Description
Book SynopsisIn Warriors for a Living, Idan Sherer examines the experience of the Spanish infantry during the formative period of the Italian Wars. Decades of clashes between Spain and France transformed Italy into a crucible of military tactics and technology and brought about the emergence of the Spanish infantry tercios as Europe’s finest military force for more than a century. From their recruitment, through the complexities of everyday life in the army and culminating in the potential brutality of soldiering, the book offers a fresh and much needed exploration, analysis and, at times, reconsideration of what it meant to be a professional soldier in early modern Europe.
Trade Review''Sherers Zugang macht die individuelle Erfahrungder Professionalisierung von Söldnerheeren historisierbar und rückt sie damit auch in den Kontext der Phänomenologie gegenwärtiger Tendenzen der Kriegführung [...] Idan Sherer gelingt eine ansprechende Mischung aus Überblicksdarstellungund reflektierter Thesendiskussion'' - Heinrich Lang, in: Zeitschrift für Historische Forschung 46 (2019)2
Table of ContentsContents List of Maps, Charts, Tables and Figures ix Abbreviations x Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 1 The Infantry Soldiers of the Spanish Army 15 Who Were the Soldiers? 15 The Process of Recruitment 26 2 Conditions of Service: Everyday Life in the Spanish Army 38 Warriors for a Living 38 The Burden of Campaigns 48 Exposure to the Elements 49 Nutrition and Basic Supplies 52 Journey by Land 59 Journey by Sea 65 Disease 68 Friction with the Local Population 78 The Comforts of Soldiering 92 3 Mutiny 102 The Professional, Financial, and Disciplinary Context of the Mutinies 105 The General Characteristics of the Spanish Mutinies 112 The Commencing Stages 112 The Extent of the Mutinies 117 The Organization of the Mutiny 121 The Process of Negotiations 124 Violent Actions of the Mutineers 132 Retaliation, Punishment, and status quo 136 4 The Experience of the Sack 144 Preparing for the Sack 145 During and Immediately after the Assault 154 Organizing the Violence 160 Soldiers and Civilians—The Fate of the Prisoners 166 Leaving the City—The Effects of the Sacks 170 5 Combat 175 The Military Revolution and Combat in the Italian Wars 178 The “Military Revolution” of the Sixteenth Century 178 The Experience of the Military Revolution 192 Skirmishes and Special Operations 193 Siege warfare: besiegers and Besieged 201 Siege Warfare: The Assault 210 Battle 218 The Aftermath of Combat 230 A “Military Revolution”? 235 Motivation and Combat Effectiveness of the Spanish Infantry 236 A Warrior Society 239 Esprit de corps 244 On the Battlefield 250 Conclusion 256 Bibliography 263 Index 281
