The Pike & Shot Society
Encyclopedia
The Pike and Shot Society is an international organisation promoting the study of the military history of the Renaissance
and Early Modern world. For The Pike and Shot Society this period covers the years between 1400 and 1721, a time-span that covers approximately from the introduction of early firearm
s to the abandonment of the pike
as a front-line battlefield weapon - the time of pike and shot
. The society is run entirely by, and for the benefit of, its members.
, the Italian Wars
, the Wars of Religion
, the Thirty Years War, the English Civil War
and the War of the Spanish Succession
. Outside Europe the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Samurai
of Japan
and the armies of the Persians and Mughul Indians all come within the Society's orbit, as do naval clashes such as the Spanish Armada
, the Anglo-Dutch Wars
and the Mediterranean conflicts between the Christians and the Ottomans.
in size and 52+ pages long with a colour centre spread. It provides accurate historical information on aspects of warfare from the entire spectrum of the society's period, often supplied from members from all over the world and providing information not otherwise available in English. Arquebusier also includes reviews of books, wargames
figures, and other products of relevance to the society's theme.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and Early Modern world. For The Pike and Shot Society this period covers the years between 1400 and 1721, a time-span that covers approximately from the introduction of early firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s to the abandonment of the pike
Pike (weapon)
A pike is a pole weapon, a very long thrusting spear used extensively by infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a counter-measure against cavalry assaults. Unlike many similar weapons, the pike is not intended to be thrown. Pikes were used regularly in European warfare from the...
as a front-line battlefield weapon - the time of pike and shot
Pike and shot
Pike and shot is a historical method of infantry combat, and also refers to an era of European warfare generally considered to cover the period from the Italian Wars to the evolution of the bayonet in the late seventeenth century...
. The society is run entirely by, and for the benefit of, its members.
Areas of interest
The society's coverage includes the Wars of the RosesWars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
, the Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, the Thirty Years War, the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. Outside Europe the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the armies of the Persians and Mughul Indians all come within the Society's orbit, as do naval clashes such as the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, the Anglo-Dutch Wars
Anglo-Dutch Wars
The Anglo–Dutch Wars were a series of wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes. The first war took place during the English Interregnum, and was fought between the Commonwealth of England and the Dutch Republic...
and the Mediterranean conflicts between the Christians and the Ottomans.
Arquebusier
Arquebusier is the society's highly respected journal. It is A5ISO 216
ISO 216 specifies international standard paper sizes used in most countries in the world today. It defines the "A" and "B" series of paper sizes, including A4, the most commonly available size...
in size and 52+ pages long with a colour centre spread. It provides accurate historical information on aspects of warfare from the entire spectrum of the society's period, often supplied from members from all over the world and providing information not otherwise available in English. Arquebusier also includes reviews of books, wargames
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
figures, and other products of relevance to the society's theme.
Mercurius
The society also produces a newsletter of variable length called Mercurius. This contains current news of interest, details of items available for purchase, discounts available, etc.Publications
The society also publishes a range of books and monographs relating to its theme. These include:Uniforms and Colours of the Wars of Louis XIV series
These volumes provide the most detailed and comprehensive studies of the armies of the age of the Sun King to have been published in any language. They represent scholarship of the highest standards and will be an essential resource to those who are interested in warfare of the late-17th and early-18th centuries.- Flags and Uniforms of the French Infantry under Louis XIV, 1688-1714 by Robert Hall. Describes the appearance of over 280 regiment of foot in 140 pages of text and 116 full-colour plates.
- Standards and Uniforms of the French Cavalry under Louis XIV, 1688-1714 by Robert Hall, Giancarlo Boeri & Yves Roumegoux. The appearance of over 170 regiments of cavalry is described in 180 pages of text and 62 full-colour plates.
- Guidons, Flags and Uniforms of the French Dragoons, Militia, Artillery and Bombardiers under Louis XIV, 1688-1714 by Robert Hall, Yves Roumegoux & Giancarlo Boeri. Covering the lesser branches of the French army, it contains 140 pages of text and 29 full-colour plates.
