warfare early modern scotland warfare early modern scotland includes forms military activity scotland scottish forces adoption new ideas renaissance early sixteenth century military defeat movement mid eighteenth century late middle ages scottish armies assembled basis common service feudal obligations money contracts bonds systems produced large formidable force mid sixteenth century difficulties recruitment individuals expected provide equipment including axes pole arms highland troops brought bows handed swords heavy armour abandoned campaign highland lords tended continue use lighter ordinary dressed crown took increasing role supply equipment pike replaced spear scots began covert bow gunpowder firearms feudal heavy cavalry replaced light horse drawn borders established gun gunpowder weaponry fundamentally altered nature castle architecture scotland given defended border forts additions existing castles attempts create royal naval forces fifteenth century founded harbour dockyard acquired total ships including great michael time largest europe scottish ships success accompanied king expeditions islands intervened scandinavia baltic sold campaign scottish naval efforts subsequently relied captains hired despite england periodic course built new harbour chief use naval power reign series expeditions isles france ended conflict england england foreign policy opened scottish shipping attack squadron ships bought equipped protection fleets participated major expedition scots returned west_indies took capture quebec early seventeenth century large numbers scots took service foreign armies involved thirty years war armed conflict regime scotland charles bishops wars likely mercenaries returned home including experienced leaders like alexander veterans played important role training recruits armies intervened civil wars england ireland scottish infantry generally armed combination pike shot individuals weapons including bows cavalry probably equipped pistols swords included royalist armies like led rising mainly composed conventionally armed infantry pike shot forces short heavy artillery suitable siege warfare small force cavalry scottish took english prizes allied established patrol squadrons atlantic north_sea coasts known collectively scottish navy unable withstand english fleet accompanied army led conquered scotland scottish ships crews split commonwealth fleet english occupation fortresses style trace built restoration infantry regiments troops horse established attempts found national militia english model standing army mainly employed suppression rebellions guerrilla war undertaken east important introduction bayonet disappeared altogether muskets replaced reliable eve glorious revolution standing army scotland men scots drawn king continental wars scottish seamen received protection arbitrary fixed royal_navy levied sea coast royal_navy patrols scottish waters peacetime scottish played major second anglo dutch war fleet ships established scheme professional navy warships protect local shipping act union vessels transferred royal_navy union standing army seven units infantry horse troop varying levels fortress artillery british_army scottish regiments took series wars european continent official highland regiment raised british army growth highland regiments delayed rebellion bulk armies serving clan regiments started campaigns poorly armed arms conventional rebellions progressed sixteenth century royal armies later middle ages scottish armies largely assembled basis common service feudal obligations addition troops maintained money contracts bonds bands common service theoretically called men ages maximum days year troops expected serve expense bring supplies factor severely limited ability scottish armies sustained campaigning introduced scotland twelfth century meaning knights held castles estates exchange service providing troops day basis particularly heavily armed noble cavalry bonds similar english period retain professional troops particular men arms scotland relied systems longer case england practice forms service tended overlap major scottish lords continued bring contingents campaign systems successful producing large formidable force religious politically divided mid sixteenth century evidence authorities experiencing increasing difficulty recruitment series times year checked potential soldiers maintained suitable equipment individuals expected equip war according estates instructions given indicated gentlemen expected muster plate armour common soldiers come disaster deliberate abandonment plate armour nobility difficulties created handling pike virtually indistinguishable majority troops highland lords continued use lighter ordinary dressed leaving lower legs naked place jack covered wax pitch weapons included forms axes pole arms including spears axe axe highland troops brought bows handed swords axes crown took increasing role supply equipment attempts replace longer feet feet later fifteenth century successes mounted troops netherlands switzerland appear successful eve campaign early sixteenth century mid sixteenth century pike emerged important infantry weapon scottish armies modelling swiss german infantry scottish tactics tended focus rapidly engaging enemy particularly necessary counter advantage enjoyed english missile power like european nations scots period began covert bow gunpowder firearms present scottish armies small numbers fifteenth century increasingly frequent references records account scottish vanguard suggests half troops missile men half equal proportions missile melee troops aim scottish commanders century possible field main source firearms french extensively rearmed scottish english invasions english enjoyed marked superiority scots cavalry particularly resurgence heavy cavalry use feudal heavy cavalry begun