Welcome to the March edition. Here we introduce lots of the new future announcements. We visit the Fur Trade, Troy, Siege of Malta and the final release of the Norman Army. We hope you enjoy!

The images shown are Prototype images of the sculpted work, prior to master painting.

We hope you enjoy!

Fur Trade
FUR TRADERS DESCENDING THE MISSOURI

"Fur Traders Descending the Missouri" is an 1845 painting by George Caleb Bingham. It is one of Bingham's most famous paintings, and the actual work can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was painted around 1845 in the style called Luminism by historians of American Art.

It was originally titled, "French Trader, And Half-Breed Son".

Luminism is an American Landscape painting style of the 1850's to 1870's, characterized by effects of light in landscape, through the use of aerial perspective and the concealment of visible brushstrokes. Luminist landscapes emphasize tranquility, and often depict calm, reflective water and soft, hazy sky.

In the summer of 1845, Bingham returned to his St. Louis home from a winter stay in central Missouri, bringing with him several paintings and sketches. The "Fur Traders Descending The Missouri" was one of those works that he later sent to New York's American Art-Union, a subscription-based organization that promoted American art nationally through exhibitions and the distribution of popular prints. Titled by the artist "French Trader & Half breed Son", the Art-Union changed it to the more generic and less controversial "Fur Traders Descending the Missouri". Bingham, who began his career as a portraitist, produced this distinctive genre painting with little precedent in his oeuvre. The tranquil scene, with its luminous atmosphere, idealized the American frontier for the benefit of an Eastern audience.

The painting is also significant in that it captures a quickly vanishing American frontier and lifestyle. By 1845, the year in which Bingham created this now famous artwork, the profession was dominated by trading companies rather than the French voyagers who first pioneered the trade." One of the more historically interesting elements of the painting is the cap worn by the man on the right. The toque cap that the father is wearing suggests that he is a voyageur of French descent. The cap was used as a symbol of liberty by the French revolutionaries and was also worn in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Also called a Phrygian cap it was originally given to slaves in ancient Rome upon their freedom from bondage. There are many discussions about the dark creature on the left. Is it a cat? Or a tethered bear cub?

Researchers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art have concluded that it is a bear. Many also believe that based on its pointed ears, long, sharp snout, and visible tongue, that this is a black fox. Black fox pelts were the most expensive, and therefore most desirable, furs of the time, but in addition black foxes were regarded as spiritually symbolic creatures by many Native American tribes.

The JJD version of "FUR TRADERS DESCENDING THE MISSOURI" should be available this summer.

THE TROJAN WAR - TROY AND HER ALLIES

The following are some of the new Trojan heroes and allies which are already in development.

AENEAS

Aeneas is a character in the Iliad, where he is twice saved from death by the gods for an as yet unknown destiny, but is an honorable warrior in his own right. He is the leader of the Trojan's Dardanian allies, as well as a second cousin and principal lieutenant of Hector, son and heir of the Trojan King Priam.

Having held back from the fighting, aggrieved with Priam because in spite of his brave deeds he was not given his due share of honour, he leads an attack against Idomeneus to recover the body of his brother-in-law Alcathous at the urging of Deiphobus.

The Aeneid explains that Aeneas is one of the few Trojans who were not killed or enslaved when Troy fell. Aeneas, after being commanded by the gods to flee, gathered a group, collectively known as the Aeneads, who then travelled to Italy, and became progenitors of the Romans. The Aeneads included Aeneas's trumpeter Misenus, his father Anchises, his friends Achates, Sergestus and Acmon, the healer Lapyx, the helmsman Palinurus and his son Ascanius. They carried with them the Lares and Penates , the statues of the household gods of Troy, and transplanted them to Italy.

PANDARUS

Pandarus was a Trojan aristocrat and son of Lycaon, who is portrayed as an energetic and powerful warrior as well as a renowned archer. He led a contingent of warriors from Zeleia.

