For medieval strategy and tactics there is nothing better than this book. MILITARY HISTORY (US) La traduction integrale en anglais...est la consecration internationale, bien tardive, d'un grand classique du genre. MOYEN AGE Warfare is a major feature of the history of the middle ages, but its study has often been the province of amateurs; only recently have the technical details of warfare and its organisation been subject to proper scholarly investigation. Professor Verbruggen's major work, outstanding in its field, applies rigorous standards in analysing often very obscure surviving evidence, and reaches conclusions very different from earlier generations of military historians. He begins by analysing the sources for our knowledge of the military history of the period, assessing their reliability: some chroniclers exaggerate, others are careful observers or have access to official records. There follows an examination of the constituent parts of the medieval army, knights and footsoldiers, equipment and terms of service, behaviour on the field, and psychology, before the problematic question of medieval tactics is addressed through analysis of accounts of a series of major battles. Strategy is discussed in the context of these battles: whether to seek battle, fight a defensive war, or attempt a war of conquest.Originally published in Dutch in 1954, now translated and updated.J.F. VERBRUGGENis a distinguished Belgian military historian of wide experience. Prisoner of war, student, and a member of the resistance movement during the second world war, he subsequently obtained his Ph.D., with greatest distinction, for research into warfare in the middle ages, and remained in the army as a lecturer at the Royal Military School in Brussels until in 1956 he went to the Belgian Congo. He spent twenty years teaching in Africa, retiring as Professor of History, University of Congo, and University of Bujumbura (Burundi) in 1976.
Author(s): J.F. Verbruggen
Series: Warfare in History
Publisher: Boydell Press
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 499
Illustrations......Page 10
General Preface......Page 11
Weaknesses of Modern Military Historians in Discussing Medieval Warfare......Page 13
The Strength of Medieval Armies......Page 17
Combat......Page 21
Limitations of the Clerical Sources......Page 22
Secular and Other Reliable Sources......Page 23
The Importance of the Vernacular......Page 25
Changes in Tactics Revealed by Lesser-known Sources......Page 26
Generalizations from Detailed Accounts......Page 27
Accounts of Battles by Eye-witnesses......Page 28
The Knight and his Equipment......Page 31
The scara......Page 32
The Marchfield and the Mayfield......Page 34
The Knight's Training......Page 39
Collective Training: Private Wars......Page 40
Collective Training: Tournaments......Page 42
The Psychology of Knights on the Battlefield......Page 49
Mass Flight and Panic......Page 56
Fear in Knights Facing Foot-soldiers......Page 58
Self-interest and Profits of War......Page 61
The Able Commander......Page 63
Sense of Honour and Duty......Page 66
Rough Manners and Knightly Customs......Page 69
Faith and Religious Conviction......Page 70
The Arming of Knights and its Influence......Page 73
Solidarity in the Knightly Families and Clans, and in a Lord's Retinue......Page 75
Tactical Units in Knightly Warfare......Page 85
Discipline in Camp and on the March......Page 89
Battle Discipline......Page 95
Orders signalled by Trumpets and Banners......Page 96
Commands and Evolutions: a Comparison with Byzantium......Page 97
The Tactical Significance of the Standard......Page 101
The Re-Grouping of Units and the Manoeuvre of Feigned Flight......Page 103
The Importance of Order Within the Formation......Page 109
Tactical Aims......Page 115
Protection of the Flanks......Page 116
The Place of the Commanders in Battle......Page 117
The Knights Fighting on Foot......Page 118
The Course of a Battle......Page 120
General Conclusion......Page 121
The Foot-soldiers and their Remarkable Development in the Fourteenth Century......Page 123
The foot-soldiers in Switzerland......Page 124
The foot-soldiers in Dithmarschen......Page 127
The foot-soldiers in Wales......Page 129
The foot-soldiers in Scotland......Page 133
2. The Foot-soldiers in the First Crusade......Page 136
3. Mercenaries......Page 139
4. The Foot-soldiers from the Cities......Page 156
The Flemish foot-soldiers......Page 161
The communal armies of Liège......Page 165
The foot-soldiers in France......Page 171
The Numerical Strength of the Foot-soldiers......Page 176
The Equipment of the Foot-soldiers......Page 182
Solidarity or Cohesion of the Foot-soldiers......Page 185
The Battle Psychology of the Foot-soldiers......Page 190
1. Formations and Positions of the Foot-soldiers on the Battlefields......Page 195
2. Defence or Attack in Battle?......Page 215
3. Foot-soldiers versus Knights in Battle......Page 217
The Battle of Courtrai, 11 July 1302......Page 220
The Battle of Arques, 4 April 1303......Page 224
The Battle at Mons-En-Pévèle, 18 August 1304......Page 228
Choice and exploitation of terrain......Page 234
The March into Battle......Page 238
Battle Order......Page 239
Co-operation of Cavalry and Foot-soldiers in Battle......Page 241
Preparation for Battle by Archers......Page 242
Mutual Support of Knights and Foot-soldiers......Page 244
Independent Action of Foot-soldiers in Co-operation with Cavalry......Page 246
The Position of the Supreme Commander and the Reserve Corps......Page 247
Retreat and Flight from the Field of......Page 251
The Battle of the Lake of Antioch, 9 February 1098......Page 254
The Sortie and the Battle of Antioch, 28 June 1098......Page 256
The Battle of Thielt, 21 June 1128......Page 259
The Battle of Arsuf, 7 September 1191......Page 262
The March122......Page 263
The Battle......Page 267
The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214......Page 270
The French Forces......Page 273
The Strength of the Allies......Page 281
The March of the Allies from Mortagne to Bouvines......Page 282
The Disposition of the Armies......Page 284
The Battle......Page 286
Conclusion......Page 290
Tactics and Leadership in the Battle of Bouvines......Page 295
General Outline......Page 297
The Numbers Involved in the Battle......Page 303
The Battle......Page 305
Conclusion......Page 310
V Strategy......Page 315
1. Moral Forces......Page 317
2. The Battle as the Means to Gain the End of the War......Page 319
3. Superiority of Numbers......Page 322
4. The Surprise......Page 323
5. Assembly of Forces......Page 325
1. Plans for a Crusade......Page 327
General principles......Page 328
Summary of the plans......Page 332
Fidenzio of Padua......Page 337
Pierre Dubois, De Recuperatione Terre Sancte......Page 342
The Strategic ideas of Pierre Dubois119......Page 346
A plan for warfare against the rebels in Flanders, 1325......Page 349
The plan of Benedict Zaccaria for the war at sea against England......Page 351
Offensive Strategy......Page 353
Defensive Strategy......Page 359
1. Defensive Systems of Medieval States......Page 360
2. Signals and Communications......Page 365
3. Advantages of Defence......Page 367
4. Supplies......Page 371
5. Defensive Manoeuvres......Page 378
6. Strategic Possibilities and the Theatre of War......Page 385
The Influence of the Church on Methods of Warfare......Page 386
Conclusion......Page 388
General Conclusion......Page 389
Bibliography......Page 391
Index......Page 426
