Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Book series/Military history/Century of the Soldier 1618-1721 products

Mugnai, Bruno: Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV. Band 4: The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1660-1687 44,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:15:28 +0200

It has been a commonly held historical belief that in the second half of the 17th century, the Spanish army suffered such catastrophic defeats that it effectively brought about the collapse of the state as a major player on the European stage. The wars, fought out in Catalonia, Franche Comté, Flanders and Italy, resulted in a series of substantial defeats for Spain. The forces of Louis XIV carried all before them. Spains ability to fend off the French monarchs assault was not eased by the fact that, at the same time, Spain had faced the Portuguese in the Iberian Peninsula, the English in the Caribbean, the Algerians in Melilla, as well as further insidious French assault in southern Italy and in the colonies. In this regard, it would be more correct to consider this age as a period of resilience, rather than military defeats. Equally superficially, the Portuguese War of Independence too was considered as a peripheral conflict of minor interest, while it also involved France and England in addition to the countries directly concerned. The story, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Spanish and Portuguese armies of this age are dealt for the first time in a single book, after archives sources and unpublished iconography.

The history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Spanish and Portuguese armies of this period are treated together for the first time in a single book on the basis of source material from various archives and unpublished pictorial sources.

Abram, Andrew: More like Lions than Men. Sir William Brereton and the Cheshire Army of Parliament, 1642-46 39,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:15:28 +0200

Based on primary archival research (much of which remains unpublished), supported by fieldtrips to battlefields and castles, "More Like Lions than Men" represents the first focused and sustained study of the recruitment, organisation, payment, equipping, leadership and war service of the forces raised and maintained in the service of parliament in Cheshire between 1642 and 1646. The Cheshire army of parliament was commanded by the devout, energetic and strategically astute Sir William Brereton, MP for the county. As a important "regional" force it undertook the extended war aims and strategy of the parliament in Cheshire (and in particular, its primary objective, the reduction and capture of the royalist stronghold of Chester). Led and trained by a number of officers of experience and ability (including Michael Jones, Robert Venables, and some professional soldiers, such as James Lothian), it often operated in conjunction with other forces and under various regional commands throughout the northwest, as well as the Midland counties, North Wales, Lancashire and Yorkshire, wherein its troops and companies served together or were "brigaded" with others. These were bolstered in 1644 by the absorption of high quality, veteran troops of Charles I's army in Ireland, who had been captured at Nantwich and Liverpool.Cheshire and the northwest were no backwaters during the first civil war, and on occasion Brereton's forces became embroiled in events of a more national complexion, such as the landing of the royalist army from Ireland in late 1643, the advance of Prince Rupert through the Welsh Marches, Cheshire and Lancashire during the summer of 1644, and the arrival of Charles I in a temporary relief of Chester 1645.Like other parliamentarian forces, the Cheshire troops were noted for their religious fervour, partly in that they were raised, shaped, motivated and led by radical independent and Presbyterian officers, as well as godly ministers. Yet despite its effectiveness and military experience, parts of the army suffered from pay arrears and subsequent mutinies, as well as organisational problems that stretched resources, and at points created breakdowns in discipline and moral. Moreover, Sir William Brereton's authority as commander-in-chief in Cheshire came under threat in 1645 in the form of divergent war aims and rivalries among subordinates.The Cheshire army of parliament is well served by archival sources. This includes contemporary news-books, correspondence, warrants, petitions, accounts of sequestration committees and army officers, certificates of service and illustrations of cavalry standards, contained in various repositories and private collections, but especially The National Archives and the British Library. The five surviving volumes of letter books of Sir William Brereton remain invaluable to our understanding of the scope and day-to-day operations of Sir William and his army. Such sources present an invaluable, if largely untapped source for the centralised pay, equipping and composition of the Cheshire parliamentarian forces. Split into three broad sections, this book provides three chapters outlining up-to-date research on the military role of the army in Cheshire and beyond between autumn 1642 and spring 1646; the central part offers four chapters on the composition of the Cheshire forces, including recruitment, training and leadership, as well as the "sinews of war" (money, ammunition and provisions), standards, clothing and equipment. The remaining section provides in-depth information on the combat units of Brereton's army, in addition to its "support arms" of gunners, engineers, pioneers, intelligence services and chaplains.More Like Lions than Men explores the context, nature and composition of the Cheshire forces indetail, in order to give credence to the notion that this was an effective, seasoned and important fighting force, albeit mainly on a regional stage. As such it adds significantly to our knowledge of the parliamentary war effort and civil war forces in the northwest of England and beyond, whilst appealing to anyone with an interest in military history, including academics, local historians, re-enactors and wargamers.

