In this video we heavily relied on one of Clifford Rogers' book: Soldiers’ Lives Through History. The Middle Ages, Westport 2007. We recommend you check it out yourselves here: amzn.to/3j2kQvG Support our two man project and check out NordVPN: nordvpn.com/sandrhoman It's risk free with Nord's 30-day-money-back-guarantee!
You should make a video about the staggering siege of Belgrade (1717). Because that siege is just incredible, practically the alesia of the 18th century
odd question could you do a video on how to do it(Call up men) during the early middle ages at some point? Its a time period that is barley looked at besides Id really like to see how Frankish Nobles or Norsemen Called there men to war.
Maybe you can do a video on how armies were raised in other times and other countries. It would be interesting to see what you have to say about Raising Armies in Feudal Japan.
It's so nice to see someone specifying exactly what time period and what circumstances what they are saying applies to, and then stressing temporal and regional differences. So many people just treat all of the middle ages as a single homogenous lump devoid of all nuance.
My first thought, when I read the title, was when and where. Everyone calls there nobles up and allies and kindoms that are, by treaty, there over lords. In Spain it seemed a lot of the boys became some type of professional soldiers. There just wasn't many. So the king would call together his troops and his nobles and there troops and hire mercenaries. The moors had standing armies of what seem to be mostly professional and hired lots of mercenaries from north Africa. After 1015ad you often see as many as 30 or more kingdoms in Iberia and nobody wanted to see any kingdom become too big or they all knew they would lose to them so both sides, spainish and moorish kingdoms would become allies to keep anyone from becoming to powerful.. There was also large armies that crossed over from Africa that took over the moors or a majority of the moorish kindoms and then fought the spainsh. In Iberia, nobody calls up part time troops or the peasantry. Battles are often fought with less then 5,000 troops on bothsides. Few battles had 1 side with over 5,000 troops and fewer both sides over 10,000 for most of the reconquesta. They also usually gave the others fair treatment if they surrendered cities so they often don't have the bloody endings. Plus iberia never had enough people so killing the population of a city ment taking a city that was now not going to make you money and neither side had the people to resettle the city rapidly. Middle Europe, you seem to have a lot more semi professional troops that can also be called apon like English archers. They don't seem to use mercenaries as much. In the east with the ottoman and Europeans, they called or pressed everyone into service a lot more on both sides. Armies are huge and they are made up of the kings men, his nobles and there men, mercenaries and the peasants/untrained poorly equipped men.
Wow this was amazingly timed. In the D&D game I'm running my players have just decided to raise an army in a disjointed, Holy Rome-inspired feudal setting, and this has given me a lot of ideas for how that could logistically work.
Don't forget guilds can have troops (including heavily armed "burgher knights", cities have militias, and mercenaries fill tanks. I'd recommend each unit be one kind of troop (be that a squad, platoon, or company) with a player leading it personally. If it's HRE inspired I imagine you'll have pretty small armies but that's how you get larger than life personalities. If you serve in an army of a million you're just another face in the meat grinder even if you're it's best soldier. If you serve in a warband if a hundred you may be known personally by your enemies for your deeds.
If you are running a 5e game, Strongholds&Followers and Kingdoms&Warfare from Matt Collvile might give you a few ideas on how to run the actual battles and skirmishes or just to give your players some cool mechanics to run a noble court or mercenary company.
There is an exception to the rule that campaigns were conducted during the warmer months of the year: the Baltic. Campaigns conducted in the Baltic region, both before and during the Northern Crusades, generally occurred during winter. This seems to have been at least partially due to the swampy, muddy nature of the region during the warm months, which would have made marching and transporting supplies more difficult. Whereas during winter, as the ground froze over and became sturdier, transport was made easier, especially as it seems that the region's natives frequently made use of sleds. This was particularly useful as, during winter, the lakes and Baltic sea near the coast often completely froze over, allowing foot travel to nearby islands. This is why there are actually a couple of battles during this period that were fought on frozen bodies of water (Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, and the Battle of Karuse in 1270). (this info largely comes from Eric Christansen's "Northern Crusades", which is a great introductory piece to the period)
Could it also have something to do with the shorter growing seasons and the need to have folk working the fields rather than waging war, if lords cared about minor things like "not starve in winter/spring"?
@@patrickdusablon2789 that could have something to do with it, though I would also posit that early warfare in the Baltic (particularly prior to the arrival of the Germans) was characterised by waging war for the express purpose of looting goods, and thus limited food supplies may have at least encouraged Baltic noblemen to look to neighbouring enemy tribes to seize food, slaves, and supplies for themselves to ensure survival in the winter.
I was coming here to say the same! In the more Northern parts of Europe, the terrain was often easier to traverse in winter. The bogs would freeze and infantrymen could move faster of skis than they could normally on foot. There is at least one instance of a Swedish army marching across the Straits into Denmark in the 1600s, by just walking on the ice.
