How contemporary conflicts resemble the medieval wars in Scandinavian areas

Republication from www.hf.uio.no ( University of Oslo)

“King Sverre’s march over the Vosse mountains” by Peter Nicolai Arbo (1862). Sverre was King of Norway from 1184 to 1202. Picture: Wikimedia Commons

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There are many ways in which to understand the new wars of today. One way is to look at the wars that took place in medieval times.

Most wars since 1989 have not been fought between states. The divisions associated with classical types of warfare – between soldiers and civilians, soldiers and criminals, war and peace – are not that clear anymore. Such as the present situation in Afghanistan.

In recent years, there has been a major international discussion among political scientists and anthropologists about how to understand new types of wars that have arisen since the Cold War.

The classical understanding of the term “civil war” is often imprecise when wars are fought across national borders. Instead, the term “new wars” has become more common among many experts and researchers.

Uniforms of Argentina (War of Independence 1810-1824)-part II

Trooper of the Minones de Cataluna.
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This is the second part of a collection of Argentinean officers and regular troops during the Spanish-American Wars of Independence 1810-1824, that is the standing troops of the independent United Provinces of Rio de la Plata as well as the Argentinean troops of Gen. José Francisco de San Martín who gained independence for Chile and most of Peru.

Uniforms of Argentina (War of Independence 1810-1824) -part I

General Don Jose de San Martin, Liberator of Chile and most of Peru.
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This is a collection of uniforms of Argentinean officers and regular troops during the Spanish-American Wars of Independence 1810-1824, that is the standing troops of the independent United Provinces of Rio de la Plata as well as the Argentinean troops of Gen. José Francisco de San Martín who gained independence for Chile and most of Peru.

Uniforms of Venezuela (War of Independence 1810-1824) part II

Bolivar crossing the Andes with his army. Note his regular troops on the front.

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This is a collection of more uniforms of Venezuelan officers and regular troops during the Spanish-American Wars of Independence 1810-1824.

Uniforms of Venezuela (War of Independence 1810-1824) part I

Officer of the Corps of Engineers. Artwork by Lafita Portabella.
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This is a collection of uniforms of Venezuelan officers and regular troops during the Spanish-American Wars of Independence 1810-1824, that is the soldiers of the “Libertador” Gen. Simon Bolivar. Bolivar himself was born in Venezuela but he must be rather considered as a Pan-Spanish-American historical figure just as his Argentinean counterpart Gen. José Francisco de San Martín, the other main figure of the Wars of Independence. Together they share the honour of liberating much of the continent.