Men-at-Arms
3 primary works
Book 58
The Landsknechts were German mercenaries who served during the reigns of Maximilian I and Charles V in the sixteenth century. Having signed up, these Landsknechts were read a very detailed code of conduct, organised into companies, paid one month in advance, and sent into battle! Their major weapon was the pike, which could be up to 18 feet in length, but those whose duty it was to advance in the front line carried instead the fearsome Zweihander; an enormous battle-sword around 66 inches in length! Douglas Miller describes in detail the organisation, tactics, weapons, uniforms and history of these remarkable soldiers.
Book 94
During the 14th and 15th centuries military tactics in Europe underwent a period of sustained transformation of which the outcome was the rejuvenation of the footsoldier as the major tactical unit. One nation alone stands principally responsible for this development - the Swiss Confederation. For centuries the mounted knights had 'ridden roughshod over the populations of Europe'. It was in the Swiss halberdier and later the pikeman that the mounted men-at-arms were to meet their match. This absorbing text by Douglas Miller provides an account of rise of the Swiss army to its tactical zenith, beginning with the classic encounter at Morgarten.
Book 384
In the 1520s, a war broke out in Germany when insurgent groups rose to overthrow the power structure. The movement took as its emblem a peasant's shoe and the title "Bundschuh", and this became known as the Peasants' War - although the rebel armies actually included as many townsmen, miners, disaffected knights and mercenary soldiers as rural peasants. The risings involved large armies of up to 18,000 men, and there were several major battles before the movement was put down with the utmost ferocity. This work details the weapons, tactics, armies, personalities, costume, and events of this savage war.