409:
260:
234:
in 1575, and in the officials returns of 1588 more than 132,000 were expected to be fielded in
England and Wales. They were intended to comprise part of the armies raised to combat the Spanish invasion. There were expected to be a total of 92,000 men mustered in the south of England (including 5,300 cavalry). Their poor state of readiness and obsolete nature of the weapons they used (mainly bills and longbows) prompted the creation of the more elite
31:
465:, heavily fortified by a Regular Army garrison to protect the Royal Navy's headquarters and dockyard in the Western Atlantic. In the 17th century, however, Bermuda's defence was left entirely in the hands of the Militia. In addition to requiring all male civilians to train and serve in the militia of their Parish, the Bermudian Militia included a standing body of trained artillerymen to garrison the numerous fortifications which ringed
129:
238:, who numbered 50,000 in 1588 (comprising about a third of the militia). This was only a partial solution however. By 1591 official records show 102,000 men on the rolls, of whom 42,000 are fully trained and furnished, plus 54,000 armed but not sufficiently trained and 6,000 neither armed nor trained. In 1588 the Trained Bands primary weapons were 42% firearms, 26% pikes, 18% longbows, and 16% bills.
230:
restricted landowners to raising forces only from their own tenants or others for whom, by the tenure of office, they were responsible. By these means Henry instituted a quasi-feudal system, whereby he looked to the nobility to raise forces, but expected them to do so within the constraints of the shire levies, and the last use of indenture to raise an army came in 1512.
563:. The Scottish navy was incorporated into the Royal Navy. The Scottish military (as opposed to naval) forces merged with the English, with pre-existing regular Scottish regiments maintaining their identities, though command of the new British Army was from England. The Militia of England and Wales continued to be enacted separately from the Militia of Scotland (see
332:, the other raised in 1650 as part of the New Model Army. Several conspiracies uncovered towards the end of 1660 convinced Parliament of the need for two more regiments – again, one raised in exile during the Interregnum, the other originally a New Model Army regiment – and the army was officially established by royal warrant on 26 January 1661.
473:). This standing body was created by recruiting volunteers, and by sentencing criminals to serve as punishment. The Bermudian militiamen were called out on numerous occasions of war, and, on one notable occasion, to quell rioting privateers. In 1710, four years after Spanish and French forces seized the
233:
Italian ambassadors reckoned that
England had 150,000 armed men in 1519 and 100,000 in 1544 and 1551 available through their militia, while a French ambassador in 1570 reported that 120,000 were ready to serve. This was reasonably close to the truth as 183,000 militiamen were mustered in 37 counties
432:
Successful
English settlement of North America, where little support could be provided by regular forces, began to take place in 1607, in the face of Spain's determination to prevent England establishing a foothold in territory it claimed for itself. The settlers also had to contend with frequently
327:
to the throne in 1660, the New Model Army was disbanded. Despite the concerns of
Parliament about expense and the threat to the power it had only recently won from the Crown, it still proved necessary to maintain a small standing force in England, for the protection of the new king and to garrison
229:
signalled the elevation of the national obligation as the sole means of raising armies from the citizenry. He ordered the commissioners of array be responsible not just for the raising of levies, but also for ensuring that they were suitably equipped according to the
Statute of Winchester. He also
534:
may have arms for their defense suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law." This implies that they are fitted to serve in the militia, which was intended to serve as a counterweight to the standing army and preserve civil liberties against the use of the army by a tyrannical monarch or
348:
accession in 1685, comprised seven regiments of foot and four mounted regiments – was officially part of the royal household and had no basis in law; both king and
Parliament were careful to refer to the regiments as 'guards', based on their role as bodyguards to the king, and it was still
335:
In the midst of the
English Civil War there was some debate as to whether the militia should be a supplement or an alternative to a standing army, and a series of ordinances were passed in attempts to replace the repealed 1558 act. These reflected the ongoing struggle for control of the militia
250:
system. In an attempt to remove the statutory limitations and allow the lieutenants to increase their demands on the militia, the act was repealed in 1604. This, however, succeeded only in removing the statutory basis for the militia itself. Although the militia continued to exist, it fell into
522:
and the anti-monarchical social and political revolution that it brought about. Consequently, both preferred a small standing army under civilian control for defensive deterrence and to prosecute foreign wars, a large navy as the first line of national defence, and a militia composed of their
287:
in 1642, the first pitched battle of the war, revealed the weakness of the amateur military system, and both sides struggled with barely trained, poorly-equipped, ill-disciplined and badly led armies. While the
Royalists persisted with the amateur tradition, the Parliamentarians developed the
538:
The Crown still (in the
British constitution) controls the use of the army. This ensures that officers and enlisted men swear an oath to a politically neutral head of state, and not to a politician. While the funding of the standing army subsists on annual financial votes by parliament, the
245:
began to be appointed, a great improvement in local authority, and an increasingly efficient machinery for enforcing the obligations of the citizenry to be ready for war resulted in 1558 the
Militia Act, which ended the quasi-feudal system and implemented a more efficient, unified national
184:
combined the two systems by dividing the free population into four categories according to wealth and prescribing the weapons each was to maintain. The first category corresponded to the feudal host, the next two corresponded to the old fyrd and the last to a general levy. The
217:, under their obligation as subjects rather than feudal tenants, to supply a certain number of men for a specific amount of time in return for a set fee. Those forces allocated for the defence of England, however, were raised on the basis of the general obligation
336:
until, in the early 1660s, new legislation established the militia under the control, through the lieutenancy, of the gentry. The legislation made it a counter to the standing army, the main bulwark against disorder and the guarantee of the political settlement.
