How Pike Squares Actually Worked

In 1476 at Grandson, one of the richest armies in Europe ran from the field, leaving its guns, tents and treasure behind. It had been beaten by peasants and townsmen from the Swiss mountains carrying long wooden poles. This video shows how a pike square worked on the ground, and why the Swiss were the most feared infantry in Europe for half a century. It covers the 5.5 metre pike, the five ranks of points, the men pushing from behind, the halberdiers and crossbowmen, the three staggered blocks, and the hedgehog that horses would not charge into. After that comes the battle of Grandson itself, then Murten and Nancy, the "bad war" between the Swiss and the landsknechts, and the two battles where the system finally broke, Marignano and Bicocca. Shield Theory takes one battle or formation at a time and works it out on the map. If you want the next one, subscribe. CHAPTERS 0:00 Grandson, 1476 0:32 One man, one pike 0:58 Five ranks of points 1:26 Halberds and crossbows 1:47 Three staggered blocks 2:04 The hedgehog: why horses won't charge 2:39 Discipline and speed 3:26 The battle of Grandson 4:25 Murten and Nancy 4:43 Pike against pike: the bad war 5:38 The weakness: Marignano, 1515 6:14 Bicocca, 1522 6:41 Pike and shot SOURCES Douglas Miller, The Swiss at War 1300-1500 (Osprey) Michael Mallett & Christine Shaw, The Italian Wars 1494-1559; Thomas Arnold, The Renaissance at War Richard Vaughan, Charles the Bold: The Last Valois Duke of Burgundy Charles Oman, A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century (Marignano, Bicocca) #MedievalHistory #MilitaryHistory #PikeAndShot