Rupert Matthews

This comprehensive historical reference covers the Apostolic Succession from St. Peter to Pope Francis, plus a selection of Papal Bulls and teachings. The papacy is a unique religious office. Lasting two millennia, it is one of the oldest and most enduring institutions in the world. The line of authority linking the current pope to the ministry of Jesus Christ has continued unbroken over the centuries. “The Popes: Every Question Answered” presents...

Investigate the defenses and life in the greatest medieval castles and the chivalrous and heroic actions of best-known knights.

This is the new Popular Reference edition of the fully-illustrated eBook, ISBN: 9781782122586. The bitter Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front was the turning point of World War II. The relentless and unstoppable German advances that had seen the panzers sweep hundreds of miles into Russia was finally brought to a halt. The elite German 6th Army was first fought to a standstill, then surrounded and forced to surrender. Over 1.5 million people...

Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yowie, Yeti... the idea that monstrous man-apes lurk in the remote forests and high mountain valleys of the world is an enduring and popular one. Hardly a week goes by without some report of a fresh encounter. In 1793 the Boston Gazette reported a sighting of what the Cherokee call a 'chickly cuddly' or 'hairy man thing'. In 1818 the Watchman recorded the visit of a 'Wild Man of the Woods'. Ever since, hundreds of eyewitness accounts...

The sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912 is one of the most dramatic stories in maritime history. The largest passenger steamship in the world, fitted with more advanced safety features than any of her rivals, she was proclaimed to be virtually unsinkable. Just how and why the Titanic foundered on such a beautiful April evening is the subject of this fascinating book. Author Rupert Matthews has written a highly readable account of...

The bitter Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point of WWII on the Eastern Front. The relentless and unstoppable German advances that had seen the panzers sweep hundreds of miles into Russia was finally brought to a halt at Stalingrad. The elite German 6th Army was first fought to a standstill, then surrounded and forced to surrender. For the first time in the war, the Germany army had been defeated on the field of battle. Before Stalingrad the...

This comprehensive, fully illustrated reference volume covers the evolution of small arms from primitive spears to portable rocket launchers. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Small Arms details more than 1,000 weapons, complete with full-color photographs. Featuring arms from around the world and across history, this stunning guide highlights the intricacies that make each variety unique, tying in historical anecdotes as well as the history of certain...

The great spectacles of ancient Rome have become proverbial for their cruelty, bloodlust and glory. In the arena, the games were savage and brutal. Gladiators fought each other to the death, wild animals were put to fight each other and criminals were executed by barbaric means. Military victories were marked by the Triumphs when generals paraded through the city, the defeated were sacrificed to the gods and food and wine was offered free of charge...

'Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.' One of the most remarkable actions in ancient or modern military history took place at Thermopylae in 480BC. Rupert Matthews has personally examined the battlefield in order to try to explain how 300 Spartans could hold at bay the hordes of the Persian Emperor Xerxes. This was no vain sacrifice; the delay gave breathing space for the Greek states to organise their defence,...

Beginning with the strategic situation in 1943, this compelling tale recounts the circumstances that led to this decisive battle that was a key turning point of the Second World War on the Eastern Front. Considered by both the Germans and the Soviets to be a highly unpromising place to fight a battle, Kursk would prove the undoing of the Germans. Never again would they be able to mount a major offensive to the east and never again was the end result...