@someone could i say that you have _essentially_ two seasons? Or is my geographics teacher a dickhead? Like in west coastal europe where i come from each season lasts 3 months but theres not a big difference between each one. I mean the whole planet has seasons but not every region has a noticeable difference in temperature and weather between each one
@@chrisd2051 You might want to roll back the clock to Ancient Rome and the patron/client system. Crassus (who bankrolled Julius Caesar) must have been from the pre-"it would be a shame if something happened" , but definitely from the "I'm going to make you an offer you cannot refuse" era. He would show up to house fires with a squad of men and offer to buy the property from you.
One other very important thing you forgot is troops provided by towns. Just as vassals, those were sometimes obliged to provide troops for the king (or other ruling prince), depending on the feudal contract. Some towns would fulfill this obligation by paying a mercenary company to fight for them, while others actually sent contingents of their guild militia.
This was focusing on recruitment for offensive wars and if my rather sketchy memory serves guild militia wouldn't want to be away from their region for any prolonged period of time (Since they all had non-seasonal jobs there). Perhaps they might touch on recruitment for a defensive war later on.
@@jakechinn6561 It would really depend where in 'middle ages' feudal Europe one would be. In the Lowlands for instance the cities were very powerful, with old charters. They tended to provide funds (and loans) for campaigns, but also could contribute militias. Some were free cities, beholden only to the main liege lord. In case of the Brabant ones, the Duke was their direct liege, (later the Burgundian ones and Imperial Emperor's or Habsburg Spanish as the title passed). The battle of Woeringen had several feudal lords and allies were fighting over a county title, but also the Archbishop of Koln, and also city militias supporting various sides. (Including, the citizens of Koln on the opposite side of the Archbishop).
I would like to read those contracts. “The Free City of Augsburg in exchange for the privilege and protection granted by his majesty the emperor, promises to send 100 crossbowmen in the event that emperor attacks the French, and 200 crossbowmen in the event the emperor is attacked by the Polish.”
You start with a 1000 denars and then go from village to village for soldiers and hunt brigands or escort caravans. Just repeat this and you'll have an army in no time. Your clan tier will automatically go up and I would suggest to join a kingdom after many many denars.
Hope the topic of mercenaries will be further explored on a later date, it just so interesting how effective yet dangerous (for their own patrons) they could be during the 100 Years War the so-called Free Companies became a plague in France behaving as bandits but powerful enough to be a real threat to the central authority and the local noblemen, also the Catalan Company was highly effective fighting against the enemies of the Byzantines but they soon had a falling out with them which resulted in a rather disastrous conflict for both parts but mostly for the Byzantines.
Has that ever really changed? Mercenaries fight for money. And in a defensive war, care less about the people they are meant to defend than their money. And in general follow the one who pays most. Even in recent wars, mercaneries or "contracters" as the more modern term calls them, have a certain image for a reason.
Earlier in the High Middles Ages, before the free company boom, mercenary bands had a rather poor reputation for quality, since they were usually something akin to enterprising bandits, of rather low military value. With the free company boom, mercenary bands became more like a mirror of a standard medieval army, and were much more effective.
@@Osvath97 As with the Hessians some knights would go on a kind of sabbatical to act as mercenaries in foreign wars. This was to increase their wealth, prestige and military experience. These groups were known as Routiers.
Wow an actual detailed look on feudalism, how it works and how the nobility benefited from it. It is also intresting that many kingdoms around this time period had their own type of feudal system.
Indeed, there was no "Feudal System" but rather hundreds of similar networks of obligation and land-granting, that we now collectively call the Feudal System. It'd be just as accurate to call all vegetables "Carrots."
If you're interested in the early Caliphates then this is a good source: theses.gla.ac.uk/794/1/1997al-mubarakphd.pdf if you're talking about the Abbasids and Turco-Persianate Islamic States this is not a good representation.
Can't speak for Calpihates but the Eastern Roman Empire would have Profesional Standing Army already. From Toxatoi to Scutatoi to the heavy Cataphractoi
@@skylerslack12 Yeah the army was directly recruited by the king in the east if I recall correctly. After Ivan III there was also a state run military district that enforced the king's bureaucracy. Before that there was also centralizing influence from the mongol overlords that eventually were overthrown. Some people debate if Russia even experienced Feudalism at all and simply remained at the Lord and Peasant Serf level of direct organization
Unfortunately, sometimes, the army would split into multiple smaller armies. The king would have to spend another 45 seconds reorganising them, to make 1 battle unit and 1 siege unit.
Could you do a video on how militaries communicated, especially during battle? From messengers, to flags, standards to musicians, few talk about such an important part of war.
1. Go to village 2. Say "Do you want (list a whole bunch of things)" 3. Get young adventurous men who hate living in the same village all their lives to volunteer 4. Repeat
Could you do a video on medieval sergeants at arms? I have heard that they were free commoners who fought as professional soldiers in a noble's household but I can find limited information on them.
@@alicelund147 Sergeant is an incredibly broad term. In the Knight Templars, the vast majority of sergeants are estimated to have been servants of all manner of stripes. Some Templar sergeants though, were literally admirals. No sergeants were true man-at-arms, in the heavy cavalry, with the knights, but some sergeants were indeed soldiers, valued more highly than regular militia soldiers. These sergeants-at-arms for the Templars were sometimes a kind of lighter cavalry in comparison to the knights, but exactly what they did seems to be a bit lacking from the sources as far as I can tell.