Chartrand, René: The Armies and Wars of the Sun King 1643-1715. Volume 4: The War of the Spanish Succession, Artillery, Engineers and Militias 39,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:15:28 +0200

This fourth and final part of our study concentrates on the early 18th century War of Spanish Succession. It was the largest and most difficult conflict in Europe since the Thirty Years War and unsurpassed until the Napoleonic Wars. It started because of Bourbon France and Habsburg Austrias conflicting candidates to the Spanish that soon involved other nations such as Great Britain and the Netherlands. It was mostly fought on three fronts: Flanders, northern Italy and Spain. Due to various factors, it proved to be a very difficult period for the Sun King. During the first decade, there were repeated and massive defeats in Flanders and Germany where French princes and marshals proved to be unequal to the genial Duke of Marlborough and the competent Prince Eugene. The hard-pressed French forces in the northern Italian front eventually collapsed in 1706. The Spanish front, although it started badly for Felipe V, the French pretender, things improved and the allied troops supporting the Austrian Carlos III were decisively defeated in 1707, again in 1710 and finally at Barcelona in 1714. Meanwhile, following the hard fought battle at Malplaquet, the main French armies, that were amazingly resilient reflecting the nations tenacity from the Sun King to the humblest folks, now had some success under Marshal Villars culminating in the strategic 1712 victory at Denain. This led to many previous allied gains now being lost. This was happening when Great Britain basically withdrew its support for the war. The treaties signed from 1713 basically gave the Sun King and France what it most wanted: Felipe V as King of Spain and its empire. It was a hard fought conflict but, in the end, France won. The study then discusses the economic and the serious climactic effects notably brought about by the awful winter of 1708-1709 in France that was also severe in other countries. The economic pressure was enormous on the Sun Kings government, but it finally managed to go through it thanks to the amazing resilience of the French economy. French histories often state it was catastrophic, yet Britains economy had a national debt rising up to four times faster than Frances and this was obviously a factor in Britains withdrawal from the alliance. The French armys technical and support services, many of which were the first to be organised as corps befitting a modern army, are next presented. The artillery that was totally militarised and its materiel modernised to standards copied by all other nations. Engineering under the guidance of Marshal Vauban became peerless and imitated in all nations. Up to the Sun Kings time, old and crippled veteran soldiers were left to a paupers miserable survival; he first introduced a pension system and, in the 1670s, had the splendid Invalides hospital built in Paris to care for these soldiers. We will also glance at what religious personnel was attached to army units and hospitals to care for soldiers broken bodies and souls. Since Medieval times in France, troops that were considered part of the army were specifically concerned with controlling bandits and applying the law under the command of a Marshal. Their original name of archers remained long after they adopted firearms and they could be found in all parts of France. They still are today, but under the name of gendarme in most countries. They were often veteran soldiers and this section will also feature what punishments a soldier could expect when condemned of some wrongdoing. Many towns and cities had their own regular local troops on duty as garrisons and security corps and we describe a number of these well appointed and effective soldiers, some of whom saw action. A fairly large section is devoted to the reserve forces. France had three types of militias. The best-known is the 1688 Royal Militia, which was the first integrated system leading to what became national conscription for military service in the regular armies. Next to unknown are the Coast Guard Militia organisation that might might muster 150,000 men and, most of all, the Bourgeois Militia in all the cities and towns of the realm that probably amounted to some half a million men, many of them well armed and uniformed. This section includes a number of notices describing the Bourgeois Militias and their Privileged companies showing an almost totally unknown sedentary "territorial" army that performed well in the few times when some were called upon. The last section will be a look at the social life of soldiers, their "families", camp followers and and sutlers. There were many women and children in the wake of regiments, as prints show and some documents elude, but they were not officially recognised in the army yet should not be forgotten.

It was an era in which the Sun King's army, and eventually all European armies, underwent extraordinarily significant changes, such as: the emergence of very large professional armies, increasingly centralised command systems, the training of officers and common soldiers, the introduction of compulsory military service, improvements in discipline and control, technological advances in weaponry that influenced battlefield tactics, significant advances in fortification, the introduction of uniforms, improved army logistics capable of supplying large armies, new financial practices that allowed the maintenance and payment of numerous military forces. These factors and other elements led to many influences that played a major role in the geopolitical and geostrategic issues of the European states. They were largely determined by Louis XIV of France, practically from the assumption of his autocratic rule in 1661 until his death. As his army was initially the largest, most modern and most effective in Europe, he was successful to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master of geostrategy, particularly in terms of the balance he was able to maintain with the Ottoman Empire, whose troops were always threatening the eastern borders of France's opponents. Thus, France's forces were always sufficient to keep the enemy mainly on the defensive. It was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris. These and many other topics are covered in this four-volume work. Each volume essentially consists of two parts. The first part deals with the wars, campaigns and their context, the second consists of a detailed look at a specific part of the French army. The appendices contain specific aspects such as contemporary uniform lists or assessments of the Sun King's opposing and allied armies.

