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GCSE History Warfare > 1250-1500 > Flashcards

1250-1500 Flashcards

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1
Q

What made up armies at the start in 1250?

A

Infantry and cavalry

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2
Q

What was the composition of the armies in 1250?

A

2:1
Infantry:cavalry

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3
Q

Who were the infantry in 1250?

A

Were peasants who fought on foot. They were the bottom of the social hierarchy and were treated poorly compared to other soldiers. They may have worn skull caps and leather jackets for protectiom

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4
Q

Who were the cavalry in 1250?

A

Mounted knights were gentry and nobility who fought on horseback and were superior in status to other types of soldiers. They would have been armed with swords and lances, and protected with helmets and chainmail.

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5
Q

How many soldiers did armies usually have in 1250?

A

5000-10000

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6
Q

What was the cavalry’s role in the battle in 1250?

A

Most powerful force on the battlefield. They weakened the enemy in the first round of attack by using:

  • mounted charge, charging through enemy lines to reach and kill the enemy commander
  • rout and chase, used to scatter enemy infantry and attack them once they were dispersed
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7
Q

What was the infantry’s role in the battle in 1250?

A

Task was to hold enemy attack and then defeat the enemy infantry:

  • shield wall, with overlapping shields , and spears or pikes, held enemy attacks
  • mêlée, where the infantry engaged in hand to hand fighting with swords , pikes and daggers.
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8
Q

What was the feudal system?

A

The feudal system organised society into groups based on peoples roles. Land was granted in return for service to the lord. Those serving their lord in battle provided their own equipment and provisions. When the feudal began to break down and it was more difficult to persuade people to fight, kings paid for soldiers to fight , called mercenaries

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9
Q

Who commanded the armies in 1250?

A

Those of superior social status

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10
Q

Feudal system structures

A

Kings gives land to his lord , and he expects troops in return. The lords section out their land to noble man and gentry who will provide troops . Noble men give land to peasants for farming , but in return expect them to be ready to fight.

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11
Q

What was warfare in 1250 often used for?

A

Used by kings and lords to protect their power and take power from other kings and lords. Warfare was limited and focused on castles

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12
Q

What was the most important trait in the army in 1250?

A

A person combat experience was less important than their social status in the feudal system,as a result , the quality of leadership varied.

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13
Q

Who were the archers in 1250?

A

Infantry who used bows or crossbows. They played a minor role working with the mounted knights to break down the enemy line at the beginning of the battle.

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14
Q

When were long bows introduced into the army?

A

1290s

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15
Q

Who made longbows a key part of the english armies for 150 years until 1500?

A

Edward I

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16
Q

Features of the longbows?

A
  • 15 arrows could be fired , five times more the rate of the cross bow
  • their increased power meant arrows could pierce through a knights chainmail
  • they had an effective range of 200 metres , twice that of shorter bows and crossbows.
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17
Q

What were used by the scots , under william Wallace?

A

Schiltrons

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18
Q

What were schiltrons?

A

Tight formations of infantry gathered together in a circle or square , with pikes facing outwards towards the enemy.

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19
Q

What was the schiltron used to do?

A

A strong defensive formation , Wallace used the schiltron to move infantry forwards and attack. The schiltron was used effectively in battles against english infantry in 1297 and english cavalry in 1314

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20
Q

When and where did the formula for gun powder arrive in england?

A

13th century from china

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21
Q

What was gunpowder used for?

A

Used to fire cannons and by 1450, cannons were becoming a standard siege weapon. Which in turn affected the design of castles as old styles became increasingly vulnerable to cannon fire.

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22
Q

Limitations of the cannon?

A
  • heavy and expensive: to transport them involved complicated logistical planning.
  • inaccurate: generally they could only be used against large targets , such as walls
  • short range: they had to be close to their targets , making them vulnerable to attack.
  • unreliable: they were likely to blow up or fail to fire
  • slow to reload
  • trained personnel needed
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23
Q

Advantages of the cannon?

A
  • useful in destroying city and castle walls, shortening sieges
  • improvements were made in range and aim with new technology , including trunnion (rods ro raise height of barrel).
  • specialist cannon were developed that could launch cannonballs high over defensive walls or over longer distances
  • metal was used for cannon barrels and balls rather than stone , which made cannons more effective and accurate.
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24
Q

What did the introduction of new weapons mean for the mounted knights?

A

Decline of mounted knight in numbers and importance

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25
Q

Why did the mounted knight decline in numbers and importance?