I suppose for a lot of people it would be hard to understand how and why this society worked and why people of the time behaved the way they did, especially with how armies worked.
From my Mount and Blade experience, the best way to raise an army is to invite all the nobles to a wook long party, gets them shitfaced, then announce your intent of going on a campaign.
This video is amazing! It gives detail on how medieval militaries worked in several ways, and the animation itself is wonderful too! Thx for the great info.
Thanks for the tutorial! Been having trouble raising an army. I just couldn't get it right by myself. This has definitely changed things. 10/10 would recommend. PS: could you do a tutorial on how to launch a Holy Crusade? Or is it just this tutorial with extra steps?
Disclaimer: SandRhoman History is not liable for any levies lost or fallen. Any lord or lady that wishes to partake in this endeavor of slaughter and raid is legally bound to present 1/3 of their first 5 raids to Castle SandRhoman as compensation for this lesson.
15:04 This is what most medieval movies forget about. They just assume medieval Europe were dull metal and leather color while in reality it is really vibrant in color
This video is just what I needed as I have been attempting to raise a mediaeval army but my current approach using social media has not been as successful as I expected.
I just want to thank you for the enlightenment you've given me on medieval/renaissance sieges and systems this is honestly the best history page on the internet, I mean seriously I have never seen this immense level of detail put into history videos it's unbelievable and makes it hard to watch any other channels so keep up the good work man.
the fact that war was seasonal back then is the proof we human beings are sort of insane. "Let's rally up our troops now, so we are ready when autumn comes and it is nice and cool so we don't over exert ourselves whilst bashing each others heads in twine"
Just saw vlogging through history reacting to this, had to pause it and come here and see it first before finishing his reaction, wow how have I not seen this channel before? Great content and subbed!
Thats a good thing, Landlordism should be abolished. As churchill said: "Roads are made … services are improved … water is brought from reservoirs one hundred miles off in the mountains and -all the while the landlord sits still … To not one of these improvements does the landlord monopolist contribute and yet by every one of them the value of his land is enhanced … At last the land becomes ripe for sale - that means the price is too tempting to be resisted any longer … In fact you may say that the unearned increment … is reaped by the land monopolist in exact proportion not to the service, but to the disservice done."
@@aidanbarber1524 landlords don't actually do nothing. It's just simply the difference between someone who works physically vs mentally. You would think that a politician understands that.
@@Imaboss8ball I know Landlords don't literally do nothing for there tenants, but it nets to nothing because they're benefiting from an exploitative system. Also I think it's hilarious you think Landlording is some cerebral exercise when it's just using the state to monopolise the land and leech off the productive forces of society. Far be it from me to defend politicians but even they have a more socially useful role than Landlords.
Harold II Godwinson raised his army to fight Harald Hardrata and his brother Tostig in September. Then he had to do it all over again the month for William the Conqueror. He used the Anglo-Saxon fyrd to do it.
Excellent video as always! You should do a follow up on financing of campaigns, and how often corruption and vanity undercut the efforts of the instigator. If I remember "distant mirror" correctly, the modus operandi was: 1. Anounce a campaign. 2. Get the towns and the peasants to agree to tax hikes to pay for it, resulting in famine oftentimes. 3. Spend most of the money on jewellery and banquets. 4. Come up short on recruitment, leadership etc and piss away the entire campaign season. 5. Retreat without having achieved tangible gains. 6. Stiff the mercenaries on their promised pay/reward etc and watch them revolt and kill your peasants/destroy the harvest. 7. Sit by incompetently as your financial engine deteriorates. 8. Be forced to quash a peasant revolt because of said incompetence. 9. Be forced to cover for your corrupt/incompetent vassals because of political reasons. 10. Watch the cycle repeats itself.
A book written in the 1970's by a journalist, based mainly on outdated secondary sources (for her time, imagine how outdated they are more than 40 years later) who considered academic rigour to be constraining, is not exactly the best source. Both peasant revolts and famines were rare, if they occured on a regular cyclical basis like you describe, the period would have quickly turned post-apocalyptic.
Just go to the village and hit recruit, those peasants can be trained into some of the best troop. Or if your wealthy and need to quickly siege a castle you can go tavern to tavern and hire mercenaries.
A very informative and useful video. I was worried about mustering a sizeable force for my campaign in the hinterlands but this video answered most of my questions.
@@liamjm9278 yes but they didnt explain how to make the perfect star shaped fortress like they get to make one themselves with the help of other star forts
So basically, early medieval nobles were military sub-commanders and administrators. They didn't really have their own inheritable semi-sovereign territory with their own laws, but they probably had their own body guards. By the high middle ages, these nobles had their own laws and inheritable sovereignty to varying extent, theoretically reinforced by their occupation of a castle, which lead to the rise of heraldry.
Ok? Maybe go to a better University? I did courses on this subject in my Uni and they were all part of the regular accessible curriculum for bachelor students. Don't make blanket statements that aren't true...
@@oilslick7010 you do realize that different universities in different regions and countries teach their own history. Offering courses about how some lord got soldiers from a village in europe doesnt make a university "better", it just means theyre probably european.