189:
in 1285 introduced two more non-feudal categories to impose a general military obligation on all able-bodied males, including non-free, between the ages of 15 and 60, and updated the prescribed weaponry in the light of developments in warfare at the time.
477:
from Bermudian salt producers in 1706, they were expelled by Bermudian privateers. Although the Bermudian force operated under a Letter of Marque, its members, as with all military age Bermudian males, were members of the militia. By this time, the 1707
366:
in 1704, to the establishment of the army as an accepted state body and a military leader in Europe. The status of the army as a state institution under parliamentary control and subject to national law was normalised in 1689 by the
353:
in 1685, the militia having proved too slow to mobilise. Following the rebellion, King James II was able to expand the army with 16 new regiments, paid for by money misappropriated from funds voted by Parliament for the militia. The
349:
intended that the militia would provide the country's main force in the event of war. However, it was the army, already made more palatable to Parliament by acts of civilian service in support of the common good, that defeated the
179:
which also contained an element of military obligation in the form of the feudal host. This system supplemented rather than replaced the fyrd, which continued to be deployed until at least the beginning of the 12th century. The
390:, the militia entered a period of decline. In some areas it received at best only 12 days of annual training, and in others it had not been mustered in a generation. It was regarded as so ineffective that against the
864:
Mallinson p. 40. The legislation made it illegal to maintain a standing army without the consent of Parliament, which also controlled the army's funding, while giving the Crown prerogative to govern and control the
530:(1689) declared, amongst other things: "that the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law..." and "that the subjects which are
449:, settled officially in 1612 (unofficially in 1609), the construction of defensive works was placed before all other priorities. A Spanish attack in 1614 was repulsed by two shots fired from the incomplete
241:
A 1522 survey had revealed a significant lapse in the obligation to maintain arms and train in their use, and from 1535 commissioners of muster held tri-annual inspections. In the mid-16th century
543:
is also renewed on an annual basis by parliament. If it lapses, the legal basis for enforcing discipline disappears, and soldiers lose their legal indemnity for acts committed under orders.
328:
coastal forts. A new army was therefore established in 1660, comprising two regiments born in the civil war; one raised in 1656 as Charles's bodyguard while he was in exile during the
694:
Ian Heath. "Armies of the Sixteenth Century: The Armies of England, Ireland, the United Provinces, and the Spanish Netherlands 1487–1609." Foundry Books, 1997. Pages 33 and 37.
292:, a small but disciplined, well-equipped and trained army led by officers selected according to ability rather than birth. The New Model Army defeated the Royalist army at the
378:
Failure in the Monmouth Rebellion and controversy over the mis-use of funds had an adverse effect on the militia. Although it continued to be called out, for example in the
160:
of 911–919 indicates that over 27,000 men could have been raised in the defence of 30 West Saxon boroughs. In the late 10th century, areas began to be divided into '
136:
The origins of military obligation in England pre-date the establishment of the English state in the 10th century, and can be traced to the 'common burdens' of the
205:, feudal service was recognised as increasingly obsolete, and the feudal host was formally called out in full for the last time in 1327. During the
403:
362:
to the throne, and with him came interests in continental Europe. It was the defence of these interests that would lead, by the time of the
518:
not under civilian control. The former feared that it would be used as an instrument of royal tyranny. The latter had memories of the
837:, in assisting magistrates to put down riots, in the apprehension of highwaymen, and in the building and repair of roads and bridges.
982:
846:
Mallinson p. 35. King James II added nine new regiments of foot, five of horse and two of dragoons to the army's establishment.
450:
425:
927:
Rebellion and Warfare in the Tudor State: Military Organisation, Weaponry, and Field Tactics in Mid-Sixteenth Century England
967:
962:
775:
Mallinson pp. 29–30. In addition to the four guards regiments, the newly established army comprised some 28 garrisons.
