The best account of sixteenth-century warfare, by the author of A History of the Peninsular War, this is an unrivalled account of sixteenth-century warfare in which Sir Charles Oman covers the Great Wars of 1494-1559; Henry VIII's continental wars; the French Wars of Religion, 1562-98; the Dutch War of Independence, 1568-1603; and the Turkish offensive against Christendom. Contemporary maps illustrate many of the actions, and add to the value of this brilliant and lucid history of the art of war.
The 16th century bears witness to several
critical military developments. The most obvious is the emergence of
firepower on the battlefield. Gunpowder was several centuries old by
that time, but it remained a rare and expensive siege weapon. In the
16th century, all of that changes. Cannon are lighter, limbered on
smaller and more manoeuvrable carriages. Suddenly, armies have a
powerful and portable siege train. In a matter of a few years, every
castle in Europe becomes obsolete. Furthermore, cannon, for the first
time, can be handled effectively on the battlefield. This spells
ultimate doom for the large, unwieldy formations popular in earlier
times, such as the Swiss pikemen's phalanx.
The new power and portability of artillery forces a radical evolution in
fortification. The tall stone walls of the medieval period are now
indefensible. Instead, huge, broad and low fortifications, covered by
overlapping fields of fire, become essential. This new style, the "trace
italienne", will dominate warfare until the wars of Frederick the
Great. Indeed, one finds combat conditions in heavily fortified regions,
such as the Low Countries, that resemble World War One: Interminable
battles fought in muddy trenches, where snipers dominate No Man's Land
and the grenade and mortar are the weapons of choice.
Gunpowder also spurs the rearmament of the infantry. A judicious mix of
arqubusiers and pikemen become the favourite mix of battlefield
commanders. Interestingly, gunpowder helps to revive the cavalry arm.
Long helpless against the Swiss pikeman, German landesknecht and English
long bowmen, the mounted soldier regains his effectiveness with the
advent of firepower. Artillery now breaks up formerly untouchable
infantry formations, making them vulnerable to a cavalry charge. Cavalry
also embraces the pistol, giving them firepower in addition to shock
value. Gustavus Adolphus, in the next century, actually has to use
considerable effort to wean his cavalry off of firepower and its
excessive reliance on the caracole.
These technological advances require a new level of professionalism on
the part of soldiers. The professional warrior of the Middle Ages is
replaced in the 16th century by the professional soldier of the modern
period. In turn, the nation state finds itself required to maintain a
standing, professional military. The increasing dissatisfaction of
commanders with mercenary troops only accelerates this move to national,
professional armies. This process becomes an essential catalyst to the
birth of the modern nation state.