There are costing bills after wars in Germany that list the precise payments of lost armor and weapons of mostly city people. They are considerate. This shows that the non-nobel combatants in late medieval times were often extremely well-equipped.
![True Size of Napoleon's Army - The Infantry [c. 1808] 3D DOCUMENTARY](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qR0sODDUT8U/mqdefault.jpg)
In this video we heavily relied on one of Clifford Rogers' book: Soldiers’ Lives Through History. The Middle Ages, Westport 2007. We recommend you check it out yourselves here: amzn.to/3j2kQvG
Support our two man project and check out NordVPN: nordvpn.com/sandrhoman
It's risk free with Nord's 30-day-money-back-guarantee!
Can you make a video about milìtary fortifications or how to build the perfect star shaped fortress?
You should make a video about the staggering siege of Belgrade (1717). Because that siege is just incredible, practically the alesia of the 18th century
odd question could you do a video on how to do it(Call up men) during the early middle ages at some point? Its a time period that is barley looked at besides Id really like to see how Frankish Nobles or Norsemen Called there men to war.
Maybe you can do a video on how armies were raised in other times and other countries. It would be interesting to see what you have to say about Raising Armies in Feudal Japan.
Can you make a video about the history of NordVPN guild. 😏
As someone who plans to re-ignite Norwegian-Swedish border conflicts, I found this video to be very useful and thank you.
Watching two neutered societies try probably won't be entertaining. Could be lucarative
@@TheAlgorath Can you really blame the swedes do they have not been at war for over 200 years
lol
If you need American mercs sign me up! I'll fight for ale and booty
Need any mercs?
It's so nice to see someone specifying exactly what time period and what circumstances what they are saying applies to, and then stressing temporal and regional differences. So many people just treat all of the middle ages as a single homogenous lump devoid of all nuance.
A lot of topics are treated like that. Especially in regards to morality.
@@MintyLime703 By academics, yes. On youtube, it's very rare!
@@MintyLime703 not in the Internet there not.
My first thought, when I read the title, was when and where. Everyone calls there nobles up and allies and kindoms that are, by treaty, there over lords. In Spain it seemed a lot of the boys became some type of professional soldiers. There just wasn't many. So the king would call together his troops and his nobles and there troops and hire mercenaries. The moors had standing armies of what seem to be mostly professional and hired lots of mercenaries from north Africa. After 1015ad you often see as many as 30 or more kingdoms in Iberia and nobody wanted to see any kingdom become too big or they all knew they would lose to them so both sides, spainish and moorish kingdoms would become allies to keep anyone from becoming to powerful.. There was also large armies that crossed over from Africa that took over the moors or a majority of the moorish kindoms and then fought the spainsh. In Iberia, nobody calls up part time troops or the peasantry. Battles are often fought with less then 5,000 troops on bothsides. Few battles had 1 side with over 5,000 troops and fewer both sides over 10,000 for most of the reconquesta. They also usually gave the others fair treatment if they surrendered cities so they often don't have the bloody endings. Plus iberia never had enough people so killing the population of a city ment taking a city that was now not going to make you money and neither side had the people to resettle the city rapidly.
Middle Europe, you seem to have a lot more semi professional troops that can also be called apon like English archers. They don't seem to use mercenaries as much. In the east with the ottoman and Europeans, they called or pressed everyone into service a lot more on both sides. Armies are huge and they are made up of the kings men, his nobles and there men, mercenaries and the peasants/untrained poorly equipped men.
Sounds racist
Go ask the village elder if they have any young men who'd like to seek their fortunes in war
3 Peasants joined your army!
Warband gang
Protip: Max out relationship with said village so they'll give you the best of the best.
making me wanna reinstall warband
@@richard-li1ll I just downloaded the game of thrones mod for it and spent 200 hours on it already
Just build a barracks, that's what I do in Medieval 2.
Do u do inbreeding in m2tw?
Bruh, did u actually played in TW Medieval II?
Not enough wood
@@pawejaworski6886 yes
No hire the mercenary spearmen instead and then disband them after taking the settlement
Wow this was amazingly timed. In the D&D game I'm running my players have just decided to raise an army in a disjointed, Holy Rome-inspired feudal setting, and this has given me a lot of ideas for how that could logistically work.
Your players dm is fire
That’s super awesome!
Don't forget guilds can have troops (including heavily armed "burgher knights", cities have militias, and mercenaries fill tanks. I'd recommend each unit be one kind of troop (be that a squad, platoon, or company) with a player leading it personally. If it's HRE inspired I imagine you'll have pretty small armies but that's how you get larger than life personalities. If you serve in an army of a million you're just another face in the meat grinder even if you're it's best soldier. If you serve in a warband if a hundred you may be known personally by your enemies for your deeds.
If you are running a 5e game, Strongholds&Followers and Kingdoms&Warfare from Matt Collvile might give you a few ideas on how to run the actual battles and skirmishes or just to give your players some cool mechanics to run a noble court or mercenary company.
And never forget your personal followers of servants, advisers, wagoneers, and camp artisans!
