Osprey Men-at-Arms 50 : Medieval European Armies 1300-1500

Almost continual warfare raged in Europe during the period 1300-1500: the Hundred Years War between France and England; the Scottish wars and Wars of the Roses in England itself; the struggles for political and religious freedom from feudal overlords in Switzerland, Bohemia and Flanders; to stem the advance of the Turks in Hungary; between the city states, republics and papal territories of Italy; civil wars and the fight against the Moors in Spain; and the invasions of Italy by the French at the end of the 15th century. These wars were the furnaces in which many of the modern European nations were forged. Parallel with this emergence of the nations came the development of national armies to protect the newly-won borders and independence, yet throughout this period the old feudal method of raising an army persisted. Terence Wise explores the organisation, arms and equipment of the armies who fought across medieval Europe, accompanied by numerous illustrations and eight full page colour plates by Gerry Embleton.

Contents

• Introduction
• Raising a Feudal Army
• The Mercenaries
• The First National Armies
• Organisation
• The Plates