Pandarus first appears in book Two of the Iliad, and in Book Four, he is tricked by Athena, who wishes for the destruction of Troy and assumes the form of Laodocus, son of Antenor, to shoot and wound Menelaus with an arrow, sabotaging a truce that could potentially have led to the peaceful return of Helen. Pandarus then attempts to kill Diomedes, (who is protected by Athena), who retaliates with a deadly blow that knocks Pandarus out of the chariot.

ASTEROPAEUS

Asteropaeus was a leader of the Trojan allied Paeonians along with fellow warrior Pyraechmes. He was the son of Pelagon, who was the son of the river god Axios and the mortal woman Periboia daughter of Akessamenos.

Asteropaeous had the distinction in combat of being ambidextrous and would on occasion throw two spears at once. In the Iliad as the Trojans attacked the Achaean wall, he was a leader of the same group of the Lycian warriors with Sarpedon and Glaucus. It was this group which pressed hard enough to allow Hector and his troops to breach the wall.

Later during the siege Achilles is mercilessly slaughtering Trojan warriors alongside the river Scamander, and polluting the water with dead bodies, including one of Priam's sons, Lycaon. With the river god Scamander pondering how he might stop Achilles, Achilles in turn attacks Asteropaeous (himself the grandson of a river god) whom Scamander instills with courage to make a stand against Achilles.

Achilles and Asteropaeous engage in combat, Asteropaeous throwing two spears at the same time at Achilles. One spear hits Achilles' shield, while the other hits the right forearm of Achilles and draws blood. Asteropaeous was the only Trojan in the Iliad who was able to draw blood from Achilles. However he fails to kill Achilles and is slain.

Achilles is to boast that though Asteropaeous may be descended from a river god, that he, Achilles, is descended from a mightier god, Zeus. Later , in the funeral games for the slain Patroclus, the bronze and tin corslet, and the silver studded swords of Asteropaeous are awarded as prizes.

PYRAECHMES

Pyraechmes along with Asteropaeous, was a leader of the Paeonian allies in the Trojan War. He came from the city of Amydon. Pyraechmes was killed in battle by Patroclus, who was dressed in Achilles armour.

CYCNUS OF KOLONAI

Cycnus was the king of the town of Kolonai in the southern Troad. He was the son of Poseidon by Calyce. (daughter of Hecaton). Legend tells that he was abandoned by his mother on the seashore, but was rescued by fishermen who named him Cycnus "swan" because they saw a swan flying over him. Other accounts, he is said to have had womanly white skin and fair hair, which is why he received his name that meant "swan".

Cycnus supported the Trojans and was a great warrior, killing one thousand opponents. According to some accounts he killed the Greek hero Protesilaus. It was said that being the son of Poseidon, he was invulnerable to spear and sword attacks. When Achilles confronted Cycnus he could not kill him via conventional weaponry so he crushed and suffocated him. After his death Cycnus was changed into a swan.

EURYPYLUS - PRINCE OF MYSIA

Euryplus was the son of Telephus, King of Mysia. He was a great warrior, who led a Mysian contingent that fought alongside the Trojans against the Greeks in the Trojan War.

In a prelude to the Trojan War, the Greeks attacked Mysia, mistaking it for Troy. Eurypylus' father Telephus was wounded by Achilles and later, when his wound continued to fester, was also healed by Achilles. According to some accounts, because of this, Telephus promised that neither he nor his familt would aid the Trojans in the coming war. Nevertheless, during the final stages of the war, between the death of Achilles, and the ruse of the Trojan horse, Eurypylus led a large Mysian force to fight on the side of Troy. Some accounts state that Priam obtained Eurypylus' aid in the war by giving his mother Astyoche a golden vine, or by promising Eurypylus one of his daughters as a wife.

Eurypylus was a great warrior and killed many opponents, including Machaon, Nireus, and Peneleus. Neoptolemus finally killed Eurypylus, using the same spear that his father Achilles had used to both wound and heal Eurypylus' father Telephus.

