Warfare during the Middle Ages

Major conflicts occurred at least once a generation throughout the Middle Ages. Groups of well armed noble men and their households formed the core of these armies, with larger numbers of temporary troops from nearby lands.

During this time, the most common weapons were spears and swords, with the wealthiest fighting from horse back. After the Normans, military campaigns were common, with nobles and their armies raiding enemy lands and seize castles to take control of a rivals’ land. The Normans also brought a new type of battle with them, armour began to be used more often as were cross bows.

 By the time of Edward III, armies were smaller in size but the troops were better equipped than other European countries. Canons were first introduced in 1346 and soldiers began to be employed rather than raised from nearby communities. By the late 15^th century however, English armies were seen as being backwards compared to those of the European armies and many of those fighting in the War of the Roses were inexperienced and had outdated weapons.

The Navy

The first mention of an English Navy is from the year 851 when ships containing fighters from the Kingdom of Wessex took on the Vikings. From then on it was known to grow and was initially used to transport supplies more than raiding hostile territories.

Following the loss of Normandy, which turned the English Channel into a contested border, the navy became much more important. English fleets in this time consisted of galleys and large transport ships.

Fortifications

Many of the fortifications built by the Romans in England survived into the Middle Ages, including the walls surrounding their cities. These defences were often reused during unstable periods and William the Conqueror went on a mission of building castles all over the country. These were mainly Motte and Bailey castles and later into the 12^th century, began to be built more in stone with a square that supported both military and political functions. Castles for royalty were used to control key towns and forest, while those for the barons were used to control their estates.

By 14^th century, castles were combining defences with sophisticated living arrangements and landscaped gardens and parks. Gun ports became an essential feature for a fashionable castle and by the late Medieval period, town walls were increasingly less military in nature and were much grander for civic reasons.