There is an exception to the rule that campaigns were conducted during the warmer months of the year: the Baltic. Campaigns conducted in the Baltic region, both before and during the Northern Crusades, generally occurred during winter. This seems to have been at least partially due to the swampy, muddy nature of the region during the warm months, which would have made marching and transporting supplies more difficult. Whereas during winter, as the ground froze over and became sturdier, transport was made easier, especially as it seems that the region's natives frequently made use of sleds. This was particularly useful as, during winter, the lakes and Baltic sea near the coast often completely froze over, allowing foot travel to nearby islands. This is why there are actually a couple of battles during this period that were fought on frozen bodies of water (Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, and the Battle of Karuse in 1270).
(this info largely comes from Eric Christansen's "Northern Crusades", which is a great introductory piece to the period)
Could it also have something to do with the shorter growing seasons and the need to have folk working the fields rather than waging war, if lords cared about minor things like "not starve in winter/spring"?
@@patrickdusablon2789 that could have something to do with it, though I would also posit that early warfare in the Baltic (particularly prior to the arrival of the Germans) was characterised by waging war for the express purpose of looting goods, and thus limited food supplies may have at least encouraged Baltic noblemen to look to neighbouring enemy tribes to seize food, slaves, and supplies for themselves to ensure survival in the winter.
I was coming here to say the same! In the more Northern parts of Europe, the terrain was often easier to traverse in winter. The bogs would freeze and infantrymen could move faster of skis than they could normally on foot.
There is at least one instance of a Swedish army marching across the Straits into Denmark in the 1600s, by just walking on the ice.
also the Baltics only have two seasons. autumn and spring don't last long and it's either really cold or really hot in the Baltics.
@someone could i say that you have _essentially_ two seasons? Or is my geographics teacher a dickhead? Like in west coastal europe where i come from each season lasts 3 months but theres not a big difference between each one. I mean the whole planet has seasons but not every region has a noticeable difference in temperature and weather between each one
I love how generally middle ages warfare was essentially gang fights.
You could make the case that medieval states were a protection racket more than anything else.
@@Oxtocoatl13 I mean unironically thats where we get the basis of the mafia from
When the German Boss goes gangster on a Papal Godfather...
Find out in the next Pope Fights!
And the King is the CRIMINAL MASTERMIND!!! D:
@@chrisd2051 You might want to roll back the clock to Ancient Rome and the patron/client system.
Crassus (who bankrolled Julius Caesar) must have been from the pre-"it would be a shame if something happened" , but definitely from the "I'm going to make you an offer you cannot refuse" era. He would show up to house fires with a squad of men and offer to buy the property from you.
One other very important thing you forgot is troops provided by towns. Just as vassals, those were sometimes obliged to provide troops for the king (or other ruling prince), depending on the feudal contract. Some towns would fulfill this obligation by paying a mercenary company to fight for them, while others actually sent contingents of their guild militia.
This was focusing on recruitment for offensive wars and if my rather sketchy memory serves guild militia wouldn't want to be away from their region for any prolonged period of time (Since they all had non-seasonal jobs there). Perhaps they might touch on recruitment for a defensive war later on.
@@jakechinn6561 It would really depend where in 'middle ages' feudal Europe one would be. In the Lowlands for instance the cities were very powerful, with old charters. They tended to provide funds (and loans) for campaigns, but also could contribute militias. Some were free cities, beholden only to the main liege lord. In case of the Brabant ones, the Duke was their direct liege, (later the Burgundian ones and Imperial Emperor's or Habsburg Spanish as the title passed).
The battle of Woeringen had several feudal lords and allies were fighting over a county title, but also the Archbishop of Koln, and also city militias supporting various sides. (Including, the citizens of Koln on the opposite side of the Archbishop).
@@loveisontheroad7155 Huh, that's really cool.
I would like to read those contracts. “The Free City of Augsburg in exchange for the privilege and protection granted by his majesty the emperor, promises to send 100 crossbowmen in the event that emperor attacks the French, and 200 crossbowmen in the event the emperor is attacked by the Polish.”
You start with a 1000 denars and then go from village to village for soldiers and hunt brigands or escort caravans. Just repeat this and you'll have an army in no time. Your clan tier will automatically go up and I would suggest to join a kingdom after many many denars.
Don’t forget to win couple of tournaments in big cities as well
Don't forget to upgrade your troops and to have horses available.
@@vinito19 Don't forget to STAND AND DELIVER.
Yes sirrrr
My people ❤❤
Hope the topic of mercenaries will be further explored on a later date, it just so interesting how effective yet dangerous (for their own patrons) they could be during the 100 Years War the so-called Free Companies became a plague in France behaving as bandits but powerful enough to be a real threat to the central authority and the local noblemen, also the Catalan Company was highly effective fighting against the enemies of the Byzantines but they soon had a falling out with them which resulted in a rather disastrous conflict for both parts but mostly for the Byzantines.
Didn't the Catalan Company get destroyed by the Navarrese Company?
Has that ever really changed? Mercenaries fight for money. And in a defensive war, care less about the people they are meant to defend than their money. And in general follow the one who pays most. Even in recent wars, mercaneries or "contracters" as the more modern term calls them, have a certain image for a reason.
