The book describes and analyses the Scanian War, which was fought from 1675 to 1679 between, on one side, primarily Brandenburg and Denmark–Norway and, on the other, Sweden. The war was mainly fought in Scania, the former Danish lands along the border with Sweden, and in northern Germany. The Danish objective was to retrieve Scania […]
What role did religious beliefs play in early modern warfare? Or, to rephrase the question, what was the role of religious beliefs in early modern society? That religiosity played a role seems clear, but exactly how important was religion among other motivational factors, such as the desire for survival, personal gain, or even love – […]
During the Great Northern War (1700-1721), the most renowned officer in the Danish navy was a Norwegian, Peter Tordenskiold – a living legend. Get Full text in PDF
During the Great Northern War (1700-1721), the most renowned officer in the Danish navy was a Norwegian, Peter Tordenskiold – a living legend. Get Full text in PDF
In seventeenth-century Siam (now Thailand), although most wars were fought against neighbouring Burma, one of the most prominent sources of military inspiration was Japan. In fact, japanese influence remained for centuries in the Siamese army. Even a perfunctory walk through the weapons gallery in the excellent Bangkok National Museum reveals that, among swords, the majority resemble […]
Could early modern warfare ever be called heroic? Did heroic warfare exist in at least non-Western societies? During the second half of the twentieth century, some historians and anthropologists attempted to recreate what early warfare really was like through the use of oral history, in those few societies where such traditions still remained… Get […]
As a follow-up to Neil Rennoldson’s articles in Arquebusier XXXII/III on early sixteenth-century landsknechts in their German core territories, the following four illustrations depict landsknechts from the same period but in service in Sweden and Finland. Landsknechts first arrived in Sweden as mercenary contingents in Danish invasion armies, but within a few years, they were […]
As a follow-up to Neil Rennoldson’s articles in Arquebusier XXXII/III on the flamboyant and colourful dress of early sixteenth-century landsknechts in Germany, and my own short article on the not quite as flamboyant, but still colourful landsknecht dress from the same period but in Sweden and Finland, I can now take this opportunity to add […]
In these days of recurring cutbacks in government military spending, outsourcing, and the privatization of warfare with private-sector military firms involved in naval affairs, it may be worthwhile to remember that it was not always a foregone conclusion that, from an organizational point of view, a modern navy would have to be responsible for its […]
The dramatic events that caused probably the last genuine Ming Dynasty loyalist, the half-Japanese pirate warlord Coxinga (1624-1662), to take control over the island of Formosa (present Taiwan) two decades after the fall of the dynasty that he served have been described in many books, plays, and even television dramas. This article will accordingly focus […]
Something odd seems to have happened when the modern Danish and Swedish navies emerged in the sixteenth century. Not only did they grow in size and strength very rapidly, they also experimented with unexpected types of armaments such as pyrotechnics. Most curious might have been the experiments with naval rockets… Get Full text in […]
What Makes Central Asian Islam Central Asian? In March 2005, an Afghan deputy minister of the interior (who out of mercy will remain unnamed) was touring Europe. At one stop, he suddenly found himself faced with a question that obviously took him by surprise. How long, an innocent but assuredly well-meaning European asked, had Afghanistan […]
The People of the North Caucasus at War The steep mountains of the Caucasus range always served as a barrier between the steppes of the north and the more fertile, agricultural areas to the south. Although jagged and bare, and with few real passes from north to south, many narrow and forested, fertile valleys cut through […]
Most academics working on the military revolution have focused their attention on Western Europe. This Eurocentric view is perhaps understandable, since many indeed seem to be more interested in the Rise of the West than in purely military affairs elsewhere. However, while the European strategists of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, being chiefly concerned with […]
Most history was always written from the perspective of great empires such as Rome, Persia, and China. For them, and their historians, the nomads of the Eurasian steppes were little more than savage troublemakers. Nomads of different tribes and lineages were also hard to distinguish from one another. Few imperial commentators went farther than merely […]
The Swedish Way of Warfare – with Privateers and Pirates In the 1700s, the Swedish way of warfare was regarded as highly effective. It was also, not infrequently, highly anachronistic. The Swedish army’s persisting – and convincing – use of pikes against enemies armed with muskets is well known. Less noted perhaps, is the fact […]
The Army of Muscovite Russia – From the Middle Ages to Imperial Russia Medieval Russia was divided into a number of independent princepalities and republics. In the fourteenth century Moscow, ruled by a Grand Duke or Prince (velikiy knyaz’), gained a leading rle among them, a feat achieved chiefly by accepting tributary status to the […]
På en konstgjord ö, Dejima, i nuvarande Nagasakis hamn, byggdes redan på 1500-talet bostäder för utländska köpman. Så småningom uppfördes här ett holländskt, ostindiskt faktori. Ön blev med århundradena fast land och bebyggt med allt fler och all högre kontorshus. Men nu ska Dejima med sitt gamla faktori återuppstå till fyrahundraårsjubileet av det första holländska […]
Soon after Edo (present Tokyo) in 1603 had been chosen as the new capital of Japan, vicious street gangs took over the streets of the city. Until 1687, when most gangs were suppressed, they formed a colourful and violent part of Japanese organized crime. Get Full text in PDF
Soon after Edo (present Tokyo) in 1603 had been chosen as the new capital of Japan, vicious street gangs took over the streets of the city. Until 1687, when most gangs were suppressed, they formed a colourful and violent part of Japanese organized crime. Get Full text in PDF
