Medieval soldier. The most powerful armies of the Middle Ages

In 1458, near the Buda fortress on the ice of the Danube River, the townspeople and nobility proclaimed Matyas Hunyadi, the 14-year-old heir of the talented commander Janos Hunyadi, king of Hungary. As a result of the national liberation revolution, the teenager, thrown into prison by his competitors in the fight for the Hungarian crown, came to power. Thus appeared a commander whose army would become one of the most combat-ready armies of Medieval Europe.

Matyash's father, Janos, was a good warrior and strategist. Thanks to him, the Balkan Peninsula for a long time successfully restrained the invasion of the Ottomans, and only death from the plague ended the chronicle of successful battles of this historical figure. Young Matyash was drawn to reading and, as a child, became engrossed in the works of Julius Caesar. This is exactly how the idea of ​​​​creating a professional army, later called "Black Army"(Fekete Sereg).

Historians disagree about the origin of the term "Black Army". The name apparently was not given during King Matthias's lifetime, but appears in documents written immediately after his death. There are various theories that the soldiers were dressed in black or wore black ribbons on their shoulders while mourning King Matthias. Another theory is that the name comes from the black breastplate worn by Captain František Hag, or, alternatively, the name is linked to the nickname of another Black Army officer, Captain Janos "The Black" Haugwitz.

And, if in other countries warriors in peacetime could be farmers, bakers, masons, then the “Black Army” was a highly paid army of professionals who were engaged in purely military matters. The backbone of the army consisted of 6-8 thousand mercenaries; in 1480 this figure increased to 20 thousand, and in 1487 it amounted to 28 thousand. Mostly, the soldiers were Bohemians, Serbs, Poles, Germans, and, starting from the 80s, Hungarians. The key to the victories of the “Black Army” was the widespread use of firearms. One in four soldiers carried an arquebus, an unusual ratio in armies of the time. Even at the beginning of the 16th century, only 10% of European armies used firearms.

The basis of the troops was infantry, artillery, light and heavy cavalry. The heavy cavalry protected the lightly armed infantry and artillery, while the rest of the army made surprise attacks on the enemy. The river fleet consisted of galleys, boats and small ships that could sail along the Danube, Tisza and Sava. In 1475, artillery was installed on river barges: mortars and bombards. In 1479, the fleet consisted of 360 ships, and the crew was 2,600 sailors and 10 thousand soldiers on board.

A regular paid army also had its drawbacks - in case of delay in payment, some soldiers could leave the battlefield or start a riot. However, this was compensated high level training of the soldiers who served in it. For 30 years, the “Black Army” restrained the expansion of the Ottomans into Western Europe, contributed to the unification of Hungary and the conquest of new territories, thus creating a powerful state in the center of Europe, capable of resisting external enemies.

The composition of the dry rations of European armies now resembles the menu of a good restaurant. In the Middle Ages, a fighter’s diet was much more brutal.

“Evil War” is what winter campaigns were called in the Middle Ages. The army was critically dependent on weather and food supplies. If the enemy captured a food train, the soldiers were doomed in enemy territory. Therefore, large campaigns began after the harvest, but before heavy rains - otherwise the carts and siege engines would get stuck in the mud.

“An army marches while its stomach is full” - Napoleon Bonaparte.

French engraving of the times Hundred Years' War(1337–1453). Source: Wikipedia

During World War II, the daily allowance of Red Army soldiers should have included 800 g rye bread(from October to March - 900 g), 500 g potatoes, 320 g other vegetables, 170 g cereals and pasta, 150 g meat, 100 g fish, 30 g shortening or lard, 20 g vegetable oil, 35 g sugar. Total according to documents - 3450 calories. At the forefront, the diet could change significantly.

Wartime ration

For a soldier on a campaign to be able to remove and hang packs on a horse, push a cart, swing an ax, carry stakes and pitch tents, he needed up to 5,000 calories. No food - no army. Therefore, if the campaign progressed successfully, the soldiers ate better than most of the medieval classes.

Today, 3,000 calories are considered the norm for a man with an active lifestyle.

Each day, everyone was allocated up to 1 kilogram of good bread and 400 grams of salted or smoked meat. A supply of “live canned food” - several dozen heads of cattle - was slaughtered in critical situation or to boost morale before an important battle. In this case, they ate everything, right down to the entrails and tails, from which they made porridge and soups. Constant consumption of crackers causes diarrhea, so the dried bread was thrown there, into a common cauldron.

