I'm doing some research for an article I want to write about the upcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey, mostly in comparison with the Muslim Brotherhood's constitutional amendments in Egypt because I think there are some interesting parallels (in both cases I think the point is to exaggerate structural democratic political advantages rather than to advance Islamism per se) and contrasts (the respective power of institutions in each country at the time, particularly the army and the judiciary.)

Now, I'm not a Turkey expert but it amuses me just how much of a Rorschach test virtually any declarative statement about what the AKP "is" can turn out to be, for instance this review of five books on the AKP that all came out in 2009-2010 and yet reach wildly different and in fact contradictory conclusions about the orientation and function of the AKP.

This is hardly the only such group in Turkey: it's virtually impossible to make a straightforward multi-paragraph description of the Gulen movement, for instance, without attracting political objections from someone.

In any event, I have my own views, but I'm going to need to make sure that I tread carefully.

Hey guys! I've been reading a lot about Frederick the Great recently and have been fascinated by Kurt von Schwerin. Where can I find more about him specifically and what are good books on Fredericks army itself during the Seven Years War and War of Austrian Succession. Thanks

I'm looking for information on the recruitment of soldiers in medieval armies, for a "short" article I'm writing on the subject for my blog.

I've already done some research on the subject, and I have plenty of information on England throughout the period, a good idea of recruitment in "France" during the Early and Late Middle Ages, and also an idea of how recruitment was carried out in Spain during the High Middle Ages.

What I'm interested in is everywhere else, and any good sources of information that I've missed for any of the aforementioned periods and areas. I'm especially interested in learning about Northern Europe and Germany, but Southern and Eastern Europe would be just as welcome.

I should mention here that I can only read English, which does limit my options quite a bit, I know, and that's something I'm working on.

#What I've read or have ready to read

General

• Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West 450-900, by Guy Halsall
• War in the Middle Ages, by Philippe Contamine
• How to Plan a Crusade, by Christopher Tyerman
• Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades 1000-1300, by John France
• Mercenaries and Paid Men: The Mercenary Identity in the Middle Ages, edited by John France
• The Soldier Experience in the Fourteenth Century, edited by Adrian R. Bell and Anne Curry
• Journal of Medieval Military History, Volumes I-X

England

• Alfred the Great, by Richard Abels
• Alfred's Wars, by Ryan Lavelle
• Anglo-Norman Warfare, edited by Matthew Strickland
• The Welsh Wars of Edward I, by John Morris
• Military Obligation in Medieval England: A Study in Liberty and Duty, by Michael Powicke
• Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, by Michael Prestwick
• War, Politics and Finance Under Edward I, by Michael Prestwick
• Feudal military service in England;: A study of the constitutional and military powers of the barones in medieval England, by I. J. Sanders
• Bannockburn, by John Morris
• The Battle of Crecy, 1346, edited by Andrew Ayton and Phillip Preston
• The Organisation of War Under Edward III, by H.J. Hewitt
• Arrowstorm, by Richard Wadge
• The Wars of the Roses: Military activity and English society, 1452-97, by Anthony Goodman

France

• Merovingian Military Organisation 481-751, by Bernard Bachrach
• Early Carolingian Warfare, by Bernard Bachrach
• The Battle of Crecy, 1346, edited by Andrew Ayton and Phillip Preston
• Agincourt: A New History, by Anne Curry
• The History of Warfare III, by Hans Delbruck (purely for the compagnies d'ordonnance, I assure you)

Spain

• Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain, by Joseph F. O'Callighan
• The Origins and Development of Municipal Military Service in the Leonese and Castilian Reconquest, 800–1250, by James F. Powers
• Townsmen and Soldiers: The Interaction of Urban and Military Organization in the Militias of Mediaeval Castile, by James F. Powers

I'm also currently on the fence about whether I should read Power's A Society Organised for War, or if I've already gained as much as I need to know from his journal articles. I get the feeling that it might be worth a read, though. Can anyone who's read it comment?

I've recently become very interested in looking at the role of religion in 17th/18th century slavery in Puritan New England. I'm not entirely convinced that it played a major role in the initial adoption of slavery, but there is no doubt that it was instrumental in the continuation of the practice.

I'm focusing on the Boston and Salem areas, and I'm open to any reading suggestions. There is a good bit on Puritan religion and thought (I'm starting with Perry Miller), and slavery in New England (Melish and Warren are on the shelf), there is ridiculously little that covers the intersections of both fields.

The only real work I've found that attempts it is Bailey's Race and Redemption and to be honest I found it full of baseless assumptions, mis-characterizations, and what I thoroughly believe to be a confirmation bias. To be honest, it just really makes me want to visit the topic.

So if you have any reading suggestions on the topics, by all means throw them at me.

I'm currently in the planning stages for crafting a shield as a project and decided to go with a Nordic theme, combining icelandic sigils, protection runes and even a translation written in the original language's runes. I have no experience on the subject matter so I don't know how to verify whether the time periods coincide, the geography, etc.

Would it even make sense to have the GINFAXI symbol on a shield referencing Odin, Geri and Freki, and Valhalla? It's my understanding that ginfaxi is Icelandic and the viking culture is from Scandinavia (denmark, sweden, norway).

Where could I go to try to learn about the runes involved in the viking language? I'd like to get a translation for "Victory or Valhalla" pieced together from the appropriate time period.