Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World

Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World describes the combat techniques of soldiers in Europe and North America from 1500 to 1763. The book explores the unique tactics required to win battles in an era where the musket increasingly came to dominate the battlefield, and demonstrates how little has changed in some respects of the art of war.

 

Divided into five sections, the text first examines the individual components of the early modern army, the foot soldier and the mounted soldier, the equipment they wore and used, and how they fought together as a unit. Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World describes the changes that occurred as a result of improved technology and gunpowder, and the impact that these changes had on the battlefield, where pikemen increasingly gave way to well-drilled bodies of musket-firing infantry. Featuring battles such as the Duke of Marlborough’s victory at Blenheim (1704) and the Prussian victory at Rossbach (1757), the third section discusses generalship and the crucial importance of correctly disposing of troops at the beginning of a battle. The fourth part of the book looks at the specialist techniques and equipment development for the purpose of conducting siege warfare against the latest styles of fortification, including the development of heavy siege artillery and assault trenches. Finally the last section covers naval warfare, from the ships in which the men fought to the weapons they carried and the major battles of the period, including the emphatic victory of the Christians over the Ottoman Turks at Lepanto (1571) and the destruction of the Spanish fleet at Downs by a smaller, faster, and more daring Dutch force (1639).

 

Using specially-commissioned color and black-and-white artwork to illustrate the battles, equipment, and tactics of the era, Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World shows in detail the methods by which armies—including Gustav Adolphus' Swedish and Frederick the Great's Prussian forces—prevailed over their foes, and why other armies were less successful. The book is an essential companion for readers interested in warfare in the early modern area.

Christopher Jorgensen graduated with a Ph.D. from University College, London and his thesis on the Anglo-Swedish alliance of 1805-09 was published by Palgrave in 2004. An expert in Swedish military history, he has published various titles on World War II, including Rommel and Scandinavia during World War II.

 

Michael F. Pavkovic earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He currently serves as Associate Professor of History and Director of the Diplomacy and Military Studies Programs at Hawaii Pacific University. He has published on ancient military history and is coauthor of a forthcoming global military history.

 

Rob S. Rice is a Professor at the American Military University, teaching courses on Ancient and Modern Naval Warfare. He has published articles in the Oxford Companion to American Military History and The Reader's Guide to Military History, and contributed to Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World.

 

Frederick C. Schneid is a Professor of History at High Point University in North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. from Purdue University, where he studied European military history. Professor Schneid has authored several books on European warfare and is southern regional director of the Society for Military History.

 

Chris L. Scott was Head of Education for the Royal Armouries. He is a member of the Royal Historical Society and the Guild of Battlefield Guides, and has lectured for the British Commission for Military History and the Battlefields Trust. He has written several books on military history, edited the magazine Battlefield, and co-founded The Guild of Battlefield Guides.