17th Century Warfare

Military Uniforms and Equipment

Web Sites:

http://users.wpi.edu/~jforgeng/17cIQP/index.htm Arms and armor in the 17th century.

Articles

Mayer, J. R., "A Theory About Snaphaunce Gun Locks", Military Affairs, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Winter 1939), pp. 258-263. An interesting and informative article on the development and characteristics of the snaphaunce mechanism for gun locks.

Books:

Hall, A.R. Ballistics in the Seventeenth Century. New York, London: Cambridge University Press, 1952. A study in the relations of science and war with reference principally to England. Information from Military Affairs, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Fall 1952), page 148.

Haythornthwaite, Philip J. The English Civil War 1642-1651; An Illustrated Military History. Colour Illustrations by Jeffrey Burn. Poole, Dorset, UK: Blandford Press, 1983. ISBN: 0-7137-1263-5. This is a competent, if very general, popular history of the English Civil Wars, with a very strong emphasis on the uniforms and equipment of the soldiers in these wars. The photographs are well selected, and the color illustrations, with associated descriptions, are outstanding. This is an excellent volume, and it is very useful to those persons interested in the uniforms and equipment of the soldiers of this era.

Riling, Ray. The Powder Flask Book. New Hope, PA: Robert Halter River House, 1953. 510 pages. This book deals with the history and use of the flask as a principal accessory to the firearm, from its inception, through the ages, until the popular acceptance of the metallic cartridge. Information taken from Military Affairs, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Spring 1954), page 52.

Osprey Publications. Osprey has over the past roughly 30 years published various series of publications on military forces and equipment throughout human history. They are published by Osprey, an imprint of Reed Consumer Books. Ltd, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RB. There are seven series: Men-At-Arms, Warrior, New Vanguard, Fortress, Campaign, Essential Histories, and Elite. These publications provide brief, competent surveys of various military forces and their characteristics. Very handy for getting a good mental picture of what the soldiers looked like and what weapons they used-something often neglected by academics writing scholarly works on military history. As Robin Higham comments in Military Affairs, October 1984 (Vol. 48, No. 4), page 206, in a review of the book Armies of the Ottoman Turks, 1300-1774, "These short illustrated histories with the major illustrations described in French and German also provide capsule histories, and in some cases are virtually the only readable modern work for the non-specialist." The particularly relevant publications are:

  1. Men-at-Arms. Publications in this series provide on the uniforms, insignia, and appearance of various military forces throughout history. Each 48-page book includes some 40 photographs and diagrams and eight pages of full-color artwork. Of special interest are:
    1. 14 The English Civil War Armies
    2. 184 Polish Armies, 1569-1696 (1)
    3. 188 Polish Armies, 1569-1696 (2)
    4. 235 The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (1): Infantry
    5. 262 The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (2): Cavalry
    6. 331 Scots Armies of the English Civil Wars
    7. 110 New Model Army
  4. Elite. Provides detailed information on the uniforms and insignia of the world's most famous military forces. Each 64-page book contains some 50 photographs and diagrams and 12 pages of full-color artwork. The publications in this series especially relevant are:
    1. 25 Soldiers of the English Civil War (1): Infantry
    2. 27 Soldiers of the English Civil War (2): Cavalry
  7. Campaign. Presents concise, authoritative accounts of the great conflicts of history. Each volume begins with an assessment of each commander's campaign strategy, then recounts the progress of the fighting. More than 90 illustrations, including maps, charts, and color plates, accompany the text, and a series of three-dimensional battle maps mark the critical stages of the campaign. Each volume concludes with a brief guide to the battlefield today and detailed notes for wargamers.
    1. 68 Lutzen 1632
    2. 82 Edgehill 1642
    3. 116 First Newbury 1643
    4. 119 Marston Moor 1644
    5. 123 Auldearn 1645
    6. 142 Dunbar 1650
  10. Warrior. Insights into the daily lives of history's fighting men and women, past and present, detailing their motivation, training, tactics, weapons, and experiences.
    1. 94 Polish Winged Hussars, 1576--1775
  13. New Vanguard. The design, development, operation and history of the machinery of warfare through the ages.
    1. 108 English Civil War Artillery, 1642-1651
  16. Essential Histories. A multi-volume history of war seen from political, strategic, tactical, cultural, and individual perspectives.
    1. 29 The Thirty Years War, 1618-1648
  19. Fortress. Design, technology and history of key fortresses, strategic positions, and defensive systems.
    1. 9 English Civil War Fortifications 1642-51