Did The Development In European Warfare During The Sixteenth Century Amount To A ‘Military Revolution’?

Did the development in European warfare during the Sixteenth Century amount to a ‘Military Revolution’?

By the Sixteenth century, Luther had successfully challenged the Catholic Church from 1517 and Copernicus had declared a solar- centric universe in 1543. These are both historical events in early modern Europe. The dramatic changes in Military warfare are also seen as key to European developments in separating the medieval society from the Modern. The military developments change that art and organisation of warfare effecting the development of the early modern European state.   The Sixteenth Century brings about new technology, weapons, tactics and armies that some see a resulting in a European ‘Military Revolution’.

The Sixteenth Century brought a change in warfare compared that of the previous hundred years. Knights lost their value and gave way to infantry and artillery as a result of the development of pike and musket warfare. Military engineers also designed stronger defensive fortifications, trace italienne, therefore leading longer siege warfare. Generals became the standard leaders of armies as warfare became more technical and strategic. As tactically warfare became standard, infantry also became more discipline, trained to march in step and drill in formations of rank and files. Along with these military developments there was also an increase in the importance of military education and military academics such as Maurice of Nassau.

The Military revolution of early Modern Europe is said to have taken place in many different areas of warfare.   Technological developments such as pike and gunpowder firearms by 1520 changed the format of war itself. An important European military development of the sixteenth century was the use of Gunpowder and muskets on the battlefields. It brought new excitement, power and dangers to the European battlefield. Although gunpowder was not a necessary a new development as it was used in China, India and the Middle...