Spring, Laurence: The Bavarian Army during the Thirty Years War 1618-1648. The Backbone of the Catholic League 32,95 €

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:05:05 +0200

The Bavarian Army has been overshadowed by those of Gustavus Adolphus' and Wallenstein's Armies, but it was one of only a few armies to have fought throughout the Thirty Years War, first as part of the Catholic League and then an independent army after the Peace of Prague. Among the generals of the Bavarian Army were Count Johan von Tilly and Gottfried von Pappenheim, who are two of the most famous generals of the war. This book covers not only the Bavarian Army's organisation, but also has chapters on recruitment, officers, clothing, weaponry, pay and rations of a soldier during the Thirty Years War. As well as life and death in the army, this book also looks at the women who accompanied it. The chapter on "civilians and soldiers" looks at the impact of the war on the civilian population, their reaction to it and the infamous sack of Magdeburg which sent shockwaves across Europe. This chapter also looks at the impact on Bavaria by having Swedish, Spanish and Imperialist troops quartered upon it and how this affected the country's war effort. In addition there are chapters on regimental colours and a detailed look into the tactics of the time, including those of Spain, Sweden and the Dutch. As well as using archival and archaeological evidence to throw new light on the subject the author has used several memoirs written by those who served in the army during the war, including Peter Hagendorf who served in Pappenheim's Regiment of Foot from 1627 until the regiment was disbanded after the war. Hagendorf's vivid account is unique because not only is it a full account of the life of a common soldier during the war, but also records the human side of campaign, including the death of his two wives and all but two of his children. This book is essential reading to anyone interested in the wars of the early seventeenth century, not just the Thirty Years War.

Paoletti, Ciro: Italy, Piedmont, and the War of the Spanish Succession 44,95 €

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:15:09 +0200

The War of Spanish Succession is well known in English concerning Flanders and Germany, not that much concerning Spain, not at all about Italy. The Italian front was so important that the French considered it as important as the German one, and committed there their best generals. William III considered it to be far more important than Spain, and, in spite of having no British army there, after King William's death London committed to it 1/10 of her war expense. It was considered so important in Vienna that the Emperor sent there his best general. Last, it was the front where all the French hopes to submit Europe died in Turin in 1706 after the first dramatic wound they suffered in Blenheim in 1704.

Paradowski, Michal: Despite Destruction, Misery and Privations. The Polish Army in Prussia During the War Against Sweden 1626-1629 38,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:25:08 +0200

Before he entered Germany in 1630, Swedish King Gustav II Adolf had to face Polish army in Prussia. Between 1626 and 1629, under command of brilliant Hetman Stanislaw Koniecpolski, Poles were engaged in bitter struggle against Swedes. During this conflict both sides learnt a lot from each other, adjusting their armies' organisation and tactics. While pitched battles, where winged hussars could win the day, were rare, so called "small war" made huge impact on the events of this conflict. Poles were able to hone their skills acquired during years of fighting Tatars and Turks but were also forced to vastly increase presence of the infantry in their army, adapting to new style of warfare. This book provides readers with in-depth study of the Polish troops during the war, from unique structure of the army, through organisation and equipment of the units, to soldiers' daily struggle due to lack of pay and food. Each formation is described in detail, from famous winged hussars to Western European mercenaries serving as infantry and dragoons. Author's research is based on many Polish primary sources, that for the first time are available to English-speaking readers, presenting many interesting facts about less known conflict.

While field battles were rare, the so-called "little war" had a major impact on the events of this conflict. Poles were able to improve their skills acquired during years of fighting against Tatars and Turks, but were also forced to significantly increase the presence of infantry in their army and adapt to the new way of warfare. This book provides readers with an in-depth examination of Polish troops during the war, from the unique structure of the army, to the organisation and equipment of units, to the daily struggle of soldiers due to lack of pay and supplies. Each formation is described in detail, from the famous winged hussars to Western European mercenaries who served as infantry and dragoons. The author's research is based on many Polish primary sources, available for the first time to English-speaking readers, and contains many interesting facts about this lesser-known conflict.

Hornborg, Eirik/: Carl Gustav Armfelt and the Struggle for Finland During the Great Northern War 39,95 €

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:30:08 +0200

Charles XII's planned conquest of Norway died with him at Fredriksten fortress on 30 November 1718, and the small Swedish-Finnish army simultaneously besieging Trondheim was ordered to return to Sweden. Setting off on the final stage across the mountains on New Year's Day 1719 the army was struck by a blizzard harsher than any in living memory, and an orderly withdrawal turned into what has become infamously known as the Carolean Death March. That army was commanded by General Carl Gustav Armfelt, one of the great and tragic figures of Finnish and Swedish history, hero of Finland's brave but ultimately hopeless struggle against Russia under Peter the Great during the Great Northern War 1700-21. This book draws on much primary source material to describe Armfelt's military career. He was already an experienced soldier at the outbreak of the war having spent 11 years in the army of Louis XIV. The book describes his role in opposing the relentless march of the Russian forces in rolling back the eastern frontier of the Swedish empire from his Ingrian homeland through Finland and into Sweden itself. It concludes with the ill-fated Trondheim campaign during the empire's final death throes and Armfelt's final years in Finland after the war. The author, Eirik Hornborg (1879-1965), was one of Finland's leading and most prolific historical writers. The book was originally published in 1953 and this translation, by a descendent of General Armfelt, provides the first comprehensive account in English of the Great Northern War in Finland.

