The medieval battlefields of Europe gave rise to some of the most recognisable warriors in all of history, the heavily armoured horsemen known today as knights. The medieval knights were members of the military elite, a profession their contemporaries considered to be the most honourable and venerable of all.
While it is true that during the high and late Middle Ages knights were a mighty military force, it is important to remember that they were but one element of the vibrant and ever-changing world of medieval warfare.
The rise of heavy cavalry in European warfare can mostly be attributed to the Germanic tribes. They were the ones who set the basis for what was to become the overarching military doctrine that lasted throughout the Middle Ages where the heavy cavalry played a central role. However, it is worth noting that the often overlooked infantry were slowly gaining in importance throughout the high and late medieval period.
The development of military equipment and changes in societal structure began to steadily erode the military dominance of the noble horseman. Quality weaponry and military training that were once available only to the highborn few over time became available to an ever-expanding social circle, which allowed even the lowborn to assume a greater role on the battlefield.
Mercenary companies comprised of well-trained and well-armed soldiers that became commonplace during the late middle ages were able to successfully compete with the more traditional feudal levies. Medieval armies were for the most part comprised of both mercenary forces and the more common feudal conscripts.
It was the arrival of firearms and its unprecedented destructive power that fundamentally altered the nature of European warfare. The newly formed artillery was able to demolish the old feudal castles and infantry armed with handheld firearms were capable of piercing even the strongest knightly armour. Armies comprised of artillery and new infantry thus supplanted the noble heavy cavalry as the dominant military force of Europe.
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