1364-1375: Military Reorganization, Muster Controls, and Artillery
p5Charles V the Wise: Reconquest, Statecraft, and the Western Schism (1364-1380) · HIGH MIDDLE AGES
To reconquer territory, Charles V could not rely on irregular feudal levies alone. He used the pause between major campaigns to build a more disciplined and mobile military system.
🧾 Financing Duration
More regular taxation made prolonged military operations possible. War became a sustained state capacity rather than a sequence of improvised campaigns.
🧑🤝🧑 Smaller Paid Forces, Better Command
Operations against companies helped identify dependable leaders such as Du Guesclin, Olivier de Mauny, and Olivier de Clisson. Their units were designed for raids, sieges, and route security.
✅ Musters and Accountability
Pay was tied to verification. During musters, manpower and equipment were inspected before compensation, turning war into administrative governance.
🏹 Mobility and Specialist Troops
The crown encouraged archery practice and deployed crossbow specialists. Mounted mobility improved operational reach even when combat took place on foot.
💥 Artillery and Fortress Reduction
Reconquest required retaking fortified points. Expanded artillery use in the 1370s increased siege effectiveness and accelerated capitulations.
🧠 To Remember
- Charles V moved from feudal war to state-managed war.
- Control, pay discipline, and siege capability were central to success.