European Medieval Tactics (2): New Infantry, New Weapons 12601500

(Paperback)

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With the development in the 13th century of co-operative tactics using crossbowmen and heavy spearmen, circumstance began to arise in which the charge by Muslim horse-archers, and then by European armoured knights, could be defied. Infantry were far cheaper and easier to train than knights, and potentially there were far more of them. Tactics emerged by which more numerous and more varied infantry played an increasing part in battles. This book traces these and other examples of this 'jerky' and uneven process through its regional differences, which were invariably entwined with parallel cavalry developments the balanced army of 'mixed arms' was always the key to success. By the time serious hand-held firearms appeared on battlefields in large numbers in about 1500, the face of medieval warfare had been transformed.

Reviews

"...provides a fine history of military forces and techniques of early warfare and represents the second part of the author's study of tactical changes during a thousand years of European history ... It's a powerful survey ... and is especially recommended for any collection seeing popularity with [Nicolle's] first volume." --James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review

Author Bio

David Nicolle, born in 1944, worked in the BBC's Arabic service for a number of years before gaining an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, and a doctorate from Edinburgh University. He has written numerous books and articles on medieval and Islamic warfare, and has been a prolific author of Osprey titles for many years.