Название: Before the Military Revolution: European Warfare and the Rise of the Early Modern State 1300–1490
Автор: Alexander Querengasser
Издательство: Oxbow Books
Год: 2021
Страниц: 349
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (conv), epub (true), mobi
Размер: 10.3 MB

Before the Military Revolution examines European Warfare in the Late Middle Ages from 1300 to 1490. It is not restricted only to well-covered conflicts, like the Anglo-Scottish Wars or the Hundred Years War, but gives due weight to all regions of Europe, including the Empire, the Baltic, the Balkans and the Mediterranean, and considers developments in naval warfare. The Hussite Wars and the wars of the Teutonic Order and the Hanseatic League are covered, as is the expansion of Moscow, the Ottomans and Venice, and battles like Aussig (1426), Copenhagen (1428), Chojnice (1454) are discussed alongside Bannockburn and Agincourt.

This age witnesses fundamental change. The feudal system of the High Middle Ages crumbled everywhere in Europe due to climatic change, economic crisis and population decline. This triggered a fiscalization of the military organization, the establishment of taxes and representation of the estates. This book argues that these changes are the most fundamental ones in the military and political organization in Europe until the rise of the constitutional state around 1800 and so comes closer to the original concept of a Military Revolution. It also takes a critical look at other often discussed developments of this age, like the Infantry and Artillery Revolution or the decline of cavalry. Combining a chronological and regional narrative with deeper analysis of themes like chivalry, strategy, economic warfare or military publications makes this book an indispensable read for everyone interested in late medieval history.

In the popular image, but also to an alarming extent in much modern scholarship, medieval warfare is often reduced to knights and castles – yet this stereotype does not even hold true for the centres of European chivalric culture. However, to start this book, it seems worthwhile to recapitulate the work of Robert Bartlett, who divided the military cultures of Europe into three regions. The first one includes Northern France, England and Germany and was dominated by heavy cavalry. The second is Wales, Scotland and Scandinavia, which were shaped by foot warriors. The third is Ireland, the Western Slavic cultures and the Baltic regions, which were dominated by light cavalry.

Contents:
Introduction
1. Medieval Warfare 1000–1300
2. War in Europe 1300–1400
3. War in Europe 1400–1450
4. War in Europe 1450–1490
5. Naval Warfare
6. Guns and Pike Squares: Revolutions of Medieval Warfare?
7. A Revolution of Knowledge
8. From the Feudal Levy System to Mercenary Armies: a Social-Military Revolution
9. Military Change and the Development of the Early Modern State
Conclusions
Selected Further Reading