A
  • longbows were more effective in taking down knights, horses and infantry
  • schiltron was effective at defeating cavalry, increasing cavalry’s importance
  • cavalry became more integrated , taking on specialist tasks , like patrolling and scouting , and they often dismounted to fight defensive battles
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26
Q

How did the decline of the mounted knight have an effect on society?

A

With less noble men , the king paid for mercenaries rather than relying on the nobility for their military power. This reduced the link between social class and command

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27
Q

What was the feudal levy?

A

How mounted knights were recruited in 1250. Knights owed 40 days knight service and tenants owed their lords a set number of knights based on the amount of land they owned. As these dues became harder to enforce, extra reforms of recruitment emerged

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28
Q

What was the assize of arms?

A

Tax on wealth, requiring all men with land provide a number of fully equipped knights

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29
Q

What were mercenaries and scutage?

A

Increasingly replaced feudal service and the assize. Subjects paid scutage (shield money) instead of performing military service, allowing the king to hire mercenaries.

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30
Q

What was the royal household?

A

Permanent troops paid by the king as his personal guard. They increased rapidly in size and importance

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31
Q

What was the statute of winchester?

A

1285, extended the assize of arms . All fit men between 16 and 60 were instructed to muster once a year ready and equipped for 40 days service

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32
Q

How were knights recruited?

A
  • assize of arms
  • mercenaries and scutage
  • royal household
33
Q

How were infantry recruited in during the period?

A
  • statute of winchester

- commissioners array

34
Q

What was the commissioners of array?

A

Assessed recruits and their weapons across the country.

35
Q

What began to happen after 1337?

A

Feudal levy and assize of arms began to fall in favour of mercenaries

36
Q

Why did demand for food and weapons for the army increase during this period?

A
  • England involved in many wars
  • more infantry men to feed
  • horses needed to be fed(each mounted knight took four,twice that of 1250 , and archers began to ride horses
  • more ammunition(arrows , bullets , cannon balls) was needed
  • gun powder weapons needed specific ammunition and were hard to transport
37
Q

What new solutions were need for provisions?

A
  • requisitioning
  • weapon stores
  • supply depots
  • pillaging
38
Q

What is requisitioning?

A

Crown forced merchants to sell goods(purveyance ) and provide ships in order to supply their baggage trains

39
Q

What were weapon stores?

A

Such as the royal armoury was built up

40
Q

What were supply depots?

A

Set up ahead of the army and supplied by road or sea

41
Q

What was pillaging?

A

Especially in enemy territory,was a common last resort, for getting food.

42
Q

State of englands army training?

A

No permanent armies ,no barracks , no organised training

43
Q

How did recruits train during this time?

A
  • assize of arms called for infantry recruits to be skilled with their weapons , but this was not often the case
  • mounted knights learned military skills and competed in tournaments , but there was no training to fight as a group
  • nobility were the military class and kings relied on leading nobles and close relatives to command their armies
44
Q

Impact of longbows on warfare during this period?

A

Long bows required great strength and long training to master

1285: statute of winchester set up archery targets in every town
1363: Edward III ordered archery practice on every feast day or holiday

45
Q

What happened to taxation during this period?

A

Increased from edward III , then Richard II and then Henry V

46
Q

How did tax affect civilians?

A

Increase in tax was a burden for civilians but was probably not such a great burden compared to being recruited or having their belongings plundered by armies. Tax represented only about 1 % of most civilians annual income

47
Q

How did recruitment effect civilians?

A
  • Civilians were forced to fight by the king. Desertion and refusal were common
  • civilians increasingly chose to pay money instead to avoid going to war(scutage)
  • fighting meant time away from family and home as well as great risk of death or injury
  • recruits were expected to provide their own equipment and provisions for 40 days
48
Q

How requisitioning worked ?

A

1) Kings needed food and supplies (and ships) for their armies
2) food and fodder was requisitioned (bought by force) from civilians . This was called purveyance.
3) civilians were meant to be paid a fair price but often weren’t or were given IOUs-promises to pay at a later date

49
Q

How did requisitioning effect civilians?

A
  • they had less food and supplies for their own use

- they were out of pocket to the crown

50
Q

What were the benefits of warfare for civilians?

A

War had few benefits for civilians as well: pay was better in the army than pay for work on the land; the demand for supplies , weapons , fortifications and so on , boosted industry and gave employment

51
Q

What were sieges?

A

Cutting down towns or cities off from supplies of food and water , and increasingly bombarded them , forcing their surrender. This caused severe suffering for the community.

52
Q

What were raids?

A

When soldiers attacked and stole from villages, caused severe suffering. Sometimes the enemy was paid to go away.

53
Q

What was plunder?

A

Stealing supplies from communities . Gave the army food and starved the enemies

54
Q

What was ransom?