Homer has Odysseus say that Eurypylus was, next to Memnon, the most beautiful man he had ever seen, and there were nearly one hundred lines of the poem devoted to a detailed description of Eurypylus' shield, which was adorned with depictions of the twelve labours of Hercules. Dressed for battle, Eurypylus "seemed the War-god"

MEMNON - KING OF AETHIOPIA

Memnon was a king of Aethiopia and son of Tithonus and Eos. As a warrior he was considered to be almost Achilles' equal in skill. Sources describe that Memnon arrived with a large army of Indians and Aethiopians, which consisted of thousands of men with various kinds of arms, and surpassed the hopes and prayers even of Priam.

DDuring the Trojan war he brought an army to Troy's defense and killed Antilochus, Nestor's son, during a fierce battle. Nestor challenged Memnon to a fight, but Memnon refused, being there was little honour in killing the aged man. Nestor then pleaded with Achilles to avenge his son's death. Despite warnings that soon after Memnon fell so too would Achilles, the two men fought. Memnon drew blood from Achilles, but Achilles drove his spear through Memnon's chest, sending the Aethiopian army running.

SARPEDON

Sarpedon fought on the side of the Trojans, with his cousin Glaucus, and was one of Troy's greatest allies and heroes.

IIn the Iliad, Sarpedon scolded Hector, claiming that he left all the hard fighting to the allies of Troy and not to the Trojans themselves, and made a point of saying that the Lycians had no reason to fight the Greeks, or no real reason to hate them, but because he was a faithful ally to Troy he would do so and fight his best anyway. When the Trojans attacked the wooden stockade wall built by the Greeks, Sarpedon led his men, including Glaucus and Asteropaios to the forefront of the battle and caused Ajax and Teucer to shift their attention from Hector's attack to that of Sarpedon's forces. He personally led the attack on the battlements and was the first to enter the Greek encampment.

This attack allowed Hector to break through the Greek defences. It was during this action that Sarpedon delivered a speech about "noblesse oblige" to Glaucus, stating that they had been the most honoured kings, therefore they must now fight the most to repay that honour and prove themselves and repay their loyal subjects. While he was preparing to plunge into battle, he told Glaucus that together they would go on to glory. If they were successful, the glory would be their own. If not, the glory of whoever stopped them would be greater. When Patroclus entered the battle in the armour of Achilles, Sarpedon met him in combat. Zeus debated with himself whether to spare his son's life even though he was fated to die by the hand of Patroclus. Hera reminded him that other gods' sons were fighting and dying and other gods' sons were fated to die as well. If Zeus should spare his son from his fate, another god might do the same. Therefore Zeus let Sarpedon die while fighting Patroclus, but not before Sarpedon killed the only mortal horse of Achilles. During the fight, Zeus sent a shower of bloody raindrops over the Trojans' heads expressing the grief for the impending death of his son. When Sarpedon fell, mortally wounded, he called on Glaucus to rescue his body and arms. Patroclus withdrew his spear which he had embedded in Sarpedon, and as it left Sarpedon's body his spirit went with it. A violent struggle ensued over the body of the fallen king. The Greeks succeeded in gaining his armour (which was later given as a prize in the funeral games for Patroclus), but Zeus had Phoebus Apollo rescue the corpse. Apollo took the corpse and cleaned it, then delivered it to sleep (Hypnos) and Death (Thanatos), who took it back to Lycia for funeral honours.

KING PRIAM OF TROY

Priam was the legendary and last king of Troy during the Trojan War. He was the son of Laomedon. The many children of Priam , included notable characters such as Hector , Paris, and Cassandra.

IInitially Priam was named Podarces, and his change of name has to do with the actions of the Greek hero Heracles and Priam's father, Laomedon.

Heracles came to Troy when the city was under attack by disease and a sea monster, the attacks being the retribution of Poseidon and Apollo, after Laomedon had refused to pay them for work done. Heracles promised Laomedon to free Troy from the attacks, if the king would promise to give him the swift horses of Troy in payment.

