Description
Book SynopsisThe period 1350â1750 saw major developments in European warfare, which not only had a huge impact on the way wars were fought, but also are critical to long-standing controversies about state development, the global ascendancy of the West, and the nature of 'military revolutions' past and present. However, the military history of this period is usually written from either medieval or early-modern, and either Western or Eastern European, perspectives. These chronological and geographical limits have produced substantial confusion about how the conduct of war changed. The essays in this book provide a comprehensive overview of land and sea warfare across Europe throughout this period of momentous political, religious, technological, intellectual and military change. Written by leading experts in their fields, they not only summarise existing scholarship, but also present new findings and new ideas, casting new light on the art of war, the rise of the state, and European expansion.
Trade Review'This is an excellent collection of essays about military change across some 400 years.' John France, History
'One particular strength of this anthology is the degree of connectedness between many of the chapters … [It] is unusually coherent and comprehensive, and is a valuable addition to the literature on the topic.' Renaissance Quarterly
'Essay collections are difficult to edit, in particular when a number of different authors are involved; thus one should take one's hat off to the editors of the present volume for producing the nearest one can get to a homogeneous whole, given the nature of the beast. The essays themselves are, without exception, robust, and in more than one case commendable … as a whole the volume is of great value, not least for what can only be described as its daring overall approach.' Journal of Military History
'The contributors [are] uniformly among the leading scholars in their respective fields … Many of these essays are among the most lucid summaries of their sub-fields currently available … this is an extremely good volume of essays, one that benefits both from the high production quality and the inclusion of ten excellent maps. Accessible and yet of a rigorous intellectual standard, it is one that will undoubtedly fulfil its editors' wish to encourage conversation between the diverse students of military history.' Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research
Table of Contents1. 'Then was then and now is now': an overview of change and continuity in late-medieval and early-modern warfare F. Tallett and D. J. B. Trim; 2. Warfare and the international state system Kelly DeVries; 3. War and the emergence of the State: Western Europe 1350–1600 Steven Gunn; 4. From military enterprise to standing armies: war, state and society in Western Europe, 1600–1700 David Parrott; 5. The State and military affairs in east-central Europe, 1380–c.1520s László Veszprémy; 6. Empires and warfare in east-central Europe, 1550–1750: the Ottoman-Habsburg rivalry and military transformation Gábor Àgoston; 7. Ottoman military organisation in south-eastern Europe, c.1420–1720 Rhoads Murphey; 8. The transformation of army organisation in early-modern Western Europe, c.1500–1789 Olaf van Nimwegen; 9. Aspects of operational art: communications, cannon and small war Simon Pepper; 10. Tactics and the face of battle Clifford J. Rogers; 11. Short-lived triumphs and long-term successes: naval warfare in Europe, c.1330–c.1680 Louis Sicking; 12. Legality and legitimacy in war and its conduct, 1350–1650 Matthew Bennett; 13. Conflict, religion and ideology D. J. B. Trim; 14. Warfare, entrepreneurship and the fiscal-military State Jan Glete; 15. War and State-building Ronald G. Asch.
