Medieval WarfareFrom the eighth century through the Middle Ages feudalism determined the nature of European warfare. Medieval Warfare begins in the time of Charlemagne, who maintained a military system of freemen and of vassals bound to him in service for lands granted in fief. These pages are crowded with recreations of famous events like the Battle of Hastings and movements like the Crusades; with the brightest flowers of knighthood, and with the mercenary grandeur of Byzantium. Hans Delbrück shows how feudal military organization varied in different countries and why the knightly forces could not hold up against the barbarous Normans. He studies military developments in the kingdoms that rose with the collapse of the Carolingian Empire, as well as the trend toward mercenary armies. When the Swiss peasants, forming the first true infantry, defeated the Burgundian knights in the fourteenth century, the era of modern warfare had begun. |
Contents
List of Illustrations | 7 |
II | 23 |
The Subjugation of the Saxons | 65 |
Copyright | |
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able according already archers armor arms army assembled attack battle battle of Murten Bern Bernese bishop burghers Burgundian Burgundian wars Burgundy camp campaign cantons CAPITULARY Carolingian century Chap Charles Charles the Bold Chronicle combat command completely concept Confederation count count of Charolais Crécy crossbowmen Crusades defeated defensive dismounted duke duke of Burgundy Edward emperor enemy English fact feudal fiefs fight finally flank foot soldiers foot troops force formation formed fought Frankish French front garrison German Geschichte Henry horseback horsemen horses Hungarians Hussites Jähns janissaries king knightly knights Köhler lances large number later Laupen levy lord marksmen mercenaries Middle Ages military system Morgarten mounted moved Murten Normans peasants period position princes quod rear Roman Saxons Schwyz Sempach side siege sources spearmen spears Strasbourg strength Swabia Swiss Taborites tactics tion took unit vassals Vegetius victory wagon wagon fort warrior class weapons Widukind