The book describes his role in fighting the relentless advance of the Russian forces against the eastern border of the Swedish Empire in Finland. It ends with a description of the ill-fated Trondheim campaign during the "death throes" of the Swedish Empire and Armfelt's last years in Finland in the years after the war. The author, Eirik Hornborg (1879-1965), was one of Finland's leading and most prolific historical writers. The book was originally published in 1953 and this translation provides the first comprehensive English account of the Great Northern War in Finland.

Glaeser, Michael: By Defeating my Enemies. Charles XII of Sweden and the Great Northern War 32,95 €

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:15:09 +0200

"By Defeating my Enemies" is a military biography of Charles XII of Sweden, the first written in English in over 50 years. It challenges several traditions created by historians of both the old and new schools of Carolean historiography and through a chronological review provides a balanced account of the kings life. Ample space is dedicated to exploring the undervalued pre-war life of the king as his upbringing influenced key decisions on war and how he waged it. As the Great Northern War begins, Charless involvement on the battlefield and his deep connection with the Carolean army are studied to assess his growth as a commander. The king is followed into the crucible of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the fateful march on Russia, exile in Ottoman territory, and the desperate rearguard actions culminating in a second invasion of Norway and his mysterious death at Fredriksten fortress. Had Charles not inherited the crown, he would be ranked among the great generals of the period and left at that. However, he was the only Swedish monarch born to absolutism and his actions as king, for better or worse, helped decide the fate of his kingdom. Occasional tangents are taken to explore his domestic and foreign policy decisions, and an entire chapter is used to highlight the creation, expansion, and struggles of the Swedish Empire and how Charles had to cope with the geo-political ramifications left to him by his predecessors. The book concludes with a review of the kings reputation and literary persona post mortem. An appendix covers additional characteristics of the king that did not fit into the flow of the main text such as image, health, marriage and sexuality, and wealth. Lavishly illustrated with maps and photographs, this book supplements the existing Helion publications on the Great Northern War.

Chartrand, René: The Armies and Wars of the Sun King 1643-1715. Volume 3: 1685-1697 Campaigns, the Line Cavalry, Dragoons and the Irish Wild Geese 39,95 €

