Early Modern Period (1500-1700) Flashcards

1
Q

When did size of armies continue in this period?

A

First 150 years

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2
Q

How did size of armies change in last 50 years od period?

A

Got bigger. Garrisons could use up to 75% of soldiers

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3
Q

How was the army composed in this period?

A

Mix of cavalry, infantry, artillery, all supported by pioneers and baggage trains

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4
Q

What army composition ratio did most generals want?

A

2:1

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5
Q

Why did generals want more infantry than cavalry?

A

For sieges

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6
Q

Why did Royalist army increase in cavalry size later into the Civil Wars?

A

As damaged infantry couldn’t be renewed

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7
Q

Why were cannons only really used in sieges in 1500?

A

As they were hard to move on poor roads

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8
Q

When did cannons start to be used in battles?

A

When field artillery became smaller and lighter

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9
Q

How many cannons did most European armies have for battle by 1630s?

A

90

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10
Q

What happened by 1692?

A

Artillery trains increased in size

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11
Q

Why were pikemen used used 1500?

A

As English government wanted armoured pikemen

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12
Q

What was needed for pikemen to be successful?

A

Discipline and training

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13
Q

How was it clear that pikemen change was slow?

A

Even in 1590s, government still believed there were too many billmen

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14
Q

Why were pikemen and musketeers joined together?

A

By 1520, muskets threatened pikemen
Together they required extra training

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15
Q

What showed that pikemen were stronger than old style infantry?

A

1470 and onwards moving swiss pike units were unbeatable and organised

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16
Q

When was arquebus replaced with matchlock musket?

A

By 1550

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17
Q

Why did musket replace longbow despite longbows shooting 6x faster?

A

It could pierce the high-carbon steel arrow-proof armour from 15th century

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18
Q

Had do we know longbows took too long to master and practice?

A

Skeletons from the Mary Rose warship had skeletons identified as archers due to stress injuries on shoulders

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19
Q

Why did tudor enclosures damage archer use?

A

Less strong men available as archers and less space to practice

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20
Q

Why were there less people in farming who could practice archery?

A

Towns grew

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21
Q

How did inflation affect archery practice?

A

People had less time to practice as they had to keep up with rising prices

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22
Q

Why were pistols developed in 1540s?

A

Arquebus and musket too cumbersome to use on horesback

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23
Q

How small was a pistol?

A

30-60cm long

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24
Q

How did pistols work?

A

Had a wheel-lock mechanism that worked like flint and steel

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25
Q

How did cavalry with pistols affect armour and armies?

A

Replaced heavily armoured cavalry and armour was gradually abandoned, with few wearing a ‘back and breast’ by 1640s

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26
Q

How were cavalry used from 1540s?

A

Rode close to enemy, fired pistols and ran back to reload

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27
Q

Who used cavalry as shock troops first?

A

Swedish army

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28
Q

What were dragoons?

A

Mounted infantry with arquebuses, cheap horses, no armour and dismounted to fight

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29
Q

How were dragoons used?

A

To skirmish infront and attack enemy flanks

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30
Q

When were dragoons most used and when were they fully replaced with cavalry?

A

Most - mid 17th century
Replaced - by 1700

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31
Q

How did cannons change late medieval warfare?

A

Allowed attackers to have advantage in sieges as they could smash down walls

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32
Q

How did defenders gain advantage in sieges again by early 1500s?

A

Italian military engineers came up with walls that cannons couldn’t destroy

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33
Q

How were castle fortifications improved from 1530s?

A

Thick, low walls filled with earth so cannons couldn’t shatter walls
Bastions provided flanking fire positions for defending cannons

34
Q

Why did Britain have to invest in new fortifications?

A

For protection from invasion and conquest

35
Q

Show an example of how new fortifications were proven to be needed?

A

At Drogheda (1649 Irish campaign), the castle only had high medieval stone walls so fell to Cromwells cannon in only six days

36
Q

How were battles done in this period?

A

Sieges and controlling territory

37
Q

How were infantry organised in this period?

A

In regiments. Each regiment consisted of pikemen and musketeers

38
Q

Why did pikemen and musketeers need to work together to be effective?

A

Cavalry could ride down musketeers but pikemen stopped this. Pikemen were slow to move and susceptible to muskets/pistols.

39
Q

How were drumbeats used?

A

To signal different formations

40
Q

How did square formation work?

A

When cavalry came, musketeers moved inside square so pikemen could defend

41
Q

What was infantry vs infantry called?

A

Push of the pike

42
Q

What were the disadvantages of matchlock muskets?

A

Misfires with gunpowder
Burning match went out in rain
Glow from match gave soldiers away

43
Q

How did flintlocks work?

A

With a flint and steel mechanism

44
Q

Advantages of flintlocks?

