A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Sir Charles Oman (Author) "THE military history of the fifteenth century may be described, not inaccurately, as being shut up in many water-tight compartments-(1) The wars of the English..." (more)
Key Phrases: feudal horse, smaller firearms, sunk road, King Henry, Henry of Navarre, Don John (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

3 drawings, 9 plates, 27 maps, 5 x 8 The best account of sixteenth-century warfare
By the author of A History of the Peninsular War
This is an unrivalled account of sixteenth-century warfare, in which Sir Charles Oman covers the Great Wars of 14941559; Henry VIIIs continental wars; the French Wars of Religion, 156298; the Dutch war of independence, 15681603; and the Turkish offensive against Christendom.

Contemporary maps illustrate many of the actions, and add to the value of this brilliant and lucid history of the art of war.

Sir Charles Omans other books include the two-volume History of the Art of War in the Middle Ages, the seven-volume A History of the Peninsular War and others (see the 1999 Annual Backlist catalog).

Product Details

• Paperback: 784 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853673846
• ISBN-13: 978-1853673849
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,444,973 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive work on this subject, May 20, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century (Hardcover)

Sir Charles presents the matter in a pithy and convincing way. If you are interested in the great battles and battlefields of the 16th century, and the way armies evolved, you will find this work well worth your time.

The rise and reign of the Swiss pikemen, who defied the charge of heavy cavalry with their perfect drill and unyielding will, is chronicled with engaging color and satisfying detail. So, in their turn, are the other principal armies and battles of the era. The generals, the underlying conceits of the armies' organizations, the errors and failures, all are recounted in a concise style that avoids dryness or verbosity.

M.Dane

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading For Military Historians, February 28, 2002

By	Leif A. Torkelsen (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Let me begin by stating that I am a military history junkie. It isn't my profession, but I have a profession largely to support my military history habit. I bought this book for the simple reason that I knew very little about 16th century military history. That, and I needed a fix. After reading Sir Charles Oman's work, I cannot believe that I made it this far in life without it.

To put it bluntly, anyone who claims to know something of modern military history, without a thorough grounding in 16th century warfare, is simply a pretender to knowledge.

Sounds harsh? It is not, and please let me explain why. Everything that evolves into the modern military establishment emerges in a recognizable form during the 16th century. It is the military history equivalent of the first fish struggling out of the antediluvian muck onto land and taking that first breath of air.

The 16th century bears witness to several critical military developments. The most obvious is the emergence of firepower on the battlefield. Gunpowder was several centuries old by that time, but it remained a rare and expensive siege weapon. In the 16th century, all of that changes. Cannon are lighter, limbered on smaller and more maneuverable carriages. Suddenly, armies have a powerful and portable siege train. In a matter of a few years, every castle in Europe becomes obsolete. Furthermore, cannon, for the first time, can be handled effectively on the battlefield. This spells ultimate doom for the large, unwieldy formations popular in earlier times, such as the Swiss pikemen's phalanx.

The new power and portability of artillery forces a radical evolution in fortification. The tall stone walls of the medieval period are now indefensible. Instead, huge, broad and low fortifications, covered by over-lapping fields of fire, become essential. This new style, the "trace italienne", will dominate warfare until the wars of Frederick the Great. Indeed, one finds combat conditions in heavily fortified regions, such as the Low Countries, that resemble World War One: Interminable battles fought in muddy trenches, where snipers dominate No Man's Land and the grenade and mortar are the weapons of choice.

Gunpowder also spurs the rearmament of the infantry. A judicious mix of arqubusiers and pikemen become the favourite mix of battlefield commanders. Interestingly, gunpowder helps to revive the cavalry arm. Long helpless against the Swiss pikeman, German landesknecht and English longbowmen, the mounted soldier regains his effectiveness with the advent of firepower. Artillery now breaks up formerly untouchable infantry formations, making them vulnerable to a cavalry charge. Cavalry also embraces the pistol, giving them firepower in addition to shock value. Gustavus Adolphus, in the next century, actually has to use considerable effort to wean his cavalry off of firepower and its excessive reliance on the caracole.

These technological advances require a new level of prefessionalism on the part of soldiers. The professional warrior of the Middle Ages is replaced in the 16th century by the professional soldier of the modern period. In turn, the nation state finds itself required to maintain a standing, professional military. The increasing dissatisfaction of commanders with mercenary troops only accelerates this move to national, professional armies. This process becomes an essential catalyst to the birth of the modern nation state.

As is his wont, Sir Charles tells the story of this historical process with a lively and engaging prose. His explanations of the political factors behind the wars of the period are succinct and immensely informative. With grace, wit and scholarly aplomb, Sir Charles will quickly convince any reader that he was quite mad to have imagined that he would proceed through life without a thorough understanding of the 16th century's military revolution.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource, but dated, January 11, 2000

By A Customer

Charles Oman's book is an excellent resource for learning about the history of the period from the military point of view, but, having been written over six decades ago, the book shows signs of its age by (naturally) failing to take into account what historians have learned about the subject since its writing. This leaves the book as valuable, yet not one you can entirely trust. Unfortunately, Oman also fails to add go into developments in Eastern Europe and the Ottoman Empire.