Laomedon agreed to the deal and on the beach outside of Troy, Heracles slew the sea monster after three days of fighting. With the death of the monster, the pestilence also left Troy, but when Heracles went to Laomedon to take payment, the king refused and locked the city gates against the hero.

HHeracles would later return to Troy with several ships of men, including Telamon, and the hero laid siege to the city. Heracles would eventually enter the city, and the Greek hero killed Laomedon. The sons of the king were also killed by Heracles, until only the youngest, Podarces was left alive. He too would have died at the hands of Heracles, but Hesione, the sister of Podarces, stayed the hand of Heracles, by offering up a ransom for her brother; the ransom taking the form of a golden veil. Podarces would then take the name Priam, meaning "ransomed".

Having had his life spared, Priam then found himself elevated to king status, for Heracles put the Trojan prince upon the throne, making him ruler of Troy.

Troy would prosper under the leadership of Priam, the city's walls were rebuilt, and the military strength of Troy would grow. Priam was even said to have led the forces of Troy when allied with the Phrygians in a war against the Amazons.

As money flowed into Troy, through trade, so Priam built himself a magnificent palace; A palace built from brilliant white marble, comprising many hundreds of different rooms.

PPriam is killed during the sack of troy, by Achilles' son Neoptolemus. In Virgil's description, Neoptolemus first kills Priam's son Polites in front of his father as he seeks sanctuary on the altar of Zeus. Priam rebukes Neoptolemus, throwing a spear at him, harmlessly hitting his shield. Priam is then dragged by Neoptolemus to the altar and there kills him. Priam's death is alternatively depicted on some Greek vases, where Neoptolemus clubs Priam to death with the corpse of the latter's baby grandson, Astyanax.

THE CRUSADES - THE GREAT SIEGE OF MALTA 1565

The Great Siege of Malta occurred in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the Island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The siege lasted nearly four months, from 18th May to 11th September 1565.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

The Order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, was commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller, which arose in the 12th Century during the height of the Cluniac movement a reformist movement within the Benedictine monastic order that sought to strengthen religious devotion and charity for the poor. Earlier in the 11th Century merchants from Amalfi founded a hospital in Jerusalem dedicated to John the Baptist to care for the sick, poor and injured pilgrims to the holy land. After the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the first Crusade, a group of crusaders formed a religious order to support the hospital. The organization became a military religious order under its own papal charter, charged with the care and defense of the holy land. Following the conquest of the holy land by Islamic forces, the knights operated from Rhodes, over which they were sovereign, and later from Malta, where they administered a vassal state under the Spanish viceroy of Sicily.

The Knights Hospitaller had been headquartered in Malta since 1530, after being driven out of Rhodes, also by the Ottomans, in 1522, following the Siege of Rhodes. The Ottomans first attempted to take Malta in 1551 but failed. In 1565, Suleiman The Magnificent, the Ottoman Sultan, made a second attempt to take Malta. The Knights, who numbered around 500 together with approximately 6,000 foot soldiers, withstood the siege and repelled the invaders. This victory became one of the most celebrated events of Sixteenth Century Europe, to the point that Voltaire said, "Nothing is better known than the Siege of Malta". It undoubtedly contributed to the eventual erosion of the European perception of Ottoman invincibility, although the Mediterranean continued to be contested between Christian coalitions and the Muslim Turks for many years.

JEAN PARISOT de LA VALETTE, GRAND MASTER OF THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, OF RHODES AND OF MALTA.

Jean "Parisot" de la Valette (4th February 1495 - 21st August 1568) was a French nobleman and the 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta. As a Knight Hospitaller, joining the order in the Langue de Provence, he fought with distinction against the Turks at Rhodes. As Grand Master, Valette became the Order's hero and most illustrious leader, commanding the resistance against the Ottomans at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.