943:
906:
17:
511:
280:
433:
hostile native populations. It was immediately necessary to raise militia amongst the settlers. The militia in
55:
89:
596:
588:
383:
315:, the New Model Army became politicised, and by the time of Cromwell's death in 1658, martial law and the
977:
454:
316:
172:
109:
161:
568:
474:
470:
421:
35:
394:
it would prove more expedient to raise an ad hoc force of volunteers than to rely on the militia.
564:
413:
391:
304:
297:
117:
527:
408:
379:
359:
181:
47:
599:. The two New Model Army regiments were the Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards, later the
972:
329:
324:
226:
206:
202:
186:
93:
428:
and other public buildings with their garrisons of militia infantry and volunteer artillery.
88:, English militia units continued to be raised for service in various conflicts such as the
834:
276:
264:
73:
8:
560:
495:
434:
368:
355:
345:
198:
194:
785:
604:
556:
552:
507:
479:
363:
350:
320:
284:
201:
to select those who would actually be called for military service. During the reign of
113:
51:
939:
902:
600:
503:
272:
97:
59:
164:' as units for the fyrd. The obligation to serve was placed on landholders, and the
608:
592:
387:
308:
293:
312:
242:
145:
259:
936:
The Making of the British Army: From the English Civil War to the War on Terror
519:
442:
289:
157:
38:
militia in 1637. English militia of the period wore similar patterns of dress.
956:
515:
235:
168:
indicates that individuals were expected to serve for approximately 60 days.
165:
105:
254:
101:
372:
137:
85:
251:
neglect as attempts to introduce new legislation to regulate it failed.
899:
Britain's Part-Time Soldiers: The Amateur Military Tradition: 1558–1945
540:
531:
499:
210:
176:
81:
303:
Following the execution of King Charles I, the establishment of the
197:
introduced a system whereby local gentry were authorised to conduct
144:, or army. There is evidence that such an obligation existed in the
30:
438:
128:
63:
523:
neighbours as additional defence and to preserve domestic order.
446:
417:
247:
214:
319:
had renewed the traditional mistrust of standing armies. On the
153:
149:
833:
Mallinson pp. 33–35. The army had proved itself useful in the
77:
546:
141:
68:
54:. Militia units were repeatedly raised in England from the
27:
Principal military reserve force of the Kingdom of England
918:
The Military Obligations of the English People, 1511-1558
255:
English Civil War and the development of a standing army
132:
A modern recreation of a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon warrior
901:. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military.
595:, and the King's Regiment of Horse Guards, later the
66:. One of the first militia units in England were the
193:
Because it was not practical to call out every man,
209:, the king raised armies for service in France by
954:
502:and Parliament were in strong disagreement. The
482:had made Bermudian and other English militiamen
397:
116:, the English Militia was transformed into the
603:, and the King's Regiment of Horse, later the
404:Militia (British Dominions and Crown Colonies)
100:. Militia troops continued to see service in
506:left a rather unusual military legacy. Both
587:The two regiments raised in exile were the
283:for control of the militia. The indecisive
424:and related fortifications, including the
933:
924:
547:Eighteenth century and the Acts of Union
407:
258:
127:
29:
920:(PhD). Queen Mary University of London.
897:Beckett, Ian Frederick William (2011).
896:
339:
140:period, among which was service in the
14:
955:
915:
344:The army – which, by the time of
62:duties and to defend against external
786:"History – British Army Website"
300:in victory for the Parliamentarians.
84:on offensive expeditions. During the
567:and, for the period following 1801,
220:
76:to defend the estate of their local
514:distrusted the creation of a large
489:
24:
925:Hodgkins, Alexander James (2013).
441:and other native polities. In the
25:
994:
275:was marked by a struggle between
437:saw constant action against the
296:in 1645, effectively ending the
929:(PhD). The University of Leeds.
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148:by the end of the 7th century,
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634:
625:
416:1624 map of the Somers Isles (
13:
1:
983:Militia of the United Kingdom
618:
457:. In the nineteenth century,
451:Castle Islands Fortifications
426:Castle Islands Fortifications
398:Militia in the English Empire
90:Wars of Scottish Independence
855:Mallinson pp. 39–42 & 65
574:
156:in the 9th century, and the
7:
968:History of the British Army
963:Military history of England
589:1st Regiment of Foot Guards
10:
999:
401:
382:, in the aftermath of the
358:of 1688 brought the Dutch
317:Rule of the Major-Generals
175:in 1066 brought with it a
173:Norman conquest of England
123:
110:Wars of the Three Kingdoms
108:, most prominently in the
934:Mallinson, Allan (2009).
