How to Raise a Medieval Army DOCUMENTARY
Invicta・2 minutes read
Pop cultural depictions of medieval armies often show dramatic scenes of quick mobilization, but the reality involved complex processes like issuing calls to arms, mustering troops, and negotiating with powerful bodies. Medieval armies varied based on region and era, transitioning from professional standing forces to smaller groups organized around aristocrats or local communities, with typical numbers in the low thousands or hundreds.
Insights
- Pop culture often simplifies medieval armies into instantly appearing forces, but the reality was far more complex, involving a lengthy process of deciding to go to war, issuing calls to arms, mustering troops, and deploying for battle, with significant risks and negotiations involved.
- Medieval armies were diverse, comprised of armed elite households, non-aristocratic freemen, and mercenaries, and transitioned from professional standing forces to smaller groups organized around aristocrats or local communities, with Western European states developing bureaucratic and financial structures to support professional armies of low thousands or hundreds.
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Recent questions
How did medieval armies come together?
Through a process of deciding to go to war, issuing a call to arms, mustering troops, and deploying for battle.
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Summary
00:00
"Reality of Raising Medieval Armies in Media"
- Pop cultural depictions of medieval armies are common in media, often showing dramatic marches or battlefield deployments.
- These armies didn't materialize instantly, contrary to media portrayals.
- Some media offer token explanations like "Call the banners" or "Muster the Rohirrim."
- A sponsor, Crusader Kings III, allows players to manage their own Medieval Kingdom.
- The video aims to discuss the reality of raising a Medieval Army.
- Medieval armies varied greatly based on region and era.
- Medieval armies transitioned from professional standing forces to smaller groups organized around aristocrats or local communities.
- Western European states developed bureaucratic and financial structures to maintain professional standing forces.
- Typical medieval armies numbered in the low thousands or hundreds.
- A typical medieval army consisted of armed elite households, non-aristocratic freemen, and auxiliary forces like mercenaries.
- The process of raising a medieval army involved deciding to go to war, issuing a call to arms, mustering troops, and deploying for battle.
- Going to war was a significant risk due to expense and danger of defeat.
- Rulers had to negotiate with various powerful bodies to gather support for war.
- Defensive wars were simpler than offensive wars in foreign territories.
- The call to arms involved sending messages to officials and aristocrats, followed by official summons to vassals.
- Mustering troops varied by region and time period, with retinues of the social elite being the quickest to assemble.
- Non-aristocratic freemen and auxiliary forces like mercenaries also played crucial roles in mustering armies.
- Troops would gather at rally points, organizing themselves for discipline and protection.
15:07
Medieval Army Logistics and Organization
- Registering for the medieval army involved being officially counted and assigned a position, with soldiers camping together to await the assembly of forces, while rulers issued ordinances to maintain discipline and prevent disruptions.
- The logistical demands of medieval armies were vast, requiring supplies for soldiers, support personnel, animals, and forage. Movements were influenced by geography, with land wars involving straightforward marches while overseas wars necessitated naval transports, often acquired through impressing merchant ships or paying for transport.
