Military Revolutions 14 th17 th centuries Just how

Military Revolutions (14 th-17 th centuries) Just how did the West, initially so small and deficient in most natural resources, become able to compensate for what it lacked through superior military and naval power? The Military Revolution (1988) by Jeremy Black Infantry (ca. 1330 s-40 s) Battle of Crécy (1346) Battle of Agincourt (1415) Artillery (ca. 1420 s-40 s) Fortress (ca. 1520 s-40 s) Firearms (ca. 1590 s+) Old Testament battle (13 th century manuscript)

Infantry Revolution War in the “Age of the Horse” (mid-11 th to early-14 th centuries) Feudal warrior-aristocrats: shock combat (armor & mobility) Infantry: protect cavalry (“like a great wall”) Infantry Revolution: How & why did this happen? Battle of Crécy (1346): English men-at-arms & archers versus French cavalry “And ever still the Englishmen shot where they saw the thickest press. The sharp arrows pierced the knights and their horses, and many fell, both horse and man. And when they were down they could not rise again, the press was so thick that one overthrew another. ” Jean de Froissart (1370 s) Archers (14 th-century manuscript)

Infantry Revolution Why were the English so successful? 1) Weapons: six-foot longbows 2) Training: yeoman farmers, constant warfare 3) Tactics: “pike-and-shot” combination 4) Advantages: lower costs, quicker training, broader recruitment pool What was the broad impact of the infantry revolution? 1) Political: growing influence of the commons Parliament (1341): Commons meet separately from Lords 2) Social: growing ability to resist oppression Great Revolt (1381): rebels armed with longbows 3) Military: bloodier battles, escalating casualties

Infantry Revolution Account of Battle of Poitiers (1356) To say the truth, the English archers were of infinite service to their army, for they shot so thickly and so well, that the French did not know which way to turn themselves to avoid their arrows. . In that part the battle was very hot, and greatly crowded; many a one was unhorsed, and you must know that whenever any one fell, he had but little chance of getting up again. . . The English archers shot so well that none care to come within reach of their arrows, and they put to death many who could not ransom themselves. . . Battle of Crécy (1346): French (left) vs. English (right) Jean de Froissart (1370 s)

Artillery Revolution (early 15 th century) When did gunpowder artillery first appear in Europe? What impact did it have? English siege of Berwick (1333): [The English] made meny assaute with gonnes and with othere engynes to the toune, wherwith thai destroide meny a fair hous; and cherches also weren bete adoune vnto the erthe, with gret stones, that spytously eomen out of gonnes and of othere gynnes. And notheles the Scottes kepte wel the toune, that tho ii knyghtes might nought come therin long tyme. And notheles the Kynges abiden there so longe, til tho that were in the toune faillede vitailes; and also thai were so wery of wakying that thai wiste nought what to Done. Siege of Dax (1450): Our prince sent for a force of pioneers and miners, who, all night long, he had make broad approaches and deep ditches and trenches, [and] set up his large artillery, and put the protective mantles there. . . Furthermore, the large artillery was fired assiduously day and night. Inside of a few days it had done great damage, so that the defenses of the towers. . . And a great part of the forward walls were thrown down to the ground. . .

Artillery Revolution By the late 1440 s the Franco-Burgundian artillery could destroy even the most powerfully defended places. . . After a 16 -day siege in 1450, almost the entire wall of Bayeux was “pierced and brought down. ”. . . At Blaye, in 1451, it took only 5 days before “the town walls were completely thrown down in many places. ”. . . Based on the above accounts, it seems fair to say that a revolution occurred in the art of war around the 1420 s to 1430 s, as gunpowder artillery overturned the centuries-old dominance of the defensive in siege warfare. What was the nature of this revolution? “The Military Revolutions of the Hundred Years’ War” (1993) by Clifford J. Rogers What changes occurred in the early 15 th century? 1) Design & manufacture of cannon 2) Loading methods 3) Gunpowder formulation What additional changes by the late 15 th century? Two-wheeled carriage, trunnion, & iron cannonball Article: Use of Gunpowder Weaponry in 100 Years War (PDF file)

Artillery Revolution Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle (1449) 15 ft long, 8. 5 tons, 549 lb ball Venetian Senate (1498): The wars of the present time are influenced more by the force of bombards & artillery than by men-at-arms. History of Italy (c 1535): They were planted against the walls of a town with such speed, the space between shots was so little, and the balls flew so quick and were impelled with such force, that as much execution was done in a few hours as formerly, in Italy, in the like number of days. Niccolo Machiavelli (1519): No wall exists, however thick, that artillery cannot destroy in a few days

Artillery Revolution 15 th-century manuscript Battle of Rain (17 th-century engraving)