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“A Terrible Worm in an Iron Cocoon”: War in Medieval & Renaissance Europe Prof. Christopher Carlsmith Western Civilization 12 May 2008
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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, 1991-92) WW I (1914-18) / WWII (1941-1945) Amer. Rev. (1776-83) Medieval/Renaiss. wars (14 th -16 th c.)
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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
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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.
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Leonardo’s study of catapults
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Leonardo’s sketch of tanks
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Medieval Warfare Castles –Defense > residence –Ex: Castle Coucy (FR)
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Castle (Donjon) of Coucy
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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
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Medieval Warfare Trebuchet –Classic siege engine Catapult
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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
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Medieval Warfare xenophongroup.com/montjoie/ ngp_arty.htm
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Medieval Warfare Strategy –Joint use of forces (archers, cavalry, etc) –Limited by weather & distance –Divided leadership is common –Pillage is common, both during & after
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Medieval Warfare Who will win this battle, and why?
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Renaissance Warfare: When & Where & Who?
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Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Roman soldiers battering a door, from Roberto Valturio (ca. 1550)
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Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Guido delle Colonne, History, Siege, and Destruction of Troy (1513)
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Renaissance Warfare: Looking to the Classical World Tactics of Aelian, trans. John Bingham (1616)
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Renaissance Warfare: Gunpowder
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Gunpowder Origins From Asia Carbon, saltpeter, sulphur Criticism 1467, 1497 Praise See next
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Praising Gunpowder F. Malthus, Treatise of Fireworks (1629) J. Babington, Pyrotechnia
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Mortar = mechanized trebuchet
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Cannon
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Musket & Arquebus
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Musketeer
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Musket-Loading
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Infantry
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Pikeman
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Evolving Strategy
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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)
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Angle Bastions
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Renaissance Fortifications in the New World
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Renaissance Warfare: ?!?
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Renaissance Warfare: Some Conclusions
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