After the great siege, he commissioned the construction of the new city of Valetta in 1566, laying the first stone with his own hands. The city became known as the most aristocratic and exclusive fortress in Europe, and Valletta remains the Maltese capital to this day.

La Valette never saw the completed city, and died from a stroke on 21st August 1568.

His tomb can be found in the Crypt of the Conventual Church of the Order (now St. John's C0-Cathedral) situated within the walls of Valletta. The inscription on his tomb, which was composed by his Latin Secretary, Sir Oliver Starkey, the last Knight of the English Langue at the time of the Great Siege, states in Latin, Here lies La Valette. Worthy of eternal honour, He who was once the scourge of Africa and Asia, And the shield of Europe, Whence he expelled the barbarians by his Holy Arms, Is the first to be buried in this beloved city, Whose founder he was.

Jean de Valette, Grand Master of the Knights of Malta, had a key influence in the victory against the Ottomans with his example and his ability to encourage and hold people together. This example had a major impact, bringing together the Kings of Europe in an alliance against the previously seemingly invincible Ottomans. The result was the vast union of forces against the Ottomans at the Battle of Lepanto six years later. Such was the gratitude of Europe for the Knights' heroic defence that money soon began pouring into the island, allowing Valette to construct a fortified city, Valletta, with the intent to deny the position to any future enemies.

The flag and coat of arms of the sovereign military order of Malta, display a white cross on a red field, ultimately derived from the design worn by the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. The banner of the Knights Hospitaller was introduced in 1130, on the order of Pope Innocent III, to distinguish them from the Templars who used the reverse colours. In 1259 Pope Alexander IV made the white cross the design to be put on the mantling of the knights. After that the emblem was adopted as a general symbol for the Order. When the Hospitallers moved to Cyprus in 1291, the banner of a white cross in a red field was flown from ships in their navy.

The core of the Malta Defenders' force was the armoured knight, who were members of the Order of St. John. These were in many ways the counterparts of the Muslim Janissaries, proud, brave, unswervingly loyal and members of an Order which was under the protection of the Pope. They were members of a religion, a religious order with full vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but also trained as some of the finest fighting men of their day.

The Knights may have become sailors more than landsmen over the years, but this did not mean they changed their outward appearance. They still wore the full field armour that they would have worn for combat on land. The main reason for this was that naval warfare at this time chiefly consisted of closing with the enemy until one could grapple the other ship and then fight in the usual way, man to man. Armour however had reached its apogee, with its clean lines, magnificent protection and only weighing about 100 pounds. German armour was much lighter than the usual armour, being made of plates that gained their strength from being heavily fluted, so that any blow was deflected away from the body of the wearer.

The Knights were to lose a third of their number, and Malta lost a third of its inhabitants. Birgu and Senglea were essentially leveled. Still, 9,000 defenders had managed to withstand a siege of more than four months in the hot summer, despite enduring a bombardment of some 130,000 cannonballs.

The first of the Knights of the Order of St. John will be available in September.

THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS 1066 - THE NORMAN ARMY

The Battle of Hastings took place on the 14th October 1066. Although the numbers on each side were about equal, William had the advantage of having both cavalry, infantry and many archers. Harold had only foot soldiers, and few archers. The English formed a shield wall along a ridge, and were initially so effective that the invading Norman army was repeatedly thrown back with heavy casualties.

BISHOP ODO OF BAYEUX

Odo was the son of William the Conqueror's mother Herleva and Herluin de Conteville. There is uncertainty about his birth date, and it is believed he was born around 1035. Duke William made him bishop of Bayeux in 1049.

Although Odo was an ordained Christian cleric, he is best known as a warrior and statesman. He funded ships for the Norman invasion of England and is one of the very few proven companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Bayeux Tapestry which was probably commissioned by him to adorn his own cathedral, appears to make the point that he did not actually fight, that is to say shed blood, but rather encouraged the troops from the rear. The Latin annotation embroidered onto the Tapestry above his image reads, "Hic Odo Eps Baculu Tenens Conortat Pueros", "Here Odo the Bishop holding a club strengthens the boys". It has been suggested that his clerical status forbade him from using a sword, although this is doubtful. The club was a common weapon and used often by leaders including the Duke William himself, as also depicted in the same part of the Tapestry.