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:15:09 +0200

The volume starts in an age of intolerance: the Protestant tragedy in France and the Irish tragedy. Tens of thousands of Protestants fled France. Various military and political events of the later 1680s, notably the ?Glorious Revolution? of 1688 that chased out King James II and installed William of Orange as King William III of Great Britain led to hostilities in 1689-1691 with Ireland being secured by William. Both had considerable impact on the armies of western Europe. Tens of thousands of officers and soldiers fled France for other nations and also left Ireland for France and later Spain. Much has been said about the loss of Protestant soldiers to the French army, but less known is that the Irish Catholic military refugees certainly compensated losses in the French army and later also boosted the Spanish army. William?s accession to the British throne also meant that Great Britain resolutely now joined the Holy Roman Empire, the Netherlands, Brandenburg-Prussia and other nations opposed to Louis XIV?s France that formed the League of Augsburg. In effect, Britain joined Europe in a large military alliance and all-out war broke out in 1689. This was not good news for Louis XIV; although the British army was not formidable, it was an efficient force and a large part of it would, for the first time, join its allies on the continent. The other main European armies had also learned a lot from the French army and had adopted many of its features; the Blitzkrieg campaigns were over. In the successive battles and sieges of the war, the allied armies could equal the French in combat, but the Sun King?s commanders, on the whole, were still the finest. Cohesion in command plagued the allies, but good commanders were rising there too, notably Prince Eugene of the imperial army. Several chapters will go through the campaigns on the two main fronts: Flanders and western Germany, and Catalonia in Spain. On the whole, the early battles such as Fleurus, Leuze, Steenkirk and Neerwinden were hard-won successes for the French armies; there were many sieges and the two of Namur (1692 captured by the French, retaken by the allies in 1695) stand out. By 1697, all belligerents were nearly exhausted, but the French army prevailed in Catalonia and took Barcelona. Peace was concluded shortly thereafter and it was a draw as to who really won the war. An important topic, sometime noted in histories, but rarely faced is the brutality and cruelty by soldiers on largely defenceless civilians as well as the devastation, sacking and burning of homes, villages and towns attained new dimensions during this period. Encouraged by government authority, the persecution of Protestants within France and of Catholics in Ireland showed that such behaviour by French and British troops on their own populations could even be rewarded with approval by the righteous church and state. With instructions from Minister of War Louvois, troops were specifically encouraged to devastate the Palatinate including the outrageous destruction of the university town of Heidelberg. However, after the passing of Louvois in 1691 and the exile and subjection of Ireland, there was certainly disgust and a realisation that hatred had its limits. Some civility reappeared by the mid-1690s and would eventually evolve into the 18th century mannerism of the so-called ?Lace Wars?. The French army in the west still relied on the Ottoman Turks to keep a good part of the Austrian and German state armies watching their eastern borders. The failure of the 1683 siege of Vienna had certainly not ended the Ottoman menace and much more fighting went on in the 1680s and 1690s. The end of the 17th century saw the beginnings of the rise of Russia under its extraordinary Tzar Peter I and also of Prussia at the expense of Poland and Sweden in a complex situation that went into the early 18th century. The Dutch War had given rise to very numerous armies and the War of the League of Augsburg attained new heights with French armies in the field nearing half a million men. Clearly, recruiting volunteers had reached its limits and, in late 1688, the Sun King created the Royal Militia that heralded large-scale obligatory military service in modern Europe. From then on, the Sun King could enlist tens of thousands of, usually, peasants to fill the ranks of the numerous armies he maintained. Maintaining such forces required considerable funds that taxes simply could not meet. Various extra taxes were introduced in France, with very limited success so that borrowing ended up being the main option. The fiscal pressure was also tremendous on the opposing allied armies either directly through their own taxes and also with subsidies from the more capitalised trading countries, England and the Netherlands, whose almost untenable credit situation led to the creation of Bank of England?the first modern government bank?to manage credit and debt. France and Austria did not create such banks yet but managed these aspects well so that there were enough funds to field huge armies on both sides, but not indefinitely. Part 2 The Cavalry. This section describes what was by very far Europe?s largest cavalry force. It included the Gendarmerie de France, which was a privileged division between the guards and the line cavalry. The line cavalry evolved from a fairly standard heavy cavalry force in the 1640s to a more complex arm of the service that first added numerous dragoon regiments in the 1670s, a division of rifled-armed elite carabiniers in the 1690s and also the advent of Hussars as light cavalry at that time. The peculiar organisation of the cavalry with its Mestre de Camp Général, Colonel Général is also described and some of its personalities had rather colourful careers. Arms, accoutrements and dress of the cavalry are discussed and also, the horses and the never-attained challenge of furnishing enough for some 60,000 troopers in the 1690s. By comparison, British cavalry hovered at about 7,000. This included efforts to develop better breeding and the advent of ?dressage? as we know it today from France?s Louis XIVs era. The Wild Geese This expatriate force of Irish officers and men formed quite a different type of force. They were not mercenaries as other foreign regiments. They either belonged to the army that came with James II to France and, in the 1690s, formed his distinct army or served in the Irish regiments that formed a division within the French army. The Sun King subsided everything and it was a very good investment. One benefit was that he gained Berwick, a leading future marshal of France. The Irish were fine soldiers and, in time, also integrated into French society with success in government and business besides the army. As in previous volumes, the last part of Vol. 3 features a large appendice listing all the regiments of the French cavalry from 1643 to 1715. Other appendices concern uniforms as described in the main contemporary sources. There will further be at least one appendice on opponent armies, certainly the Austrian army in this volume. Another topic is a list of French Protestant regiments in the British army.

It was an era in which the Sun King's army, and eventually all European armies, underwent extraordinarily significant changes, such as: the emergence of very large professional armies, increasingly centralised command systems, the training of officers and common soldiers, the introduction of compulsory military service, improvements in discipline and control, technological advances in weaponry that influenced battlefield tactics, significant advances in fortification, the introduction of uniforms, improved army logistics capable of supplying large armies, new financial practices that allowed the maintenance and payment of numerous military forces. These factors and other elements led to many influences that played a major role in the geopolitical and geostrategic issues of the European states. They were largely determined by Louis XIV of France, practically from the assumption of his autocratic rule in 1661 until his death. As his army was initially the largest, most modern and most effective in Europe, he was successful to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master of geostrategy, particularly in terms of the balance he was able to maintain with the Ottoman Empire, whose troops were always threatening the eastern borders of France's opponents. Thus, France's forces were always sufficient to keep the enemy mainly on the defensive. It was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris. These and many other topics are covered in this four-volume work. Each volume essentially consists of two parts. The first part deals with the wars, campaigns and their context, the second consists of a detailed look at a specific part of the French army. The appendices contain specific aspects such as contemporary uniform lists or assessments of the Sun King's opposing and allied armies.

