Late Medieval Warfare

Targets

• Identify and describe the changes in

warfare during the late Medieval period.

• Compare the tactics, logistics, and

strategy of the French, English, and

Mongol military models.

Logistical Changes

• Improved agricultural

methods

• More food = larger

populations

• Bigger armies

• Better transportation

Transportation

• Horseshoe

• Horses less likely to be injured

• Horse collar

• Horse pulls with shoulder rather than neck

• Pulls heavier loads

• Tandem harness

• Teams of 2-4-6 horses

• Heavier, deeper, wider wagons

• Better logistics

Mercenaries

• Soldiers who fight for

money

• Professional

• Lacked organization,

a chain of command

• No established size

• No “espirit de corps”

• Not fighting for a

cause

Weapons changes

• 1. longbow

• 2. gunpowder

• 3. Plate Armor

Plate Armor

• Strengthen the chain mail

• 70lbs

• Armor for horse

• Knight is more dangerous

• Arms race between armor

and arms

• Development of armor

“defeating” weapons

• clip

Pole-Axe (50 sec)

Swords (4 min 20 sec)

Sword vs. Helmet (1 min 28)

Armor Mobility? (1 min 10 sec)

Deadly Medieval Weapons (2 min 25 sec)

English Model

• Adapt and utilize various

tactics and weapons

• Constant attacks in Wales

• Castle building, siege

warfare

• Combined arms army

• Relied heavily on archers

• Shielded the heavy infantry

• Only used heavy cavalry

when situation favors them

• Longbow was key weapon

Longbow

French Model

• Complete focus on Heavy

Calvary

• Contempt for archer and light

infantry

• Foot soldier = social inferior

• Tactics evolve around

knightly combat

• Code of Chivalry

• Honor, fair fights

• Frontal attack

• Used mercenary

crossbowman from Italy

Crossbow

Composite Crossbow