the odd moment when the chance occurs, but it is a full-time occupation leaving no moment for other things.” I had another look at Chapter 1, Naval Factories, and made minor corrections to this solid piece describing how shipyards looked like, which facilities they encompassed, and which workers they engaged.  Chapter 2, The Battle of Ad Decimum (September 13, 533), is a land battle that pitted the Byzantine army commanded by General Belisarius against the Vandal army headed by King Gelimer. I stopped on this episode as it required the fleet's...

  A restored section of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Constantinople_(717%E2%80%93718)   I have completed a draft of the first section of a new chapter about the Second Siege of Constantinople, a joint land and naval operation supervised by  Maslama al-Malik, the caliph's brother and an adept general.    Emperor Leo Isaurian did not have a robust fleet to prevent the Arab navy from plying through the Turkish Straits as far as the walls of Constantinople. However, Byzantine engineers equipped their  dromons  with the Greek Fire, the secret weapon whose emotional impact rose over its destructive force. Its initial use pressured the Arab ship to take distance from the walls.   It is unfair to ascribe Byzantine success only to this powerful weapon. The Greeks demonstrated  better tactics and managed to combine their limited means to wade off the aggressor.  It became clear that...

My interest in the topic encourages me to go even further. Last month I received over 2.8 K views from the readers of my blog: an all-time record.  There is little to report about this week. I completed collecting data about the East Roman fleets, which knew several bouts of boom and bust. I realized that a better option would be to compare the opposing navies, e.g., the Byzantines vs. Arabs, the Normans vs. Byzantines, the Venetians vs. Genoese, and the Venetians vs. Ottomans. Demanding research, but only after finishing it will I be able to decide whether my current chapter makes water.  I am now checking the Norman fleet vs. Byzantium, i.e., the foundation of the Norman fleet in South Italy and Sicily and the Norman invasion of the Balkans. This is a preliminary stage, which will take a lot of time. However, without this basic knowledge, I will have nothing to say about the blue powers' strategy and tactics in the Mediterranean. If I decide to cover the Renaissance, I must ...

 This title of a new chapter, in which I will elaborate on naval arsenals and the employment of fleets, is still in diapers. I wrote an extract about the former and began checking the material about the latter.  I realized that speaking about Mediterranean fleets needs to be more professional. Instead of referring to all naval activities at one blow, I must consider the Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Venetian, Genoese, Catalan/Spanish, and Ottoman navies. Until now, I evaluated the data about the Byzantine navy and began developing what I dub "bits & pieces." I transferred some of these "odds and ends" to the first two chapters: "A Tale of the Two Watercraft Brands" and "Early War Galleys."  I want to analyze the strategy of leading fleets and what tactics their admirals chose to implement the task instead of describing concrete battles.  I will give you a few snapshots of my studies--the first concerns Byzantine horse transports, i.e., cargo galle...

  Grazioso Benincasa. Detail from a 1482 nautical chart depicting a galley and a Portuguese caravel https://www.meisterdrucke.ie/fine-art-prints/Grazioso-Benincasa/1101817/Galley-and-Portuguese-caravel,-detail-from-the-Nautical-chart-of-the-Mediterranean.html My second project is over. All 29 papers have been uploaded and offered for discussion. I have realized my potential, acquiring more than 10 K readers. Even my previous projects: "Dawn and Sunset" and an unfinished African project, receive moderate interest.  It is time to start uploading articles from my current project, dubbed "The Fear and Thrill of Navigation." I decided to present it not by chapters but by lumps. The apparent reason is to ramp up my readership. In addition, not all parts are ready, and I may need to revise them before uploading. I continue to research war galleys and sharpen my understanding of various issues.  I have to delay even this plan.  I sent the first extract, "Galleys in ...

 I want to share a bunch of encouraging news with you.  Since August 2019, I have been building my readership community on Academia.edu, a site for researchers. View https://independent.academia.edu/BaizermanMichael  I uploaded eight chapters from my first book, "Dawn and Sunset: A Tale of the Earliest Cities in the Near East." I started transferring the units from my second boon, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." It was a slow start. By the end of my first year, I had about 1K views.  At this stage, Academia.edu ushered in a new rubric, Discussion. After sending a paper to publication, an author can discuss his report. It usually takes three weeks, with an option for an extension. You write an invitation, and the site sends it to around 1 K people in addition to your fans. I resolved to put my articles to the test. Suddenly, many people recognized my name and became familiar with my studies. One can encounter researchers, students, and graduates of many uni...

  My Internet was mute for nearly a month and only now I begin to recover from this unpleasant experience. This is what I did in a few past days: I uploaded my article, John of Plano Carpini, for Discussion.  https://www.academia.edu/92846942/John_of_Plano_Carpini This is a chapter from the last unit of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." I was delighted to learn that I have got 9,500 views. I am nearing my current goal of 10 K.  I have edited a chapter from my third project,  The Fright and Thrill of Navigation:  Seafaring in the Medieval and the Renaissance Mediterranea n . The paper is titled "Early Light Galleys" and has the following outline: a: LBR dimensions [length to beam ratio] b: functions of galleys c: Sailing season   d: nocturnal voyage e: Operational range f: Speed and watering of the crews g: Coastal shipping and beaching h: Shipworm and Life Expectancy i: Visibility j: Seaworthiness k: Byzantine innovations l: Latin achieveme...