Essen, Michael Fredholm von: The Lion from the North. The Swedish Army during the Thirty Years War. Volume 2: 1632-48 39,95 €

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:30:13 +0200

The book describes and analyses the early modern Swedish army during the Thirty Years War after the death in 1632 of King Gustavus Adolphus. At this time, military operations were handled by field marshals under the overall command of the Swedish Chancellor, Axel Oxenstierna. The book expands our understanding of the Swedish army during the Thirty Years War by focusing on its later operations, including those against Polish and Danish opponents, and not only on the better-known operations in Germany against the Catholic League and the Holy Roman Empire. Meanwhile, Oxenstierna continued his administrative reforms, which enabled Sweden consistently to raise troops, despite the small population of Sweden and its territories, and enabled an intelligence and logistics system which could supply the armies, despite the vast geographical depth of operations. While the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus positioned Sweden as an emerging great power, it was the subsequent developments of the army under Oxenstierna that enabled the Swedish rise to regional great power status. While the army of Gustavus Adolphus has been described elsewhere, the Swedish armys later developments are less well known. Moreover, the book includes current research that has not yet appeared in the English language. It also describes the 1643-1645 Swedish invasion of Denmark (Torstenssons War) and the battles and sieges, including those of Vienna and Prague, that led up to the Peace of Westphalia, which concluded the Thirty Years War. Finally, the book covers the military aspects of the establishment of Swedens first American colony.

While Gustav Adolf's army has already been sufficiently described, the later developments of the Swedish army are less well known. The book also describes the Swedish invasion of Denmark from 1643-1645 ("Torstensson's War") and the late battles and sieges, including the Battle of Janckau and the sieges of Vienna and Prague, which eventually led to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Finally, the book also deals with the military aspects of the founding of the first Swedish colony on North American soil.

Oates, Jonathan D.: The Last Spanish Armada. Britain And The War Of The Quadruple Alliance, 1718-1720 32,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:40:04 +0200

Overshadowed by the better known Spanish Armada of 1588, three centuries ago, the final Spanish Armada set sail against England and Scotland. This little known invasion is often treated as part of the little known Jacobite campaign of 1719. However, this invasion and the subsequent campaign in Scotland were part of the virtually unknown War of the Quadruple Alliance. This conflict has never been hitherto covered in a book in the English language. This book is a study of war and diplomacy involving several of the European powers, with fighting on the high seas, in Scotland, Spain, Sardinia, and Sicily. It is a tale of a once great power taking advantage of apparently favourable international circumstances to regain parts of its lost empire. Success seemed possible, but the fortunes of war are fluctuating and luck only goes so far. Eventually the realities of military power reasserted themselves with bloody results. This book presents an account of this little known war. The emphasis is on Britains naval, diplomatic and military efforts, whilst not neglecting those of its allies and enemies, both abroad and at home. It draws on a variety of little or unused primary sources held at the National Archives and elsewhere and boasts a cast of interesting and unusual characters.

Success seemed possible, but the fortunes of war are unpredictable and that was as far as it went. In the end, the realities of military power were confirmed with bloody results. This book provides an account of this little-known war. It focuses on Britain's efforts at sea, diplomatically and militarily, without neglecting those of its allies and enemies at home and abroad. It draws on a variety of little-used or unused primary sources held at the National Archives and elsewhere, and it presents a range of interesting and unusual characters.

Mugnai, Bruno: Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV. Volume 3: The Armies of the Ottoman Empire 1645-1719 44,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:15:28 +0200

Conflicts between Christian powers and the Ottoman Empire displayed completely different characteristics compared to other contemporary wars fought in Europe, war without mercy being the norm. The tones adopted by Western literature to describe the Ottomans resemble the ones recently used against the communist bloc and the Soviet Union, and it is probably not a coincidence that certain prophecies about the sultan, such as his arrival in Rome and watering the horse in San Pietro, survived until the post-1945 period, replacing the Grand Turk with the Red Army's Cossacks. This book deals with the organization, the composition and the history of the army of the Sublime Porte, starting from the information contained in Western sources. This approach, despite the partial origin of the information, allows a critical examination of the sources and the formulation of a vision that is not conditioned by the clichés that often occur about such topics, returning us to a a neutral vision of the complex Ottoman "Military" represented with all its refined and sumptuous costumes and weapons apparatus. A larger part of the work is dedicated to the different types of clothing and insignia of the different corps, their evolution and the meaning of the different symbols.

