The Chivalric Ethos and the Development of Military Professionalism

Front Cover
David J. B. Trim
BRILL, 2003 - History - 359 pages
The essays in this volume explore the extent to which the chivalric ethos and military professionalism were incompatible, as well as their relative significance for developments in the art of war, and the rise of the state. Essays explore the armies and societies of late-medieval and early-modern France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Germany, England and the Netherlands. They examine both the theory and practice of war, using literary, archival and artistic evidence. Overall the volume probes what constitutes military 'professionalism'; assesses the real long term significance of developments in this period; and considers whether military professionalism required the waning of the chivalric ethos or merely resulted in it. Analysis of elite culture makes this valuable for historians of culture and politics. Military operations are related to organisations and structures, bridging the gap of military enthusiasts and academic historians.

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Contents

Introduction
1
Why Chivalry? Military Professionalism in the Twelfth
41
Condottieri and Captains in Renaissance Italy
73
The Portuguese Nobility and the Rise and Decline
89
Professionalism
117
Chivalry and Professionalism in the French Armies
149
Chivalry Military Professionalism and the Early Tudor
183
Chivalry and Professionalism in Electoral Saxony
213
The Social Dimensions
235
Army Society and Military Professionalism in
269
The Officer Corps and Army Command in the British
291
Chivalry Honour and the Confederate
321
Index
349
Copyright

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About the author (2003)

D.J.B. Trim is Lecturer in History in the Department of Humanities, Newbold College, and a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of History, University of Reading. He has (co-)edited four volumes of essays on medieval and early-modern military, political and religious history.

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