Pepper, saffron, dried fruits and honey were given to the sick and wounded. The rest seasoned their food with onions, garlic, vinegar, and less often with mustard. In the north of Europe, the fighters were also given lard or melted butter, in the south - olive oil. There was almost always cheese on the table.

The medieval soldier's diet was supplemented with salted herring or cod, and dried river fish. All this was washed down with beer or cheap wine.

Medieval military train with provisions and equipment. Illustration from the book "Hausbuch" of 1480. Source: Wikipedia

drunken sea

In the galleys, even slaves and convicts ate better than commoners on land. The rowers were fed bean soup, bean stew, and breadcrumbs. About 100 grams of meat and cheese were given out per day. In the late Middle Ages, the standard of meat increased and lard appeared in the diet. Those at the rows had the most nutritious food - this is how the sailors were motivated to fight for this place.

Food on ships was generously served with wine - from 1 liter per day for officers, 0.5 for sailors. At a signal from the squadron admiral, good job All rowers could have another bonus glass. Beer supplemented the calorie requirement. In total, the sailor drank a liter or two of alcohol per day. It is not surprising that fights and riots were frequent.

1. Bilmen

Source: bucks-retinue.org.uk

IN medieval Europe The Vikings and Anglo-Saxons often used in battles numerous detachments of billmen - infantry warriors, whose main weapon was a battle sickle (halberd). Derived from a simple peasant sickle for harvesting. The battle sickle was an effective edged weapon with a combined tip of a needle-shaped spear point and a curved blade, similar to a battle ax, with a sharp butt. During battles it was effective against well-armored cavalry. With the advent of firearms, detachments of billmen (halberdiers) lost their importance, becoming part of beautiful parades and ceremonies.

2. Armored boyars

Source: wikimedia.org

Category of service people in Eastern Europe during the period of the X-XVI centuries. This military class was widespread in Kievan Rus, Moscow state, Bulgaria, Wallachia, Moldavian principalities, in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The armored boyars come from the “armored servants” who served on horseback wearing heavy (“armored”) weapons. Unlike servants, who were exempt from other duties only in wartime, the armored boyars did not bear the duties of the peasants at all. Socially, the armored boyars occupied an intermediate level between peasants and nobles. They owned land with peasants, but their civil capacity was limited. After the annexation of Eastern Belarus to Russian Empire, the armored boyars became close in their position to the Ukrainian Cossacks.

3. Templars

Source: kdbarto.org

This was the name given to professional warrior monks - members of the “order of mendicant knights of the Temple of Solomon.” It existed for almost two centuries (1114-1312), emerging after the First Crusade of the Catholic army to Palestine. The Order often performed the functions of military protection of the states created by the Crusaders in the East, although the main purpose of its establishment was the protection of pilgrims visiting the “Holy Land”. The Knights Templar were famous for their military training, mastery of weapons, clear organization of their troops and fearlessness, bordering on madness. However, along with these positive qualities, the Templars became known to the world as tight-fisted moneylenders, drunkards and libertines, who took with them their many secrets and legends into the depths of centuries.

4. Crossbowmen

Source: deviantart.net

In the Middle Ages, instead of a combat bow, many armies began to use mechanical bows - crossbows. A crossbow, as a rule, was superior to a regular bow in terms of shooting accuracy and destructive power, but, with rare exceptions, it was significantly inferior in rate of fire. This weapon received real recognition only in Europe from the 14th century, when numerous squads of crossbowmen became an indispensable part of knightly armies. A decisive role in raising the popularity of crossbows was played by the fact that from the 14th century their bowstring began to be pulled by a collar. Thus, the restrictions imposed on the tensile force physical capabilities the arrow were removed, and the light crossbow became heavy. Its advantage in penetrating power over the bow became overwhelming - bolts (shortened crossbow arrows) began to pierce even solid armor.

The anonymous manuscript “Du Costume Militairee des Francaise en 1446” tells in great detail about the equipment of the “spear” - the main unit of heavy cavalry. “First of all, it should be said that knights went to war in “white” armor. The armor included a cuirass, bracers, mantles, greaves, gloves, a salet with a visor and a small bevor covering the neck. Each was armed with a spear and a long light sword; a dagger and a mace were suspended from the left side of the saddle. Each warrior was accompanied by a squire, equipped with salet, harnois de jamdes, chain mail, jacques, brigandine or corset, armed with a dagger, sword and shortened spear. The retinue included a page or jack, equipped as a squire and armed with one type of weapon. Archers wore greaves, sallets, heavy jackets or brigandines. Their weapons consisted of a bow and a quiver of arrows."

