Dead horse, man-at-arms lost: cavalry and battle tactics in 15th century Castile. Issue 1 (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Etxeberria Gallastegi, Ekaitz
• Is Part Of: Journal of medieval Iberian studies. Volume 12:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 106
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: Castile -- fifteenth century -- tactics -- cavalry -- chronicles; Iberians -- History -- Periodicals; Civilization; Iberians; Iberian Peninsula -- Civilization -- Periodicals; Spain -- Civilization -- 711-1516 -- Periodicals; Portugal -- Civilization -- To 1500 -- Periodicals; Spain -- Civilization -- Periodicals; Europe -- Iberian Peninsula; Portugal; Spain; History; Periodicals; 946.000902
• DOI: 10.1080/17546559.2019.1629611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-6559

Abstract

ABSTRACT: For a long time historiography has stood up for Late Medieval Castilian tactical backwardness with the insufficient research into Castilian military tactics contributing to the persistence of old paradigms. The aim of this paper is to refuse that vision by focusing on battle tactics showing the importance of mounted combat in fifteenth-century Castile. I will analyse the battlefield function of both heavy and light cavalries, also examining the supporting role of the infantry. This Castilian preference for mounted combat could be due to not only military reasons, but also social ones. In Castile, as in almost every corner of Medieval Western Europe, nobility's political and social leadership had its reflection on warfare.