Shearwood, Mark W.: The Perfection of Military Discipline: The Introduction of the Bayonet 1660-1705 23,07 €

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:35:07 +0200

The book re-evaluates both the plug bayonet as a weapon and its implementation which fundamentally changed how it impacted both the formation and tactics of all armies of the long seventeen century. The plug bayonets reputation was marred by General Hugh Mackay following his defeat at the Battle of Killiekrankie on the 27th July 1689 when he supposedly stated: "his men were defeated by an unforeseen technical flaw in their weaponry [plug bayonet]". This view of the plug bayonet has been re-iterated constantly over the following 300 years, with military historians sideling the plug bayonet as a dead-end technology with little to commend it. While the introduction of the bayonet was a monumental step in the development of infantry in infantry tactics from pike to shot, one chapter will look at some of the other important developments with military technology. It will look at the arguments of matchlock vs flintlock and how they developed, and the introduction of Chevaux de frise, etc. It will prove that unlike some previous assertions, advancements within this sphere were not linier in nature. I will show that the adoption of the bayonet or the re-adoption of the pike were down to individual regimental colonels perception of these weapons, and in some cases the overall general in charge of specific operations. The following chapter investigates the changes within infantry battalion drills and organisation. How foot battalions went from up to one third of all soldiers armed only with defensive weapons (the pike) to battalions fully armed with both offensive and defensive weapons, the musket with bayonet. This development increased the firepower of any one battalion by up to one third, a step which was as a direct consequence of the introduction of the plug bayonet. The book will show that the plug bayonet was not only in use with English forces during the Dunkirk campaign in the early 1660s, but the English establishment bought into the idea of the plug bayonet earlier than previously thought and placed large orders from the 1670s, with the Board of Ordnance ordering 10,000 plug bayonets in 1678. Additionally, it will show that contemporary privately printed drill manuals are a valuable and accurate tool for identifying changes in military drill. It will identify how issues of supply and demand affected both English and continental armies. This is the first book whose primary focus is on the plug bayonet and its lasting impact on military tactics and equipment. The book will highlight that a piece of technology, which was derived from a civilian hunting weapon developed to hunt boars during the 16th century, that was still in use as such in Spain and Germany in the 19th century, transferred to an important piece of military equipment. As such, the plug bayonet was in use with the English army from c1660 until after 1700, being in use for over 40 years of service and as such does not deserve its reputation as a failure.

Paoletti, Ciro: William III's Italian Ally. Piedmont and the War of the League of Augsburg 1683-1697 39,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +0200

The Italian Front of the Nine Years War has been completely neglected by Italian and other European historians. It is often assumed that the conflict was fought solely in Flanders and the Rhineland, and by mainly North West European Armies. This was not so. William of Orange, the driving force of the Grand Alliance in the fight against the French, considered the Italian aspect of the conflict to be the greatest strategic importance. Piedmont, in north western Italy bordered France, and Italian armies were able to threaten the south of France with invasion. For the first time too, the nature of late 17th century warfare in Italy is considered and the author examines organisation, training and logistics. Military artist Bruno Mugnai enhances the books text with 8 specially commissioned colour plates that illustrate the uniforms and flags of this highly visual period.

Piedmont in north-west Italy bordered France, and Italian armies were able to threaten the south of France with an invasion along this route. For the first time, the nature of warfare in the late 17th century is also considered in an Italian context and the author examines organisation, training and logistics. Military painter Bruno Mugnai supplements the text of the book with eight specially commissioned colour plates depicting the uniforms and flags of this highly visual period.

Chartrand, René: The Armies and Wars of the Sun King 1643-1715. Band 2: The Infantry of Louis XIV 39,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:10:15 +0200

The reign of Louis XIV of France had a great impact on the course of European and world military history. The years 1643 to 1715 were a defining epoch for western military, diplomatic, and economic matters. Most of those years were marked by conflict between major European powers and the Sun King's forces. This four-volume series is the first that present an extensive account of the many facets of the French army and the wars it fought. It was an era during which the Sun King's and eventually all armies saw extraordinarily significant changes such as: the advent of very large professional armies, increasingly centralized command systems, professional training for officers and men, introduction of obligatory military service, improvements in discipline and control, technical advances regarding armament thus affecting battlefield tactics, marked progress regarding fortifications, introduction of uniforms, logistics capable of supplying large armies, financial practices that permitted the upkeep and pay large military forces.The above and even more factors produced many influences that weighted heavily in European geo-political and geo-strategic maters. In these, the Sun King largely dominated Europe?s agenda from the time he took effective autocratic power in 1661 to his last moments in 1715. Since his army was, initially, the largest, most modern and effective in Europe, he had success to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master at geo-strategy, notably regarding the balance that he managed to maintain with the Ottoman Empire whose forces always threatened the eastern frontiers of France?s opponents. Thus, France?s forces were always sufficient to keep enemies mostly on the defensive; it was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris.These and many more topics are presented in this four volume work. Each volume is basically in two parts. The first part is the era of the wars and their context, the second part consist of a detailed look at a part of the French army. The appendices present certain aspects such as uniform lists of the period and evaluations of opponent and allied armies of the Sun King's forces.