607:which in turn became the
591:, which later became the
80:'s lord or accompany the
72:, which were raised from
938:. London: Bantam Press.
569:Militia (United Kingdom)
371:and the annually passed
36:Massachusetts Bay Colony
565:Militia (Great Britain)
461:would become Britain's
392:Jacobite rising of 1745
386:and in the face of the
305:Commonwealth of England
298:First English Civil War
152:in the 8th century and
916:Goring, J. J. (1955).
528:English Bill of Rights
429:
380:Second Anglo-Dutch War
268:
182:Assize of Arms of 1181
133:
48:military reserve force
39:
463:Gibraltar of the West
411:
384:Battle of Beachy Head
271:The beginning of the
262:
187:Statute of Winchester
131:
33:
835:Great Fire of London
455:Bermudian Militiamen
340:Militia and the army
265:London Trained Bands
199:commissions of array
824:Mallinson pp. 29–32
748:Mallinson pp. 14–17
561:Kingdom of Scotland
496:Glorious Revolution
439:Powhatan Federation
356:Glorious Revolution
307:and the subsequent
213:, which contracted
978:Militia of England
788:. The British Army
757:Mallinson pp.17–20
721:Beckett pp. 20–21
712:Goring pp. 279–280
605:Royal Horse Guards
557:Kingdom of England
526:Consequently, the
445:'s other outpost,
430:
364:Battle of Blenheim
351:Monmouth Rebellion
285:Battle of Edgehill
269:
207:Hundred Years' War
134:
114:Acts of Union 1707
94:Hundred Years' War
56:Anglo-Saxon period
52:Kingdom of England
46:was the principal
40:
883:Beckett pp. 58–59
874:Beckett pp. 53–56
815:Beckett pp. 46–50
730:Beckett pp. 33–34
640:Beckett pp. 10–11
601:Coldstream Guards
504:English Civil War
422:St. George's Town
273:English Civil War
221:Sixteenth century
98:Wars of the Roses
60:internal security
18:Militia (English)
16:(Redirected from
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685:Goring pp. 14–17
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659:
656:
650:
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641:
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632:
631:Beckett pp. 9–10
629:
612:
609:Blues and Royals
593:Grenadier Guards
585:
490:Political issues
459:Fortress Bermuda
443:Virginia Company
388:Jacobite risings
360:King William III
294:Battle of Naseby
263:A member of the
243:Lords Lieutenant
112:. Following the
34:A muster of the
21:
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766:Mallinson p. 23
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346:King James II's
342:
325:King Charles II
313:Oliver Cromwell
257:
227:King Henry VIII
223:
203:King Edward III
146:Kingdom of Kent
126:
118:British Militia
44:English Militia
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
996:
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667:Goring pp. 6–7
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649:Goring pp. 5–6
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623:
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579:
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548:
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520:New Model Army
491:
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402:Main article:
399:
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369:Bill of Rights
341:
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290:New Model Army
277:King Charles I
256:
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222:
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158:Burghal Hidage
125:
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106:Stuart periods
26:
9:
6:
4:
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995:
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945:9780593051085
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908:9781848843950
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739:Beckett p. 39
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703:Beckett p. 18
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673:
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658:Beckett p. 12
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598:
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558:
554:
553:Acts of Union
551:In 1707, the
544:
542:
536:
533:
529:
524:
521:
517:
516:standing army
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
494:Up until the
487:
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481:
480:Acts of Union
476:
475:Turks Islands
472:
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177:feudal system
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891:Bibliography
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790:. Retrieved
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535:government.
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471:St. George's
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414:John Smith's
377:
343:
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309:Protectorate
302:
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192:
170:
135:
67:
58:onwards for
43:
41:
792:23 December
597:Life Guards
555:united the
532:Protestants
420:), showing
373:Mutiny Acts
330:Interregnum
321:restoration
138:Anglo-Saxon
86:Middle Ages
957:Categories
619:References
541:Mutiny Act
467:New London
453:manned by
281:Parliament
82:housecarls
575:Footnotes
559:with the
500:the Crown
498:in 1688,
435:Jamestown
225:In 1511,
211:indenture
64:invasions
412:Captain
215:magnates
162:hundreds
96:and the
484:British
447:Bermuda
418:Bermuda
267:in 1643
248:militia
124:Origins
74:freemen
50:of the
942:
905:
512:Tories
311:under
154:Wessex
150:Mercia
92:, the
865:army.
508:Whigs
102:Tudor
78:Shire
940:ISBN
903:ISBN
794:2017
510:and
279:and
171:The
142:fyrd
104:and
69:fyrd
42:The
571:).
323:of
959::
486:.
375:.
120:.
948:.
911:.
796:.
611:.
469:(
20:)
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