The Pike Square (German: Gewalthaufen, meaning crowd of force) was a military tactic developed by the Swiss Confederacy during the 15th century for use by its infantry. The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I Infantry or footmen are very highly disciplined and trained soldiers who fight primarily with small arms(rifles), but are trained to use everything from their bare hands to missle systems in order to neutralize...

It was used to devastating effect at the Battle of Nancy against Charles the Bold of Burgundy in 1477, when the Swiss defeated a smaller but more powerful armored cavalry force. The battle is generally seen as one of the turning points that established the infantry as the primary fighting arm in European warfare from the 16th century onwards. Combatants Duchy of Burgundy Lorraine Commanders Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy René, Duke of Lorraine Strength 4,000-8,000 men 10,000-12,000 men 10,000 Swiss mercenaries Casualties Unknown Unknown For the World War II Battle of Nancy, see Battle of Nancy (1944) The Battle of... Charles the Bold Charles, called the Bold (French: Charles le Téméraire) (November 10, 1433 – 1477) was Duke of Burgundy from 1467 to 1477. ... Coat of arms of the second Duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: ; German: ) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks; the former gave their... Not to be confused with Golgotha, which was called Calvary. ...

The Burgundian Ordonnance army was a formidable combined arms force relying on close cooperation between heavily armored knights, dismounted men-at-arms, a variety of ranged troops including archers and crossbowmen, and an early form of field artillery. It was one of the most feared and most effective ground forces in 15th-century Europe, fresh from its victory over the French in the dynastic conflicts that followed the end of the Hundred Years' War. In response to the Burgundian threat the Swiss developed a tactic that could be used by mobile, lightly armored soldiers carrying only a long, steel-tipped pole for defence. However, the tactic depended on well trained and drilled troops who could move in unison while in close formation. While the use of pointed sticks to fend off cavalry was common throughout the Middle Ages, such barricades were usually fixed in position. The Swiss pikemen were to bring a change of paradigm by reintroducing the offensive element into pike warfare. For other uses, see Knight (disambiguation) or Knights (disambiguation). ... For the novel by Evelyn Waugh, see Sword of Honour. ... Scythian bowmen on gold plaque from Kul oba kurgan, in Crimea, fourth century BC. An archer is someone who practices archery. ... This article is about the weapon. ... Union Army gun squad at drill, c. ... Combatants France Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany England Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War was a conflict between France and England, lasting 116 years from 1337 to 1453. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

A pike square generally consisted of about 100 men in a 10×10 formation. While on the move, the pike would be carried vertically. However, the troops were drilled to be able to point their pikes in any direction while stationary, with the men in the front of the formation kneeling to allow the men in the center or back to point their pikes over their heads. While stationary, the staff of each pike could be butted against the ground, giving it resistance against attack. Squares could be joined together to form a battle line. If surrounded, pikes could still be pointed in all directions. A well drilled square could turn on a dime, making it difficult to outmaneuver on horseback. A modern recreation of a mid-17th century company of pikemen. ...

Charles did not believe that a force even twice his size on foot without archers could possibly pose him any threat. However, Charles and his forces found the pike square impossible to penetrate on horseback and dangerous to approach on foot. When threatened the square could point all of the pikes at the enemy forces and merely move inexorably toward its target. All these considerations aside, the primary strength of the Swiss pike formation lay in its famous charge, a headlong rush against the enemy with leveled pikes and a coordinated battlecry. At Nancy, the Swiss routed the Burgundians, and Charles himself died in the battle. This success was repeated on various European battlefields, most remarkably in the early battles of the Italian Wars. Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as...

The pike square dominated European battlefields and influenced the development of tactics well into the 17th century. When muskets became common weapons, the pikes were replaced by muskets with bayonets to the same effect. "As Michael Roberts has demonstrated, major changes occurred between 1560 and 1660 in four areas: tactics, strategy, size of armies, and sociopolitical institutions. ... At the tactical level, Maurice of Nassau's doctrinal innovations changed the traditional 50-foot deep pike square into a line of musketry only 10 feet deep , all of which minimized the effect of incoming fire while maximizing the outgoing fire effect."^[1] Muskets and bayonets aboard the frigate Grand Turk. ... For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... Michael Roberts (1908-1997) was a British historian specializing in the early modern period and particularly known for his studies of Swedish history. ... Maurice of Nassau (in Dutch Maurits van Nassau) (14 November 1567–23 April 1625), Prince of Orange (1618–1625), son of William the Silent and Princess Anna of Saxony, was born at the castle of Dillenburg. ...

See also

• Schiltron
• Infantry square

A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men carrying pikes and polearms. ... An infantry square is a battle tactic of infantry when faced with cavalry. ...

References

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Footnotes

1. ^ David Jablonsky (Professor of National Security Affairs U.S. Army War College) The Owl of Minerva flies at twilight: Doctrinal change and continuity and the revolution in military affairs (PDF) (see also Owl of Minerva)