A

Removed need for match
Half as long to reload as matchlock

45
Q

Disadvantages of flintlock?

A

Expensive and delicate

46
Q

How were flintlocks used in 1645?

A

In the New Model Army to guard artillery trains

47
Q

Why was having to make musketeers and pikemen work together a problem?

A

Was a waste of troops and required too much training

48
Q

What was the solution to muskets and pikemen having to work together?

A

Bayonets - took a long time to come along

49
Q

Give the timeline of the development of bayonets?

A

Plug bayonet (1647) - bayonet had to be fitted into the barrel so both didn’t work at once
Ring bayonet - allowed both to fire but wasn’t secure
Socket bayonet (mid 1690s) - used a locking system to solve security problems

50
Q

Why did the bayonet take a long time to be adopted?

A

Technology
Social attitudes as some generals thought pikes were a more honourable weapon than a musket

51
Q

How was experience of warfare treated in this period?

A

As normal as England were at war most of these years

52
Q

Give the dates of the three main periods within the Early modern period?

A

1500-1642: systems started by Tudors
1642-60: English Civil wars and English Republic
1660-99 - the Restoration and war abroad

53
Q

When did Tudors come to power?

A

End of the War of the Roses (1485)

54
Q

How did tudors want to recruit army?

A

Didn’t want nobles to have too much power as nobles began to feel they could challenge the king

55
Q

What system did tudors go back to?

A

The militia system

56
Q

What was the militia system?

A

All men 16-60 had to serve and provide own weapons

57
Q

How were arms and armour of militia sytem checked every couple of years?

A

General musters in each county

58
Q

Who did monarch appoint in each county to run militia?

A

Lord Lieutenants

59
Q

What did monarchs in tudor system do if troops had to serve overseas?

A

Told Lord Lieutenants who to ‘press’ into fighting

60
Q

When were trained bands set up and why?

A

In 1573 as the militia system was providing poor quality troops

61
Q

When did Muster Masters begin to run training and why?

A

In 1580s as there was growing fear of Spanish invasion

62
Q

Why didn’t local gentlemen like taking orders from Muster Masters?

A

They were often from lower classes

63
Q

Why did training worsen in 1590s?

A

Muster Masters droped for local gentlemen, showing how social attidudes affected war

64
Q

How were musketeers trained to fight?

A

In six rows where ranks walk in front then back to reload. Took lots of training

65
Q

What did a professional soldier who was a commander to resist Spanish invasion wrote to a friend to show the English training was working?

A

‘I wonder why I see no man affeared but myself.’

66
Q

Why did training not seem to be working well in 17th century?

A

Wars overseas had few volunteers, meaning unemployed and criminals were forced to fight. Corruption was high as men could bribe their way out of war.

67
Q

Give two pieces of evidence to show that by the 17th century, the Tudor system of fighting didn’t work?

A

Only 10% of 12k men sent to fight in Germany in 1625 were alive the next year - overseas wars fatal
1639 and 1640 wars against Scotland were a disaster

68
Q

What kind of soldiers dominated early years of English civil wars?

A

Amateur soldiers

69
Q

How did nobility and gentry sustain attitudes in England Civil Wars?

A

Still didn’t like being told what to do by professional soldiers.

70
Q

Why was fighting overseas not really working in English Civil Wars?

A

Troops often refused to fight far from home and pay often months late

71
Q

What does it mean that both sides took ‘free quarter’ during English Civil Wars?

A

They took supplies from locals and merchants without paying

72
Q

What were 2 problems with armies in the English Civil Wars?

A

Infantry were pressed and desertion was common

73
Q

Why did amateur soldiers dominate?

A

Amidst the social attitudes, they had a chance to become experienced and successful

74
Q

What happened in Winter 1644-45?

A

Parliament raised a paid national army with successful soldiers in command rather than politicians

75
Q

Why couldn’t Cromwell command the NMA?

A

Was an MP

76
Q

Who commanded the NMA?

A

Sir Thomas Fairfax

77
Q

Show the numbers of the NMA and pay to show that there weren’t enough men?

A

Cavalry: 6600, 24p a day. Cromwell had well trained and disciplined cavalry
Dragoons: 1000 from existing forces
Infantry: 14400, 8p a day. Half from existing forces and half pressed. April-Oct 1645, 14500 men pressed due to desertion.

78
Q

What were controversial things about Fairfax’s commanding?

A

Wanted successful soldiers no matter what class
Had Cromwell as second-in-command, who was gentry
Many officers weren’t gentry

79
Q

When did NMA desertion rates decrease?

A

As they won a series of smaller battles and sieges which boosted morale.

80
Q

Why didn’t NMA really have to press men to serve?

A

It was a professional voluntary army. Didn’t disband after war like armies before.

81
Q

What were the years of peace at end of this period?

A

1647 and 1651-58