A

Could be demanded from enemy communities for protection and from captives in order to secure their release.

55
Q

When was the battle of falkirk?

A

1298

56
Q

Who fought in the battle of falkirk?

A

Scottish and english

57
Q

Who won the battle of falkirk?

A

The english due to their use of longbow archers , but the scots also effectively used the schiltron.

58
Q

How many english and scottish troops were at the battle of falkirk?

A

14000 english

10000 scottish

59
Q

How did the battle start and what was the battlefield like?

A

Marsh area between English and scottish. Scottish infantry gather on a slope , forming schiltrons. Uncoordinated english cavalry attack separate scottish unite , driving off much of their cavalry and archers.

60
Q

Why was the battle of falkirk fought?

A

To end a revolt led by william Wallace.

61
Q

What was the turning point of the battle of falkirk?

A

Edward I use of his longbow was the turning point at falkirk and it became an essential feature of english strategy in warfare for the following 150 years

62
Q

How was the battle going before the introduction of long bows?

A

English were having difficulties penetrating the scottish schiltrons , so edward decided to use his 5000 long bows , as storm of arrows came down on the scottish infantry . With no armour many died.

63
Q

How did the longbows help?

A

Gaps began to appear in the walls of the scottish pikes, the english cavalry were able to charge the scottish lines. Wallaces troops fled and the english infantry joined the attack

64
Q

What was the problem with william Wallace’s army?

A

Schiltrons were well disciplined and the english cavalry found it hard to break through their lines of pikes. But their lack or armour left them vulnerable to archers and the scottish archers were left isolated

65
Q

What good decisions did Edward I make?

A
  • supplying troops on campaign by sea
  • outmanoeuvring Wallace to attack him from the flanks
  • using the archers against the scottish
66
Q

Who was leading the english at the battle of falkirk ?

A

Edward I

67
Q

Bad decisions by Edward I?

A

He had little control over his Calvary, but this ultimately was a fortunate thing .

68
Q

Good decisions by william Wallace?

A
  • Use of schiltrons

- positioning of his forces on a slope, with his rear protected by woods

69
Q

Bad decisions by william Wallace?

A
  • failing to protect his flanks
  • deciding to fight with inferior numbers
  • not controlling his nobles , who deserted
  • not using his remaining Calvary and archers.
70
Q

When was the battle of agincourt?

A

1415

71
Q

What was the battle of agincourt?

A

Part pf the hundred years war. The battle highlighted several key elements:strategy , weapons , leadership and social attitudes

72
Q

How many french and english troops were at the battle of agincourt?

A

8000 english

15000 french

73
Q

How did the battle of agincourt start?

A

English archers were behind stakes ‘gall’ the french cavalry from the two woods . French cavalry recklessly , followed more slowly by the infantry. English forces attack the stalled french archers joining from both flanks

74
Q

Why was the battle of agincourt fought?

A

Henry Vs tired troops were intercepted on their way to calais . They were weak from a long march across france and from the disease dysentery

75
Q

How did henry chose the perfect battle ground?

A
  • placed at the narrowest point of the battlefield to funnel the french into a tighter space, so it is harder for them to overwhelm the english
  • heavy , wet clay farmland separated the two forces , difficult for cavalry to charge across
  • flanks were protected by woodland
  • long sharpened stakes were set in the ground and angled towards oncoming horses
  • archers used shelter of the woods to fire at the french and provoke a reckless and disorganised counterattack.
76
Q

The role of the cavalry and archers in the battle?

A

1) english longbowmen fired into the sides , or directly into the heads of the french cavalry . They could fire 100000 arrows per minute
2) french cavalry tried to retreat but met their own advancing infantry
3) french infantry were exhausted , having struggled through thick mud and over the bodies of the dead and injured
4) english knights fought on foot , holding the centre . The archers joined from the flanks with swords and daggers
5) the english advanced and the french were forced to retreat

77
Q

What was the french chivalry?

A

French knights lived by a code of chivalry (a code of behaviour) that dictated how they acted in the battle . It focused on honourable duels between knights . The french knights were outraged at being attacked by archers , they believed this to be unchivalrous and they reacted recklessly

78
Q

Good decisions made by henry V at agincourt?

A
  • he was brave and fought alongside his men
  • he chose an excellent defensive position
  • he made his cavalry fight on foot, forming a solid centre to support his infantry
  • he sent his archers to ‘gall’ the french into attacking over unfavourable ground
79
Q

Bad decisions by Henry V?

A
  • His march across france weakened his army

- he was trapped and forced to fight

GCSE History Warfare (5 decks)

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