It was an era in which the Sun King's army, and eventually all European armies, underwent extraordinarily significant changes, such as: the emergence of very large professional armies, increasingly centralised command systems, the training of officers and common soldiers, the introduction of compulsory military service, improvements in discipline and control, technological advances in weaponry that influenced battlefield tactics, significant advances in fortification, the introduction of uniforms, improved army logistics capable of supplying large armies, new financial practices that allowed the maintenance and payment of numerous military forces. These factors and other elements led to many influences that played a major role in the geopolitical and geostrategic issues of the European states. They were largely determined by Louis XIV of France, practically from the assumption of his autocratic rule in 1661 until his death. As his army was initially the largest, most modern and most effective in Europe, he was successful to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master of geostrategy, particularly in terms of the balance he was able to maintain with the Ottoman Empire, whose troops were always threatening the eastern borders of France's opponents. Thus, France's forces were always sufficient to keep the enemy mainly on the defensive. It was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris. These and many other topics are covered in this four-volume work. Each volume essentially consists of two parts. The first part deals with the wars, campaigns and their context, the second consists of a detailed look at a specific part of the French army. The appendices contain specific aspects such as contemporary uniform lists or assessments of the Sun King's opposing and allied armies.

Querengässer, Alexander: The Saxon Mars and His Force. The Saxon Army During the Reign of John George III 1680-1691 32,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +0200

This is the first detailed study of the origins of the standing Saxon army. Created by elector John George III (1680-1691), it quickly won its laurels in the battle of Vienna (1683) and later in campaigns against the Ottomans and the French. This book gives a broad analysis on this army, dealing with topics like finances and organisation, uniforms, tactics and an overview of its campaigns.

Mugnai, Bruno: Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV. Volume 2: The Imperial Army, 1660-1689 39,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +0200

During the 17th century, Europe experienced only four years of general peace: 1610 and 1680-82. This scenario of almost continuous strife provided the terrain for the rise of the standing professional armies. The states were eager to avoid a repetition of the chaos and destruction that had plagued Europe during the Thirty Years? War, and therefore invested in these larger, more powerful armies to reduce the risks and costs of war. Some historians considered this act to be one of the most important institutional developments of the early modern world.

The permanent armies became an organic feature of the Old Regime, a symbol of its power and strength, the means by which the prince could defend his interest and play an active role in the International policy.In the opinion of many contemporaries, it offered an opportunity to exploit strategic knowledge, to examine the effectiveness of military tactics and become aware of the increasing importance of the overall organization of the army. It would allow the military classes to occupy a significant place alongside the major European powers.In this scenario, the Imperial Army represents an interesting laboratory, which involved the multicultural Habsburg?s domains and the Holy Roman-Germanic Empire in the birth of one of the major standing army of Europe. The history, organization, uniforms and ensigns of the Imperial army and the "Reichsarmee" are here presented for the first time in a single book, with a lot of unpublished iconography and data.

Scott, Jenn: I Am Minded to Rise. The Clothing, Weapons and Accoutrements of the Jacobites from 1689 to 1719 25,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +0200

This book throws new light on the men who fought for the Stuarts in Scotland from the beginning of the Jacobite cause in 1689 to Glenshiel in 1719 by drawing on the work of historians and a wide range of primary sources and therefore presenting a picture based on the evidence available. I am minded to rise looks at the variety of clothing and weapons used by the different Jacobite armies in this time period as well as their material culture used by them to show their allegiance to the Stuarts and the Jacobite cause.This book will appeal to those interested in the Jacobite Risings reenactors, wargamers, fans of Outlander, anyone with an interest in Scottish clothing from 17th and 18th centuries and the Scottish diaspora who, thanks to a growing interest in family history, are keen to know more about their Scottish heritage.

The book will appeal not only to those interested in the Jacobite uprisings of the 17th and 18th centuries, but also to wargamers, re-enactors and people with a general interest in military dress and armour of the period.

Picouet, Pierre: The Armies of Philip IV of Spain 1621-1665. The Fight for European Supremacy 39,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:32 +0200

The reign of Philip IV of Spain is fascinating, as after a century of dominance in Europe, the Spanish hegemony was seriously challenged by France. At the beginning of Philip IVs reign, Spanish dominions were vast, not only in Europe but also in South America, Asia and Africa. The defense policy of such vast territories was established in the XVI century and consisted of the deployment of two core armies, in the Low Countries and in north Italy, the maintenance of strategic garrisons, and of fleets in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean to control communications between all the territories of the monarchy. The different military formations were actively supported by a powerful diplomatic network among the European countries. The aim of the book is to examine the armies and troops of Philip IV and particularly the famous Spanish Tercios deployed in north Europe, Italy and in the Iberian Peninsula. The book covers the organization and development of the Tercios, the tactics used, recruitment and the life of the ordinary soldiers. The development of the Spanish cavalry and its organization is also covered in depth, along with the financing of the army. The book also explores the impact of continuous fighting during a period of 44 years to keep the honor and reputation of the Spanish monarchy, as well as their territories intact, and how the army responded to these challenges.

The development of the Spanish cavalry and its organisation are also examined, as well as the methods used to finance the huge Spanish military apparatus.