disappear scottish armies limited shortage suitable horses james imported great horses denmark attempt improve quality scottish stock mid sixteenth century scots lacked sufficient heavy cavalry place fielded relatively large numbers light horse drawn borders usually wearing leather mail mounted small horses light firearms available began field relatively large numbers mounted artillery siege warfare brought experts france germany netherlands established gun house artillery visitors cannon cast formidable train allowing send cannon france ireland quickly subdue campaign heavy artillery pieces drawn slowed advancing scots army proving ineffective longer range smaller calibre english guns battle field gunpowder weaponry fundamentally altered nature castle architecture mid fifteenth century existing castles adapted allow use gunpowder weapons incorporation gun ports platforms mount guns walls modified resist bombardment begun probably castle british isles built artillery fort incorporating shape better resist cannon fire artillery mounted period french intervention end rough scotland given defended border series forts additions existing castles included erection single edinburgh creation scots western end border trace fortresses work begun plans works aggressive fortified artillery park miles english border stronghold royal navy attempts create royal naval forces fifteenth century enterprise new founding harbour years later ordering construction dockyard upper reaches forth protected new fortifications king acquired total ships including margaret michael great michael built great expense launched feet length weighed tons cannon time largest ship europe scottish ships success accompanied king expeditions islands intervened conflicts scandinavia baltic campaign fleet consisted large smaller craft raid ireland joined french little impact war disaster great michael ships sold french king ships disappeared royal records scottish naval efforts rely captains hired minority italian war england scotland involved opposing sides scots men war active attacking english imperial shipping blockaded prizes taken captains naval campaign sporadic entered majority share father interest building navy relying french gifts captured ships like english scotland remained largely level boat building ship repairs fell led way semi ship building despite england scotland periodic commerce raiding known men war royal naval vessels scottish built new harbour called lady port described having guns pier great ships lie dock chief use naval power reign series expeditions isles france king isles embarking landing later year sailed ships including ton arrived begin courtship wife marriage sailed great scottish ships french death returned france pick new prospective queen embarked newly equipped accompanied lion ships sailed went lewis west newly compiled charts voyage known scottish pirates preyed shipping north_sea atlantic coast france scotland admiralty court judged captured ship prize dealt recovery goods court entitled tenth value prize profitable business admiral andrew letters portuguese operated east coast britain french channel ports atlantic port brest bases lion command son attacked merchants fishermen later blockaded london merchant ship called creek coast brittany edinburgh attacked english marine force burnt scottish built captured scots royal naval vessels numerous smaller private vessels rely establishment royal fleet result series international treaties emperor declared war scotland scots able engage highly profitable campaign lasted years gains probably losses trade low countries operated west_indies joining french capture english scottish naval warfare broke sporadically english captain sent north ships dispersed captured scottish french fleets leading eventual evacuation french scotland successful coup protestant lords congregation scottish english interests aligned naval conflict subsided early seventeenth century royal fleets conflict scotland england ended scotland found involved england foreign policy opening scottish shipping attack scotland found fighting naval war england ally spain france simultaneously embroiled north_sea commitments danish intervention thirty years war squadron ships bought equipped cost sterling guard operating spanish controlled ships armed preparation potential action acting high admiral organised fleets probably fleets sent support defending irish waters accompanying contingents participated major expedition scots returned west_indies taking french prizes founding colony squadrons led sailed canada taking campaign resulted capture quebec french handed subsequent peace armies early seventeenth century relatively large numbers scots took service foreign armies involved thirty years war swedish service scots brigade netherlands raised danish service period france large numbers armies eastern europe including german states poland russia armed confrontation scotland charles looked increasingly likely began function war council appointed parish draw lists men suitable military service arms names scots serving abroad recalled commissioners appointed residing edinburgh remaining locality appointed commissioners communicate instructions parishes hundreds scots mercenaries returned home foreign service including experienced leaders like alexander veterans played important role training parish recruits nobles able raise regiments usually bore colonel appoint company commanders lieutenant colonel sergeant major regiment lieutenant sergeant company professional soldiers returning soldiers brought expertise fortification trace fortifications added play major role siege edinburgh appointment field marshal avoided contest inexperienced nobles leadership reputation service scottish mercenaries armies likely member tables enabling influence policy issuing dispatches producing