- The Army of the Electorate Palatine Under Elector Johann Wilhelm 1690-1716 by Claus-Peter Golberg & Robert Hall. Contains 144 pages of text and 20 full-colour plates.
Renaissance Military Texts series
The aim of the Renaissance Military Texts series is to make accessible to the general public scarce and important contemporary documents relating to warfare during the Renaissance and Early Modern periods of history. Such items will be of insufficient length to warrant publication as a separate item in their own right, but too long to enable to be conveniently included within the Society's regular journal.- Vol. 1: Warfare in the Age of Louis XIV. This 94-page volume contains three texts with a general theme of warfare during the reign of the iconic French king Louis XIV. Their subjects are: A journal of the 1684 siege of LuxembourgSiege of Luxembourg (1684)In the 1684 Siege of Luxembourg, by Louis XIV of France in 1684, an action that caused alarm among France's neighbours and resulted in the formation of the League of Augsburg in 1686. In the ensuing war France was forced to give up the duchy, which was returned to the Habsburgs by the Treaty of...
, written from the French point of view; Extracts from The London GazetteLondon GazetteThe London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
, covering the action at Elixheim on 18 July 1705; The letters of Richard Pope, a junior officer in an English cavalry regiment, who served from the Glorious RevolutionGlorious RevolutionThe Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
to the War of the Spanish SuccessionWar of the Spanish SuccessionThe War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
.
Other society books
- Marlborough Goes to War by Iain Stanford. An 80 page paperback book describing the campaign and Battle of BlenheimBattle of BlenheimThe Battle of Blenheim , fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV of France sought to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favourable peace settlement...
in 1704. It includes a complete OOB for both armies and a reprint of the ‘Blenheim Roll’, which lists all the senior officers of the British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
who participated in the battle. - Lostwithiel 1644 – The Campaign and Battles by Stephen Ede-Borrett. The summer 1644 campaign in the West of England was an exceptional feat of arms for the Royalist armies and, in contrast, a vivid demonstration of the complete lack of ability of their Parliamentary opponents to work together. The resultant catastrophic defeat of the Earl of Essex's army was, together with the failure at NewburyNewbury, BerkshireNewbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
that autumn, was highly influential in the vote that created the New Model ArmyNew Model ArmyThe New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
in the following winter. Despite this, the campaign is often treated superficially or simply ignored in many histories of the war and no previous detailed history of it has been published, this work aims to correct those omissions. A 158 page paperback book. - Waller's Army. The Regiments of Sir William Waller's Southern Association by Laurence Spring. Of all the generals of the English Civil War, Sir William Waller (1597–1668) probably best expressed its tragedy, referring to it as 'this war without an enemy' when writing to his friend Sir Ralph Hopton, whom he faced across the battlefield. Despite this he was a successful general, earning the nickname ‘William the Conqueror’. After his first army was routed at Roundway Down he received a commission to raise a new army. Although he continued to have victories, such as at AltonBattle of AltonThe Battle of Alton , of the First English Civil War, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton, Hampshire, England. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison of Royalist infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl...
and CheritonBattle of CheritonThe Battle of Cheriton was an important Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War. It took place on 29 March 1644 and resulted in the defeat of a Royalist army, which threw King Charles I onto the defensive for the remainder of the year.-Campaign:...
, he was never given the resources to follow up these victories. When the regional armies were eventually reformed into the New Model Army, Waller lost his command, and so his military career ended. This book analyses the regiments that made up his second army, which became known as the Southern AssociationSouthern AssociationThe Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. A 186 page paperback book with 6 pages of colour plates.
- The Art of Gunnery (1647) together with A Treatise of Artificall Fire-Works (1647) by Nathaniel NyeNathaniel NyeNathaniel Nye was an English mathematician, astronomer, cartographer and gunner.-Biography:Nye was baptised in St Martin in the Bull Ring, Birmingham on the 18 April 1624, and was probably the son of a governor of the town's King Edward's School.In 1642 he published A New Almanacke and...
