Osprey Men-at-Arms 144 : Armies of Medieval Burgundy 1364-1477

King John the Good of France was captured by the English at the battle of Poitiers in 1356, his 14-year-old son Philip fought valiantly by his side until the bitter end, and as soon as he was in a position to do so, King John rewarded his son's courage and devotion by designating him Duke of Burgundy, a title that by chance had just become extinct. Philip was the first of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy. Nicholas Michael examines the functioning and organisation of the Burgundian armies from the beginning of his reign until the time of the last of the Valois Dukes - Charles the Bold. The state of Burgundy was not only surrounded by potentially aggressive neighbours, but was split in four geographically, from east to west by the Duchy of Lorraine, and from north to south by the frontier between France and the Empire. For although the dukes of Burgundy longed to wear a regal crown, they - in theory at least - owed allegiance to the King of France for their lands to the west of the frontier, and to the Emperor for all that lay to the east. These rifts in the Burgundian state, together with the Valois Dukes' aggressive political ambitions, necessitated from early times not only a main army, but one or more secondary armies, not to mention the maintenance of more or less substantial garrisons in towns and fortresses. The text is backed by first class illustrations throughout, including eight full page colour plates by Gerry Embleton.

Contents

• Introduction
• Organisation
• Charles the Bold's Permanent Army
• Artillery
• The Army in the Field
• Arms and Armour
• The Plates