“A Terrible Worm in an Iron Cocoon”: War in Medieval & Renaissance Europe Prof. Christopher Carlsmith Western Civilization 12 May 2008

Comparing Past and Present For each of the military conflicts listed, discuss in pairs: –Did offensive or defensive forces hold the advantage? –What new military technology (if any) changed the balance of power? Iraq War / Gulf War (2003-present, ) WW I ( ) / WWII ( ) Amer. Rev. ( ) Medieval/Renaiss. wars (14 th -16 th c.)

Agenda Preface Comparing warfare, past and present Introduction Areas of change Offense vs. Defense Medieval Warfare Equipment: Castles, cavalry, crossbow, trebuchet Strategy Renaissance Warfare Revisiting the Classical World Gunpowder: The Big Bang Cannon, musket, mortar Fortifications

Art of War: a “revolution”? “Renaissance war” Leonardo Michelangelo Machiavelli Areas of change Offense vs. Defense? 14 th c. = D. 15 th c. = O. 16 th c. = D.

Leonardo’s study of catapults

Leonardo’s sketch of tanks

Medieval Warfare Castles –Defense > residence –Ex: Castle Coucy (FR)

Castle (Donjon) of Coucy

Medieval Warfare Cavalry –Dominates until 1370s –Equiv. to modern tank –“terrible worm in an iron cocoon” –Chivalry & nobility rules –Multiple attendants (how many “lances”?) –Ex: Knights Templar

Medieval Warfare Trebuchet –Classic siege engine Catapult

Medieval Warfare Crossbow –Slow, awkward, but devastating force –Banned by RCC in 1139 –Imp’t till 14 th c. Longbow –Introduced in 100 Yrs. War by English –12 arrows/min, 300 yd. range

Medieval Warfare xenophongroup.com/montjoie/ ngp_arty.htm

Medieval Warfare Strategy –Joint use of forces (archers, cavalry, etc) –Limited by weather & distance –Divided leadership is common –Pillage is common, both during & after

Medieval Warfare Who will win this battle, and why?

Renaissance Warfare: When & Where & Who?

Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Roman soldiers battering a door, from Roberto Valturio (ca. 1550)

Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Guido delle Colonne, History, Siege, and Destruction of Troy (1513)

Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Tactics of Aelian, trans. John Bingham (1616)

Renaissance Warfare: Gunpowder

Gunpowder Origins From Asia Carbon, saltpeter, sulphur Criticism 1467, 1497 Praise See next

Praising Gunpowder F. Malthus, Treatise of Fireworks (1629) J. Babington, Pyrotechnia

Mortar = mechanized trebuchet

Cannon

Musket & Arquebus

Musketeer

Musket-Loading

Infantry

Pikeman

Evolving Strategy

Fortifications Better artillery  better fortifications Medieval towers cut down, transformed into “bastions” and gun platforms “The most significant architectural form during the Renaiss. was the angle bastion; it revolutionized patterns of warfare.” (John Hale)

Angle Bastions

Renaissance Fortifications in the New World

Renaissance Warfare: ?!?

Renaissance Warfare: Some Conclusions