Warfare through time 1500-1700

Question 1

Swiss Guard

Answer 1

Established in 1506 was the personal bodyguard for the pope.

Question 2

The development of the role of pikemen

Answer 2

In Europe, from 1470 onwards, Swiss pikemen were an unbeatable force.
These soldiers wore metal helmets and back and breast armour, with high-carbon steel armour which was almost arrow-proof.
They formed a giant hedgehog and were able to move in fast, disciplined fashion.
However, by the 1520s, it was clear that the were vulnerable to the developing technology of the musket.

Question 3

Armies did not get much bigger, 1500-1650.

Answer 3

50,000 at Towton 1461
, to the 46,000 men at Marston Moor 1644.

Question 4

Trained bands.

Answer 4

From 1573 onwards they were developed. It became clear that the militia did not produce well-trained soldiers.
From 1583-1591 Professional officers (Muster Masters) sent to train the Trained Bands.

Question 5

Abandonment of the Indenture system.

Answer 5

replaced with militia. This meant that all men 16-60 served in defence, and provided their own weapons. They were inspected at general musters.
Printed drill books meant it was easier to train men in different parts of the country in the same way.

Question 6

Collapse in effectiveness of the Trained Bands, shown by the failure in the Bishops’ Wars.

Answer 6

The discipline of trained bands steadily declined, as it became an opportunity for drink and entertainment.

Question 7

Bayonets

Answer 7

Plug bayonet 1647
Ring bayonet 1688
Socket bayonet 1690.

Question 8

Armies did get bigger, 1650-1700

Answer 8

Not all of army would fight; 130,000 troops at Battle of L (1693.) Only 25% fought.

Question 9

The proportion of cavalry to infantry did not change much, 1500-1700

Answer 9

Generals wanted 2:1 ratio of infantry to cavalry. In the civil war royalists lost more infantry so had 50% cavalry.

Question 10

Matchlock Musket

Answer 10

A musket that uses a slow match (a cord that burns slowly) to set off the gunpowder. Loose gunpowder was poured into the pan. It did not usually work in the rain.

Question 11

Advantages of Matchlock Musket.

Answer 11

Musket shot could easily penetrate plate armour from within 100m , even as stronger high-carbon steel armour developed at the end of the medieval period.
Musket wounds were more debilitating than an arrow wound.
Muskets required only basic training to operate (two weeks versus years for a longbow).
The matchlock musket had a standardised bore (barrel diameter), meaning that the 60 gram lead bullet could be manufactured cheaply and carried in great number.

Question 12

Matchlock musket disadvantages.

Answer 12

It was difficult to keep the smouldering cord alight in damp weather.
The explosion from the primer did not always successfully light the gunpowder in the barrel of the gun, causing a ‘flash in the pan’. (This misfire could happen 40% of the time in the 1600s).
The reload time was lengthy. The barrel had to be regularly cleaned.
The effective range was 100m.

Question 13

Why was the Matchlock Musket originallyused instead of the longbow.

Answer 13

It was far cheaper than the longbow and only had a training time of about two weeks compared to the two years of the longbow.

Question 14

1519

Answer 14

First recorded fatal musket accident during practice.

Question 15

1547

Answer 15

The government had 7,000 mukets at the tower of London.

Question 16

1520s-1540s

Answer 16

Costal towns soldiers were armed with muskets out of fear of invasion.

Question 17

1595

Answer 17

The Government ordered for no more longbow training.

Question 18

1556

Answer 18

The first year where more people had been killed with musket accidents instead of longbow accidents.

Question 19

1558

Answer 19

York builds a city armoury with no space for muskets.

Question 20

Requisitioning BCW

Answer 20

Merchant ships were requisitioned for the navy and to transport troops and supplies. Horses and shoes were requisitioned.

Question 21

Requisitioning DCW

Answer 21

Ships and military supplies were often requisitioned which had a big impact on civilian life.

Question 22

Plunder DCW

Answer 22

Very common and mainly armed men stealing from unarmed men as there was no money to pay the soldiers and a shortage of supplies.

Question 23

Free quarter BCW

Answer 23

Required for soldiers in costal areas.

Question 24

Free quarter DCW

Answer 24

Armies forced communities to feed them. Felt likeplunder and the civilians were never payed back.

Question 25

Taxes BCW

Answer 25

Raised during wars. Charles 1 raised ship money even on inland counties and in peace time.

Question 26

Taxes DCW

Answer 26

Oxfordshire went from £350 a month to £60,000 a year. 1,700% increase.

Question 27

Damage DCW

Answer 27

An army could destroy crops for a year. Castles were destroyed. Seiges destroyed 11,000 houses and made 55,000 people homeless. Those who died in seiges made up 10% of the deaths in the civil war.

Question 28

Seige of Colchester

Answer 28

In 1648 no food was let in to Colchester. People had to eat cats, dogs and even soap. The town surrendered after 11 weeks, after hearing of the crushing defeat of the Royalist army at the Battle of Preston by the New Model Army.

Question 29

Advantages of flinlock musket compared to matchlock musket.

Answer 29

(Used from 1645.) The flint in the hammer removed the need for the burning match so it could work in the rain. There was no longer a burning match which was exposed to the elements. There was no longer a burning match which could be seen at night.

Question 30

Army formations.

Answer 30

Dutch countermarch by the 1590s Sweedish salvo by the 1620s

Question 31

Standing Army

Answer 31

a full time, professional army, which exists permanently, not just in war time. Had :standardised pay Standadised uniform Standardised equipment Leaders were sucessful fighters not politicians. Promotion by merit. Strict dicipline and training. From 1660-1663 parliament reduced the size of the NMA from 40,000 to 7,000.

Question 32

NMA

Answer 32

Uniform religious platform all the leaders were strongly puritan having a united front wanting to defeat the king. Self denying ordinance Politicians could not be army leaders. This helped army fight more effectively as they had more experienced leaders. Uniform service - Soldiers were obliged to go where parliament demanded and do what they said.

Question 33

The importance of artillery grew, 1600-1700

Answer 33

In 1642, there were 20 cannons in the Royalist/Parliamentarian armies, whereas by 1692, England sent 120 cannons to campaign in the Netherlands.

Question 34

Pikemen and musketeers worked better together in combined units.

Answer 34

Pikemen could protect musketeers from cavalry charge, whilst musketeers could protect pikemen from ranged attacks.

Question 35

Cavalry by 1645

Answer 35

Armed with wheelock pistols.

Question 36

Battle of Naesby composition of armies.

Answer 36

9,000 to 13,000 Royalists had 4,000 experienced cavalry. Parliamentarians had 6,500 more diciplined cavalry. Royalists had 5,000 infantry and the parliamentarians had 6,500 infantry.

Question 37

Positions at Naesby

Answer 37

Parliamentarians had slightly higher ground. Flanks protected by big hedges and boggy ground. The royalists were protected by a low ridge in front of them.

Question 38

Battle of Naesby

Answer 38

Royalists advanced and parliamentarians fired 5 cannonballs that overfired. Royalist artillery was not in position and used. Royalist cavalry charged with swords and pistols led by prince rupert on the left side of the battlefeild chasing off 1,000 parliamentarian cavalry. Muskets from both sides then fired in Sweedish Salvo. They met in hand to hand combat using their muskets as clubs. Parliamentairan infantry were pushed back by the royalist pikemen. Parliamentarian cavalry outnumbered royalist cavalry then he regrouped them and they collapsed the royalists infantry flanks. Royalist cavalry also left the feild as they misinterpreted a signal. 1000 royalists died and 500 parliamentarians died.