In 1067, Odo became Earl of Kent, and for some years he was a trusted royal minister. On some occasions when William was absent (back in Normandy) he served as regent of England, and at times he led the royal forces against rebellions (eg, the Revolt of the Earls). During this time, Odo acquired vast estates in England, larger in extent than anyone except the king. He had land in twenty three counties, primarily in the south east and in East Anglia.

EUROPEAN ALLIED INFANTRY

European allied infantry are recorded as fighting at Hastings, although none are shown in the tapestry. Their equipment was identical to to that of knights, and some may indeed have been dismounted knights. These are believed to be mercenaries who favoured foot combat, probably Swabians, Old Saxons or other northern germans

Eustace II, Count of Boulogne

Eustace II, Count of Boulogne (c. 1015 - 1087) also known as Eustace aux Grenons (Eustace with long moustaches) was the Count of Boulogne from 1049 - 1087. He fought on the Norman side at the battle of Hastings, and was an important participant in the Norman conquest of England. Sources vary regarding the details of his conduct during the Battle of Hastings, but it must have been significant as afterwar the battle he received large grants of land. It has also been suggested that Eustace was the patron of the Bayeux Tapestry.

FRENCH INFANTRY

French Infantrymen of this period that accompanied the Norman army at Hastings were armed with spear and shield, which were the standard arms of the general levy. The winged spearhead is derived from the Carolingian period, the function of the wings was to prevent the spear head from penetrating too far.

ALAN RUFUS AND STANDARD BEARER

Alan Rufus (c. 1040 -1093) was a Breton nobleman, cousin and companion of William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England. He was the second son of Eozen Penteur, a Count of Brittany, and an older maternal first cousin of Edward King of England.

During the Battle of Hastings, there is evidence that Alan Rufus led William's Household Knights whilst Alan's brother Breon led the left wing. This put Alan in the perfecr position to co-ordinate feints with his brother. Breon would draw the inexperienced Saxon fyrdmen forward, and the other would follow in behind and isolate the pursuing Saxons. This was a modification of tactics used by the Bretons for many years. An example being the Battle of Jengland AD851.

Several documents refer to Gyrth Godwinson, Harold's younger brother and Earl of East Anglia, leading an assault on William's position. William's horse was cut down from under him, Gyrth seeing this moved to kill him, but someone stopped him, and Gyrth was killed instead. Without the experienced leadership of Gyrth at the front of the shield wall, and since Harold's other younger brother Leofric Earl of Essex had already fallen, this probably proved decisive factor in the English defeat. William's chroniclers say he cut down Gyrth, but Domesday evidence tells us that one of William's Breton allies rode to his rescue, either Ralph "The Staller", or Alan Rufus.

Alan Rufus, and many of the Breton Knights were to be granted considerable land holdings by William the Conqueror in return for their services. Rufus would receive land in Northern England and later he would build Richmond Castle. Many of Alan Rufus's early acquisitions in England included many land titles that had been in the possession of King Harold's wife Edith the Fair, including all but one of her holdings in Cambridgeshire.

By 1086 Alan had become one of the richest and most powerful men in England.

BRETON INFANTRY

Although there are some references to Breton infantry at Hastings, they seemed to have been depended so exclusively on cavalry that the infantry were known as being very poor. There is very little known during this period of the Bretons fighting on foot, a source around 1120 records Bretons as being seven times better fighting on horse than on foot.

The Norman Crossbow will be coming soon

A couple of Norman Knights are still waiting to be produced....

And finally..... a new action pose, for WILLIAM DUKE OF NORMANDY

Please note these will be the final pieces for the Norman Army