How Did Recruitment Of Infantry Change

Question 1

How were infantry recruited in the thirteenth century

Answer 1

They where recruited by local sheriffs who gathered the men most suitable to fight. They frequently excepted bribes. This meant those who where sent to war often where the weaker and poorer members of a county.

Question 2

How where methods of recruitment improved in thirteenth century

Answer 2

From 1277 Knights of the royal household would assist in the process. Although the methods where good armies would still end up with large number of unskilled+inexperienced men. They did get paid but only little more then an unskilled agricultural worker. They would be paid around 2d a day

Question 3

How were infantry recruited by the end of the Middle Ages

Answer 3

• By the end of the 1400 most where archers and typically had considerable amounts of skill.
• Most came from the middle rank of society and the wage, respect and potential for profit was an insensitive for going on a campaign.
• Most where recruited as mounted archers ( paid 6d a day) which would give them greater mobility but fought on foot in battle.
• most had a contract with an individual knight to serve as part of his retinue in time of war
• laws where passed in 1363 that made every 16-65 year old man to practice archery every Sunday
• sheriffs still did there job but mainly for local defence and men in this role would be without pay
• geographical spread of recruitment was varied. It tended to focus on the regions closest to fighting. Areas that saw the most recruitment where Wales, Cheshire and the northern counties of England

Question 4

What where the main differences in recruitment by the end of the Middle Ages

Answer 4

• foot soldier would be skilled bowmen (Sunday rule of practice) paid 6d a day compared to unskilled+inexperienced agricultural labours with spears ( 2d a day)
  -most would have a contract with a knight to fight for him instead of being recruited by a sheriff
  -laws where maid to force aged 16-65 males to practice archers every Sunday to increase military skills
• sheriffs mainly recruited for local defence

Question 5

When was the Sunday law passed ?

Answer 5

1363