. Introduction and Transcription by Cliff Mitchell. Nathaniel Nye's work, first published in 1647, was part of an ongoing series of such 'Gunnery Manuals' that first began appearing in the 16th century. However it is one of only two whose authors are known to have served during the English Civil Wars. As such it is an invaluable addition to our knowledge of the way that contemporary artillerymen felt that their pieces should be handled and its re-publication in 1670 says a great deal about its success and popularity during the 17th century. A 96 page paperback book. - ‘An ill jurney for the Englshemen’. Elis Gruffydd and the 1523 French campaign of the Duke of Suffolk. Transcribed by M. Byrn Davies and edited by Jonathan DaviesJonathan DaviesJonathan D. Davies MBE is a Welsh retired professional dual-code rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby union and rugby league. A goal-kicking backline player in both codes, he played his club football in Wales, England and Australia...
. This ‘most ill-conceived and ill-managed war’ was how Sir Charles OmanCharles OmanSir Charles William Chadwick Oman was a British military historian of the early 20th century. His reconstructions of medieval battles from the fragmentary and distorted accounts left by chroniclers were pioneering...
, the great historian of Renaissance warfare, described the English invasion of France in 1523. This hopelessly misguided campaign saw an English army meander aimlessly over Northern France to little effect, reaching as far as MontdidierMontdidierMontdidier is the name of several communes in France:* Montdidier, in the Moselle département* Montdidier, in the Somme département...
before retiring back to the Channel with its tail between its legs. The story is told largely in the words of contemporary documents and in particularly through the eyes of Elis GruffyddElis GruffyddElis Gruffydd was born in 1490 in Upper Gronant in the parish of Llanasa, Flintshire. More famously known as “The soldier of Calais”, he was a Welsh chronicler, transcriber, and translator...
, an articulate Welsh soldier who left a journal of his experiences full of vigour, freshness and well-developed sense of irony. A 72-page paperback book. - Elis Gruffydd and the 1544 ‘Enterprises’ of Paris and Boulogne. Transcribed by M. Byrn Davies and edited with a new introduction by Jonathan Davies. An 80-page booklet reprinting a contemporary account of the 1544 English campaign in France that culminated in the capture of BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
. Elis Gruffydd's remarkable journal contains a wealth of detail – military, social and political; and from a viewpoint that is hardly ever recorded. Elis was a fully paid up member of the “Poor Bloody Infantry”, and despite attaining the rank of Captain his sympathies were with the suffering soldiery rather than their aristocratic commanders. His harshest criticisms are directed at those in command although he has little time for “idle” soldiers unable to shift for themselves. Opinionated, well informed and thoroughly experienced in the ways of the world his commentary on the expedition is a delight in its vigour, freshness and well-developed sense of irony. - Thomas Audley and the Tudor Art of War by Jonathan Davies. A 64-page paperback book reprinting a mid-16th century treatise on the art of war, written for Edward VIEdward VI of EnglandEdward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
by a veteran TudorTudor periodThe Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
soldier. An extensive introduction provides a detailed analysis of the treatise. In addition the book also reprints, in detail, the Cowdray HouseCowdray HouseCowdray House consists of the ruins of one of England's great Tudor houses, architecturally comparable to many of the great palaces and country houses of that time. It is situated just east of Midhurst, West Sussex standing on the north bank of the River Rother...
illustrations of the siege of BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
in 1544 and the French attack on PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1545. - The English Companies of Foot in 1588 by Jonathan Davies. A 36-page paperback booklet describing the organisation, equipment, weapons, tactics and standards carried by the English ‘Trained Bands’ at the time of the Spanish ArmadaSpanish ArmadaThis article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
Wargames rules
- Captain-General by Tom Smith and Iain Stanford. Rules for land warfare in the period 1660–1721
- General-At-Sea by Iain Stanford. Rules for naval warfare in the period 1640–1721
- Husaria by Iain Wilson. Rules for East European warfare 1558–1699