To be fully equipped, young man 125-250 livres were required. The warrior earned this amount during 8-16 months of service. Even simple armor was quite expensive. A salet cost 3-4 livres, a jacque, corset or brigandine cost about 11 livres. A complete set of armor for a warrior cost about 40 livres, while armor for the entire “spear” cost about 70-80 livres.

The cheapest and lowest-grade dagger cost about one livre. A sword of no quality cost more than one livre. The same text from 1446 states: “Some soldiers wear only chain mail, salute, gloves and greaves. They are usually armed with a kind of broad-headed dart called langue de doeuf (ox tongue).”

Crossbows continued to be produced in large quantities at Clos de Galais. They were usually made in batches of 200 pieces. Ammunition for crossbows was produced in increasing quantities. From three birch logs and 250 kg of iron, about 100,000 crossbow bolts were obtained. Increasing competition from firearms forced craftsmen to improve the design of the crossbow. As a result, the crossbow has become an excellent weapon, combining low weight, no recoil, high penetration ability and ease of operation. The use of steel in the design of the crossbow made it possible to reduce the stroke of the bowstring to 10-15 cm, as well as reduce the span of the shoulders. At the same time, the design of the crossbow became more complicated, and the rate of fire remained low. Cocking a crossbow now required a mechanical device: a lever or a two-handed winch.

Guns were used in increasing numbers. Although the technology for their manufacture has remained virtually unchanged, experimental designs have appeared, for example, disposable weapons with a hard leather barrel. However, the accuracy and reliability of the guns steadily increased, and they could now fire at specific and moving targets, for example, at ships trying to break through to a besieged fortress, or at the masts of enemy ships in a naval battle.

The production of cannons was quite a complex matter, in which many craftsmen of different profiles participated. Only the richest craftsmen could afford to assemble the entire technological chain in their own hands. It was thanks to this circumstance that the Bureau brothers were able to organize the mass production of artillery, which largely contributed to the final victory of France in the last decades of the Hundred Years' War. For example, in 1442, Jean Bureau supplied the royal artillery park with six bombards, 16 veuglaires, 20 serpentines, 40 coulevrines and an unknown number of ribaudequins for a total of 4198 livres. These guns required 20,000 pounds of gunpowder, costing 2,200 livres. King Charles VII incurred these considerable expenses, since thanks to the artillery of the Bureau brothers he managed to successfully complete 60 sieges only during 1449-1450.

1. Crossbowman from the retinue of Jean de Angers, 1407

The large shield bears the coat of arms of Jean de Angers, master of crossbowmen, supplemented by the coat of arms of France. A silver branch is pinned to the warrior's chest. Such icons indicating political orientation humans, were common in France at the end of the 14th century. The body is protected by chain mail, brigandine and a quilted thick pupuan. The liner under the bowler helmet is also quite thick. Quilted cuisses partially cover the lamellar leg armor. Back side chain mail gloves are reinforced with a metal lining. The crossbowman is armed with a powerful steel crossbow. Pay attention to the quiver covered with wolf skin. Hooks for cocking a crossbow are attached to the waist belt. On the left hip hangs a wide stabbing sword (not visible in the picture), and on the right is a basilar dagger.

2. Rennie Militiaman, 1370

The city foot militia could fight for any of the warring parties. The warrior's equipment does not have any sharp features. Merchants selling armor and weapons could transport their goods over long distances - to where the war was currently going on and there was an increased demand for their goods. The scaly aventail could well have been made in England, the shestoper could have been made in Italy or southern France, the hard leather armor for the legs and arms could have been Flemish, and the chain mail and chausse could have been made in any region of France.

3. Light infantryman from the south of France, 1400

The term brigand in those days meant soldiers or mercenaries protected only by a brigandine covered with fabric. This warrior additionally wears a light bascinet over a long-sleeved hood. The neck and shoulders are protected by a chain mail necklace. In addition, the armor includes chain mail and plate gloves. In his hands is a small round shield. The weapon consists of a small sword and a newfangled rondeau dagger.