What was it really like to be a soldier in the turbulent 17th century? Forget endless lists of dates, battles and kings. Instead, step into the boots of Matthias Hawkeslade, a seasoned Captain of Horse, whose life as a professional soldier took him across the battlefields of Europe during the Thirty Years’ War and later into the bloody turmoil of the English Civil War. This is history told from the saddle, through the eyes of a man who lived it. In character as Captain Hawkeslade, I bring to life the experiences, hardships and adventures of a mercenary soldier: the dangers of campaigning, the realities of battle and the often uncomfortable business of surviving in a world where loyalty could be bought, sold or tested at sword point. This is not a lecture about dates. It is an opportunity to experience history through the eyes of someone who was there. After all, there is a considerable difference between reading about a war and having to fight in one!