author
R. Coltman (Robert Coltman) Clephan
1839–1922
A Northumbrian antiquary and writer who explored the weapons, armor, and tournaments of medieval Europe with the eye of a careful collector. His books remain useful for readers drawn to old military history, chivalry, and the material details of the past.
2 Audiobooks
The Tournament—Its Periods and Phases
by R. Coltman (Robert Coltman) Clephan
The Defensive Armour and the Weapons and Engines of War of Mediæval Times, and of the "Renaissance."
by R. Coltman (Robert Coltman) Clephan
About the author
Born in Gateshead on November 8, 1839, Robert Coltman Clephan was an English writer, antiquary, and merchant with strong ties to Newcastle upon Tyne. He is remembered for his studies of medieval arms, armor, military engines, and tournaments, subjects he approached through both historical reading and close attention to surviving objects.
Clephan wrote a number of works on these themes, including The Defensive Armour and the Weapons and Engines of War of Mediæval Times, and of the Renaissance and The Tournament: Its Periods and Phases. He also contributed research to local scholarly publications connected with antiquarian work in Newcastle, and his writing shows a lasting interest in how warfare, ceremony, and craftsmanship met in the medieval world.
He died in Newcastle upon Tyne on March 22, 1922. Although he is not widely known today, his books have had a long afterlife through reprints and digital editions, making him a familiar name to readers interested in medieval military culture and the history of the tournament.