relatively large efficiently organised army hastily assembled short money supplies regime assessments parishes relied loans edinburgh merchants making long campaign difficult sustain view historian army marginally trained irregularly armed poorly paid badly supplied proved sufficient task bishops wars maintained regiment infantry officers local militias half pay armed firearms purchased netherlands tables replaced committee estates wide ranging powers kept system commissioners able bodied men able muster began renewed confrontation army paid loans new national tax known tenth tenth penny systems form basis armies operated ireland intervened civil war england parliament subsequently successfully king second civil wars scottish infantry generally armed universal western_europe combination pike shot theoretically feet long shortened foot disastrous battle confederate irish defeated scots possessed longer mainly armed muskets probably mainly reserved troops defending baggage ammunition handful troops brought accurate rifled guns continental experience tended increasingly emphasise firepower melee reflected greater proportions shot pike usually proportions scottish armies individuals weapons including bows axes recruits lacked pike shot told report cavalry probably equipped pistols swords evidence included royalist armies like led rising mainly composed conventionally armed infantry pike shot army included contingent irish confederate troops scottish recruits highland clans hostile clan campbell leadership rising gained support lords height infantry cavalry forces command reached numbers infantry short heavy artillery suitable siege warfare small force cavalry supplied estate navies bishops wars king attempted blockade scotland disrupting trade transport returning troops continent king planned amphibious assaults england east coast ireland west failed scottish took english prizes planned fit dutch ships scottish dutch crews join naval war effort allied established patrol squadrons atlantic north_sea coasts known collectively patrols guarded royalist attempts men money munitions raids scottish shipping particularly ships based consisted mainly small english warships controlled commissioners navy based london relied heavily scottish officers revenues west_coast squadron scottish force scottish navy unable withstand english fleet accompanied army led conquered scotland scottish ships crews divided commonwealth fleet fortifications english occupation scotland commonwealth fortresses style trace built plan triangular smaller forts built far away control highlands secured built massive cost money manpower citadel begun stone shipped far away cost unfinished garrison centre new administrative region remote later seventeenth century restoration army restoration council established force unknown number infantry regiments troops horse commonwealth fortresses abandoned garrisons placed edinburgh castles attempts found national militia english model standing army mainly employed suppression rebellions war undertaken east units included regiment foot guards later known scots guards regiment douglas formed serving france returned eventually important late seventeenth century introduction bayonet process complete disappeared altogether muskets replaced reliable troops raised added eve glorious revolution standing army scotland men regiments veterans major garrison towns annual cost glorious revolution scots drawn king continental wars beginning years war flanders restoration navy scottish seamen received protection arbitrary english men war charles_ii fixed royal_navy levied sea coast second half seventeenth century royal_navy patrols found scottish waters peacetime small ship line bombarded earl rebellion scotland went war dutch allies second anglo dutch wars independent kingdom scottish captains took letters played major naval conflict wars warships scotland dependent separate schemes larger naval forces motion usual larger played merchant community government scheme found scottish colony spanish controlled america undertaken created fleet ships including andrew built chartered holland hamburg sailed venture failed ship returned scotland period decided establish professional navy protection commerce home waters years war purpose built warships bought english gun fifth rate smaller ships guns generally described frigates act union merged england vessels small transferred royal_navy early eighteenth century royal army time act union standing army seven units infantry horse troop varying levels fortress artillery garrison castles edinburgh role importance forced royal controversial act security threatening withdraw scottish forces confederate armies new british_army created incorporated existing scottish regiments scots guards 1st foot king scottish 25th foot 26th foot scots 21st foot new armed forces controlled admiralty london period scottish soldiers sailors instrumental supporting expansion british_empire involved international conflicts including war spanish succession wars spain war austrian succession official highland regiment raised british army 43rd later 42nd regiment marked beginning major role british military structure growth highland regiments delayed rebellion begin earnest late armies bulk armies serving clan regiments cent forces rebellion cent forced join clan chiefs feudal superiors major problem campaigns suffered lack trained officers typical clan regiment small minority gentlemen bear clan clan gentlemen formed ranks unit heavily armed impoverished tenants bulk regiment served ranks gentlemen suffered higher proportional casualties common started campaigns poorly armed rising swords axes arms tended conventional campaigns progressed officers gentlemen equipped pistol commander duke cumberland reported recovered battlefield
Warfare in early modern Scotland