The Impact of War

Abstract

War was a key characteristic of early modern Europe. The period from 1500 to 1800 saw frequent conflicts within European states, between European states and between European states and states across the globe. In 1955 Michael Roberts proposed the concept of an early modern military revolution which linked warfare and state formation. The support of elites was essential in early modern warfare. The nobility provided leadership and troops, and ship-owners made war at sea possible. Early modern armies were composed of one or more of three elements: militias, mercenaries and forces provided by military entrepreneurs. The significance of gunpowder for warfare was recognised by contemporaries as Robert Barret’s dialogue between a country gentleman and a veteran of the Dutch Revolt demonstrates. For sixty years discussions of early modern warfare have been dominated by the military revolution debate.