Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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

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.

This is a magnificent work - both scholarly and easy to read - that focuses on a time that most military historians gloss over. It focuses on the technology and organization of "pike-and-shot" armies of the sixteenth century (1500-1600)with detailed sections on the Italian wars, England, the Wars of Religion in France, the Dutch revolt against Spain, and the struggle in the East against the Turkish Empire. The only failing of this book is the combination of great length (770 pages) and an index of people and place names only; if you look for something more nebulous like "fortifications" in the index you will be disappointed. Put it by your bed or on the medicine cabinet and read it in short bites - you'll keep coming back for more.

Oman wrote this as a follow-on to his History of the Art of War
in the Middle Ages (q.v.), and gave it his usual opinionated all.
Some of it shows its age, now, but nevertheless it's essential
if you're studying either the sixteenth century in general or
the rise of modern warfare.

I get particular pleasure out of Oman's digs at his sources;
despite drawing from him frequently, he really, really doesn't
care for poor old Blaise de Monluc (which Oman and his
contemporaries insist on misspelling "Montluc.") Anyway,
buy the book if you're nostalgic for the old-style, "decisive"
school of military history, from the pre-Keegan era.