c1500 - c1700 - Changes In The Army

Question 1

What were the roles of cavalry on the battlefields?

Answer 1

• harassed the enemy with pistols and skirmished with the enemy cavalry
• the mounted charge was used little until it re-emerged during the English Civil Wars
• DRAGOONS (mounted infantry) took on the role of the mounted archer until 1700

They were no longer as decisive in battle but continued its specialist roles

Question 2

What were the changes in Infantry?

Answer 2

• they became more dominant as result of new weapons and tactics and they were divided into two key roles of muskateers and pikemen
• muskateers replaced archers
• armoured pikemen increasingly fought in large disciplined squares or columns

Question 3

What was the role of the government?

Answer 3

They increasingly used taxes to pay for hiring soldiers and the use of mercenaries also increased. Soldiers owed loyalty to the mercenary leader who recruited them, as they previously did to their feudal lord

Question 4

What was the standing army?

Answer 4

• a permanent force of full-time professional soldiers. This gave rulers a lot of power and ensured troops were well trained

Question 5

Why did England not have a standing army before the Civil war?

Answer 5

• parliment controlled taxes and a standing army was expensive
• parliment feared a standing army would make the king too powerful

Question 6

What were disadvantages of pikemen?

Answer 6

• They were easy targets
• they had to work with musketeers to be effective
• it took a lot of training to change formations at need

Question 7

What were the tactics of Pikemen when under Cavalry attack? (Before 1600 and after 1600)

Answer 7

• pre 1600: pikemen formed a square around the musketeers
• after 1600: squares were replaced by lines of musketeers that provided a volley of fire

Question 8

What happened in 1639-40 in the development of a standing army?

Answer 8

Limitations in the english militia were exposed during scottish occupation of the north of england

Question 9

What happened in 1645 in the development of a standing army?

Answer 9

• parliment forms the new model army, a professional national army, to win the civil war

Question 10

What happened in 1648 in the development of a standing army?

Answer 10

• second civil war leads to Oliver cromwell becoming protector of england. Army retained

Question 11

What happened in 1660-88 in the development of a standing army?

Answer 11

• Return of the king. Army continues to be retained due to the constant threat of war

Question 12

What happened in 1688 onwards in the development of a standing army?

Answer 12

Army ‘renewed’ each year to maintain principle of no standing army

Question 13

What was Oliver Cromwell’s impact?

Answer 13

• he was key in setting up the new model army and became the head of its cavalry

Question 14

What did cromwell emphasise?

Answer 14

The importance of ability and previous battlefield success over social status. The cavalry he recruited and trained formed the new model army

Question 15

What was the preferred composition of armies?

Answer 15

Armies still included cavalry, infantry and artillery, assisted by labourers, engineers and baggage trains for supplies.
• Most generals still preferred about twice as many infantry to cavalry when possible.
• Changes arose as training was needed for new weapons, such as muskets and cannon, and armies became more protessional.
• Artillery trains slowly increased in size and importance and field artillery improved.