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    Lothian Prize Essay
    1884

    THE ART OF WAR
    IN THE
    MIDDLE AGES




    Oxford

    PRINTED BY HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY




    THE ART OF WAR
    IN THE
    MIDDLE AGES
    A.D. 378-1515

    BY
    C. W. C. OMAN, B.A.
    FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE

    _WITH MAPS AND PLANS_

    OXFORD
    B. H. BLACKWELL, 50 BROAD STREET
    LONDON
    T. FISHER UNWIN, 26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE
    1885

    [_All rights reserved_]




The Author desires to acknowledge much kind help received in the
revision and correction of this Essay from the Rev. H. B. George, of
New College, and Mr. F. York Powell, of Christ Church.




CONTENTS.


                                                                  PAGE

  INTRODUCTION                                                       1


  CHAPTER I.

  THE TRANSITION FROM ROMAN TO MEDIAEVAL FORMS IN WAR (A.D. 378-582).

  Disappearance of the Legion.--Constantine's reorganization.--
    The German tribes.--Battle of Adrianople.--Theodosius
    accepts its teaching.--Vegetius and the army at the end of
    the fourth century.--The Goths and the Huns.--Army of the
    Eastern Empire.--Cavalry all-important                        3-14


  CHAPTER II.

  THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES (A.D. 476-1066).

  Paucity of Data for the period.--The Franks in the sixth
    century.--Battle of Tours.--Armies of Charles the Great.--
    The Franks become horsemen.--The Northman and the Magyar.--
    Rise of Feudalism.--The Anglo-Saxons and their wars.--The
    Danes and the Fyrd.--Military importance of the Thegnhood.--
    The House-Carles.--Battle of Hastings.--Battle of Durazzo    15-27


  CHAPTER III.

  THE BYZANTINES AND THEIR ENEMIES (A.D. 582-1071).

  Sec. 1. _Character of Byzantine Strategy._

  Excellence of the Byzantine Army.--Scientific study of the art
    of war.--Leo's 'Tactica.'--Wars with the Frank.--With the
    Turk.--With the Slav.--With the Saracen.--Border warfare
    of Christendom and Islam.--Defence of the Anatolic Themes.--
    Cavalry as a defensive force.--Professional and unchivalrous
    character of Byzantine officers                              28-38

  Sec. 2. _Arms, Organization, and Tactics of the Byzantines._

  Reorganization of the Army of the Eastern Empire by Maurice.--
    Its composition.--Armament of the Horseman, A.D. 600-1000.--
    Armament of the Infantry.--Military Train and Engineers.--
    The Officers.--Cavalry tactics.--Leo's ideal line of
    battle.--Military Machines and their importance              38-48


  CHAPTER IV.

  THE SUPREMACY OF FEUDAL CAVALRY (A.D. 1066-1346).

  Unscientific nature of feudal warfare.--Consequences
    of headlong charges.--Tactical arrangements.--Their
    primitive nature.--Non-existence of strategy.--Weakness
    of Infantry.--Attempts to introduce discipline.--Rise of
    Mercenaries.--Supreme importance of fortified places.--
    Ascendency of the defensive.--The Mediaeval siege.--
    Improvement of the Arts of Attack and Defence of fortified
    places.--General character of Campaigns.--The Crusades       49-61


  CHAPTER V.

  THE SWISS (A.D. 1315-1515).

  Sec. 1. _Their Character, Arms, and Organization._

  The Swiss and the Ancient Romans.--Excellence of system more
    important than excellence of generals.--The column of
    pikemen.--The halberdier.--Rapidity of the movements of the
    Swiss.--Defensive armour.--Character of Swiss armies         62-69

  Sec. 2. _Tactics and Strategy._

  The 'Captains' of the Confederates.--The Echelon of three
    columns.--The 'Wedge' and the 'Hedgehog' formations          70-73

  Sec. 3. _Development of Swiss Military Supremacy._

  Battle of Morgarten.--Battle of Laupen.--Battle of Sempach.--
    Battle of Arbedo.--Moral ascendency of the Swiss.--Battle
    of Granson