And ending those rampages was the orgins of the French Gendarmerie
Earlier in the High Middles Ages, before the free company boom, mercenary bands had a rather poor reputation for quality, since they were usually something akin to enterprising bandits, of rather low military value. With the free company boom, mercenary bands became more like a mirror of a standard medieval army, and were much more effective.
@@Osvath97 As with the Hessians some knights would go on a kind of sabbatical to act as mercenaries in foreign wars. This was to increase their wealth, prestige and military experience.
These groups were known as Routiers.
This channel is criminally underrated, for such detailed videos. I hope you grow like Epic History TV:)
Yeah bro, I know! Best content to just sit back to and take a big ass rip and go on a trip to history lane.
Wow an actual detailed look on feudalism, how it works and how the nobility benefited from it. It is also intresting that many kingdoms around this time period had their own type of feudal system.
Indeed, there was no "Feudal System" but rather hundreds of similar networks of obligation and land-granting, that we now collectively call the Feudal System. It'd be just as accurate to call all vegetables "Carrots."
@@dmgroberts5471 Isn't it more like calling all vegetables, vegetables? That is: correct, just not very precise.
@@QuantumHistorian Yeah
And as he says in the video, this is still just a really, really broad summary of something even more complicated.
And some of those vegetables being big red berries. In fact, come to think of it, it is a good analogy.
This is brilliant. I've been looking into raising a Medieval army for quite some time so this video is right up my wheelhouse.
😂
Thank God I found this video. I was in the beginning stages of raising my army and this is a great resource
My father can watch this and learn how to raise an army, but not how to raise me... 😢
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well you can always raise your own mate.
An Army or a Child, the choice is yours now.
I’m sorry son
That hit the feels. Best to toughen up and learn to be stoic, kid.
@@bobofthestorm or an army of children
Very interesting video hope to see how the caliphates and the eastern Roman empire raised armies during the early and high middle ages
I would love a video on it too
Check Invicta, they did a video on byzantine recruitment albeit made simpler but informative
If you're interested in the early Caliphates then this is a good source: theses.gla.ac.uk/794/1/1997al-mubarakphd.pdf
if you're talking about the Abbasids and Turco-Persianate Islamic States this is not a good representation.
Can't speak for Calpihates but the Eastern Roman Empire would have Profesional Standing Army already. From Toxatoi to Scutatoi to the heavy Cataphractoi
@@skylerslack12 Yeah the army was directly recruited by the king in the east if I recall correctly. After Ivan III there was also a state run military district that enforced the king's bureaucracy. Before that there was also centralizing influence from the mongol overlords that eventually were overthrown. Some people debate if Russia even experienced Feudalism at all and simply remained at the Lord and Peasant Serf level of direct organization
Raising a medieval army was easy. The Lord just placed down a rally point on a holding and pressed the "Raise all armies" button
Unfortunately, sometimes, the army would split into multiple smaller armies.
The king would have to spend another 45 seconds reorganising them, to make 1 battle unit and 1 siege unit.
“Why is my 5 prowess knight leading all my man at arms?”
Could you do a video on how militaries communicated, especially during battle? From messengers, to flags, standards to musicians, few talk about such an important part of war.
Reminds me of the music band of drummers in a video of a battle scene about the Battle of Grunwald
In much of northern europe winter was part of the campaign season because marching over frozen ground is much easier than trudging through spring mud.
1. Go to village
2. Say "Do you want (list a whole bunch of things)"
3. Get young adventurous men who hate living in the same village all their lives to volunteer
4. Repeat
I mean, maybe watch the video first so you'll avoid repeating false stereotypes?
@@QuantumHistorian Too late. Already did.
True warband exp
There's more to it than that, as men will only actually fight if they believe the army they sign up for defends their friends.
@@samsonsoturian6013 it's a joke
Could you do a video on medieval sergeants at arms? I have heard that they were free commoners who fought as professional soldiers in a noble's household but I can find limited information on them.
Normally a sergeant was a non-noble man at arms. That is a soldier in the heavy cavallery that is not a knight, not a noble. At least in the Templars.
@@alicelund147 Sergeant is an incredibly broad term. In the Knight Templars, the vast majority of sergeants are estimated to have been servants of all manner of stripes. Some Templar sergeants though, were literally admirals. No sergeants were true man-at-arms, in the heavy cavalry, with the knights, but some sergeants were indeed soldiers, valued more highly than regular militia soldiers. These sergeants-at-arms for the Templars were sometimes a kind of lighter cavalry in comparison to the knights, but exactly what they did seems to be a bit lacking from the sources as far as I can tell.
00:20 that knight with the banner in the centre is having the time of his life, look at how happy he is!
What an interesting time in history I wish we would get more movies or shows about this era with good storytelling and make it as historically correct
its kind of difficult to get all the nuances in there, but it certainly would be fun seeing the complex nature of medieval militaries shown in media.
@@boarfaceswinejaw4516 it would be hard but it’s not impossible just look at that movie Robert the Bruce with Chris pine it was so good
@@lorddaquanofhouserastafari4177
Outlaw king was amazing. sad it couldnt start a trend of accurate medieval movies.
