Medieval Warfare Flashcards
(64 cards)
Role of the infantry and what dis they wear (1250-1500)
The infantry were peasants who fought on foot.They were the bottom of the social hierchy and weee treated poorly compared to other soldiers.
They may have worn skull caps and leather jackets for protection
Role of knights (cavalry) and what dis they wear (1250-1500)
The cavalry were mounted knights who were apart of the gentry and nobility who fought on horse back and were superior in status to other soldiers like the infantry
They would have been armed with swords and lances and protected with helmets and chainmail
How was the structure of society linked to command of armies(1250-1500)
Feudal System and support
Kings rewarded supporters by granting them land. They became powerful nobles - In turn, they granted land to their supporters - lower landowners, known as the gentry.
In return, the nobles and the gentry were expected to command troops in support of the king.
What was the role of the archer(1250-1500)
Archers were infantry who used bows or crossbows. They played a minor role working with the mounted knights to break down the enemy at the beginning of battle.
What was the shield wall(1250-1500)
Men stood, with overlapping shields, and spears or pikes, facing enemy attacks.
What was the feudal system?
A system in which people were given land and protection by people of higher rank, and worked and fought for them in return
What was assize of arms?
They assized people’s wealth to see if they should support the king with arms. A bit like taxation: the wealthier people were, the more military support they should give.
What was scutage?
Payment made by a knight to commute the military service that he owed his lord for not serving on campaigns or the field .This money was used by kings to pay for cavalry to fight alongside feudal troops, called mercenaries.
What was the Royal Household?
They were permanent, paid troops who were employed to serve the king.
What was limited war?
A war in which the weapons used, the nations or territory involved, or the objectives pursued are restricted in some way
Impact of schiltrons at Falkirk 1298
The Scots used schiltrons to defeat the English again at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. This time, the Scottish schiltrons advanced and defeated a force of English cavalry. It was a tactic that increased the power of the infantry and reduced the strength of the mounted knights.
Wallace’s schiltrons were well disciplined and the English cavalry found it hard to break through their lines of pikes. But their lack of armour left them vulnerable to archers and the Scottish archers were left isolated and exposed.
Why were longbows more effective than bows
Rate of fire
Rate of fire - a trained longbow archer could shoot ten to 15 arrows per minute
Impact of the longbow
Battle of Falkirk what year and what king fid it help
Edward I’s use of his longbowmen was the turning point at Falkirk and it became an essential feature of English strategy in warfare for the following 150 years.
The English were having difficulties penetrating the Scottish schiltrons, so Edward decided to use his 5000 longbows.
A storm of arrows came down on the Scottish infantry. With no armour, many died.
As gaps appeared in the walls of Scottish pikes, the English cavalry were able to charge the Scottish lines. Wallace’s troops fled and the English infantry joined the attack.
How did tactics change in 1290?
On the march
On the march, archers rode on horseback
What is gunpowder and what did it bring in terms of warfare
Gunpowder is another example of new science and improved technology causing change in warfare. Led to the development of the cannon
What did the early cannon look like (1320-1430)
The earliest cannon had wooden barrels, bound with metal bands, and shot round balls of stone.
Were the early cannons effective? (Case study)
Henry V and Harfleur
No. In 1415, Henry V used 12 cannon to besiege the castle at Harfleur. But, after five weeks, the walls remained intact. The town eventually gave up because its food supplies had been cut off.
1430-1500 how did the cannon improve? (Only need to know 2 of these)
Metal was used- Foundries, which made metal goods, used skills honed in making church bells to experiment with iron, copper, bronze and brass barrels
Design improved- At first, barrels were not much longer than their diameter. By 1430, as technology improved, they were sometimes three times as long as their diameter, giving greater accuracy, power and range.
Trunnions were invented- These were rods at each side of the barrel that allowed the barrel to be lifted into higher or lower slots on the frame of the cannon. This made it easier to adjust the height and distance of fire.
Specialist cannon were made. These included light, mobile cannon; heavy cannon, or bombards, to fire stone balls weighing half a ton; and mortars or howitzers to lob missiles high over castle walls.
What were firearms?
These were gunpowder weapons that could be carried and fired by individuals.
Firearms like the arquebus became common on the battlefield in Europe.
Disadvantages of the cannon(1250-1500)
unreliable - in 1460, King James II of Scotland was killed when one of his own cannon blew apart
slow to reload and inaccurate over long distances
only really useful in sieges - they were very heavy to manoeuvre for battles.
Disadvantages of firearms(1250-1500)
Slow to load
slow to load (powder and shot had to be rammed down the barrel and a smouldering piece of rope had to be kept alight to ignite the powder)
What was the reason for the decline of the mounted knight?
Tactics changed which ruled the mounted knight essentially uselsss:
Pikes were used, not just to defend against cavalry, but even to attack and defeat it.
Longbows weakened the enemy infantry better than cavalry and could also destroy cavalry.
Cannon and firearms later began to do the same jobs as longbows.
How did cavalry tactics change?(1250-1500)
took specialist tasks, like patrolling, foraging for food, scouting and raiding
dismounted in battle, joining the infantry in defence, while archers weakened the enemy charge
mounted and chased down fleeing troops, once the enemy’s attack was repelled.
How much did the number of cavalry change from 1250-1400
By about 1400, the ratio of cavalry to infantry had changed to about 1:3, from 1:2 in 1250.