@@boarfaceswinejaw4516 it was too realistic for these fake ass people now a days
I suppose for a lot of people it would be hard to understand how and why this society worked and why people of the time behaved the way they did, especially with how armies worked.
Whenever I started to watch your videos, I feel like scrolling the Osprey Publishing books. Brilliant work
From my Mount and Blade experience, the best way to raise an army is to invite all the nobles to a wook long party, gets them shitfaced, then announce your intent of going on a campaign.
By my wife... life, and sword! We shall conquer! *The Kingdom of Vaegirs has declared war on the Kingdom of Swadia*
Really nice animations in this one
Recruitment for border raids, feuds, and private wars would be interesting, especially since that's like 90% of medieval conflict
I just love how these vids are a lovely view but also very well researched
Thank you for distinguishing between Early, High and Late Middle Ages.
This video is amazing! It gives detail on how medieval militaries worked in several ways, and the animation itself is wonderful too! Thx for the great info.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The illustrations are awesome!
the sponsor transition was so smooth fr
Thanks for the tutorial! Been having trouble raising an army. I just couldn't get it right by myself. This has definitely changed things. 10/10 would recommend.
PS: could you do a tutorial on how to launch a Holy Crusade? Or is it just this tutorial with extra steps?
This addressed many questions I’d had on the topic. Solid work, as per usual.
Instructions unclear; I tried to raise a medieval army but now my son is in open rebellion against me...
Have you considered abject surrender at all?
Disclaimer: SandRhoman History is not liable for any levies lost or fallen.
Any lord or lady that wishes to partake in this endeavor of slaughter and raid is legally bound to present 1/3 of their first 5 raids to Castle SandRhoman as compensation for this lesson.
Thanks for the info, I can't wait to try this and raise an army of my own!
*read title*
Finally, a proper guide
Nice video, I added it to my playlist about military logistics in medieval period and antiquity.
15:04 This is what most medieval movies forget about. They just assume medieval Europe were dull metal and leather color while in reality it is really vibrant in color
This video is just what I needed as I have been attempting to raise a mediaeval army but my current approach using social media has not been as successful as I expected.
thank you so much! I'm a time traveller seeking to repel the Hungairans out of Croatia in the year 1096. This video helped me so much!
My man, your videos are really coming in clutch
I just want to thank you for the enlightenment you've given me on medieval/renaissance sieges and systems this is honestly the best history page on the internet, I mean seriously I have never seen this immense level of detail put into history videos it's unbelievable and makes it hard to watch any other channels so keep up the good work man.
SUCH an interesting topic. Thanks for the education!
The art is as always beautiful
Amazing description and beautiful visal spectre as always, love your channel so much!
thanks, i had to do it yesterday and this video helped me gather the soldiers
I'm writing a medieval fantasy screenplay right now and I found this EXPONENTIALLY helpful. Thank you so much!!!
Please learn what "exponentially" means
@@kitomit2793 Pretty sure I was drunk when I wrote it. In fact, thinking about it now, I'm VERY sure I was drunk when I wrote it. Lol
the fact that war was seasonal back then is the proof we human beings are sort of insane. "Let's rally up our troops now, so we are ready when autumn comes and it is nice and cool so we don't over exert ourselves whilst bashing each others heads in twine"
more about food supply
9:56 The Beacons. The beacons are lit. Rohan calls for aid!
Summon the elector counts!
Just saw vlogging through history reacting to this, had to pause it and come here and see it first before finishing his reaction, wow how have I not seen this channel before? Great content and subbed!
One of the most helpful sources I’ve come across on the topic! Love the visuals!
Very nice information!
The editing is very beautiful
I liked the art you used in this video. It reminds me of those old D&D paintings from back in the day
It's rare that someone made a video about historical army logistics and prep,so as someone who's really curious about it am very happy about this vid.
There was so much info on it already, and on different subjects, that I don't think there is such popular belief and you don't surprise anyone.
Another great video. Thanks!
I love that you show your sources.
the quality of the production has gotten so good over the years.
Very happy i found this channel. Quality content and invaluable knowledge 💯
Thanks i had trouble raising my own army, this video help me configure it now.
The lasr point is true, sadly. Modern Tenants are even more likely to rebell against their Landlord, than to follow his orders.
Well feudalism is long gone for modern society
Thats a good thing, Landlordism should be abolished.
As churchill said: "Roads are made … services are improved … water is brought from reservoirs one hundred miles off in the mountains and -all the while the landlord sits still … To not one of these improvements does the landlord monopolist contribute and yet by every one of them the value of his land is enhanced … At last the land becomes ripe for sale - that means the price is too tempting to be resisted any longer … In fact you may say that the unearned increment … is reaped by the land monopolist in exact proportion not to the service, but to the disservice done."
@@aidanbarber1524 landlordish is just manorialism with less power, it's one of the remnants of feudalism.
@@aidanbarber1524 landlords don't actually do nothing. It's just simply the difference between someone who works physically vs mentally. You would think that a politician understands that.
@@Imaboss8ball I know Landlords don't literally do nothing for there tenants, but it nets to nothing because they're benefiting from an exploitative system.
Also I think it's hilarious you think Landlording is some cerebral exercise when it's just using the state to monopolise the land and leech off the productive forces of society.
Far be it from me to defend politicians but even they have a more socially useful role than Landlords.
Harold II Godwinson raised his army to fight Harald Hardrata and his brother Tostig in September. Then he had to do it all over again the month for William the Conqueror. He used the Anglo-Saxon fyrd to do it.
Excellent video as always! You should do a follow up on financing of campaigns, and how often corruption and vanity undercut the efforts of the instigator.
If I remember "distant mirror" correctly, the modus operandi was: 1. Anounce a campaign.
2. Get the towns and the peasants to agree to tax hikes to pay for it, resulting in famine oftentimes.
3. Spend most of the money on jewellery and banquets.
4. Come up short on recruitment, leadership etc and piss away the entire campaign season.
5. Retreat without having achieved tangible gains.
6. Stiff the mercenaries on their promised pay/reward etc and watch them revolt and kill your peasants/destroy the harvest.
7. Sit by incompetently as your financial engine deteriorates.
8. Be forced to quash a peasant revolt because of said incompetence.
9. Be forced to cover for your corrupt/incompetent vassals because of political reasons.
10. Watch the cycle repeats itself.
A book written in the 1970's by a journalist, based mainly on outdated secondary sources (for her time, imagine how outdated they are more than 40 years later) who considered academic rigour to be constraining, is not exactly the best source. Both peasant revolts and famines were rare, if they occured on a regular cyclical basis like you describe, the period would have quickly turned post-apocalyptic.
Great video, I'll keep this in mind next time I need to raise a medieval army.
Just go to the village and hit recruit, those peasants can be trained into some of the best troop. Or if your wealthy and need to quickly siege a castle you can go tavern to tavern and hire mercenaries.
I will out this information to good practice. Many thanks from my new castle!
Great video as always!
Excellent video, mate!
Rhoman posted, its a good day.
You make great content. Informative, engaging, and well edited. Thanks. Love the animations you use as well.
Thanks gonna try this over the weekend wish me luck
Thank you for this very informative tutorial, I shall put it to use soon
Thanks for the tip. I might need to raise one someday
Thank you Ill keep this in mind, and you will see me take over many lands in the next years
Smooth ad.. Real smooth...
"it's almost harvesting season"
Where was this 20 years ago when I was a kid asking this question for the first time?
Thanks, I will use it
A very informative and useful video. I was worried about mustering a sizeable force for my campaign in the hinterlands but this video answered most of my questions.
Are you telling me I have to do more than ominously look out the window of my castle and say call the banners
Just move your army rally point, it’s quite simple.
Can you make a video how to build the perfect star shaped fortress.
Steps:
1) The design depends on the terrain
2) How to build it depends on the design
3) ... ?
4) Profit
They already did that.
@@liamjm9278 ni they just said defense and siege not how to build one
@@gabrielcurraj3994 They told you the designs of the fort and what they do.
@@liamjm9278 yes but they didnt explain how to make the perfect star shaped fortress like they get to make one themselves with the help of other star forts
So basically, early medieval nobles were military sub-commanders and administrators. They didn't really have their own inheritable semi-sovereign territory with their own laws, but they probably had their own body guards. By the high middle ages, these nobles had their own laws and inheritable sovereignty to varying extent, theoretically reinforced by their occupation of a castle, which lead to the rise of heraldry.
They did have their own inheritable semi sovereign territory, just to varying degrees to depending on time and place.
Great work! I am knowledgeable on medieval history but still learned so much. This is the kind of thing you dont learn at university.
Ok? Maybe go to a better University? I did courses on this subject in my Uni and they were all part of the regular accessible curriculum for bachelor students. Don't make blanket statements that aren't true...
@@oilslick7010 you do realize that different universities in different regions and countries teach their own history.
Offering courses about how some lord got soldiers from a village in europe doesnt make a university "better", it just means theyre probably european.
@@markvillamor7724 lol you just repeated that persons point as if it's a rebuttal. Lmfao.
University is such a scam now.
its a good thing you had that disclaimer at the end, I was about to call up my housing unit to invade the fief across the street.
great topic.
Thank you! This tutorial was very helpful, now I can raise my army!
Could you cover mercenerys history?
He has a whole bunch about specific units (genoese crossbows, landsknechts etc)
For a diffrent approach open the necronomicon on page 66 and... what it'll definetly get you a raised army.
There are costing bills after wars in Germany that list the precise payments of lost armor and weapons of mostly city people. They are considerate. This shows that the non-nobel combatants in late medieval times were often extremely well-equipped.
New sub, discovered you through the VTH channel. Looking forward to binging your stuff!
Wait, you mean I DON’T just run around to towns and villages and recruit a handful of men in each location like in Bannerlord? 😮
I’m so damn stoked for the Mannorlords release and I get to do these recruitment stuff outside the history books.
The art style feels like it belongs to Battle Brothers game
Excellent video, I´d like to see the other two recruitment types as well.