Syllabus
Max Weber understood European Kulturwelt to be a product of unique constellation of social and historical influences. He imagined and conceptualized far reaching process of overall rationalization, starting in Europe during 16th century and affecting all segments of social life. He considered European military to be one of the most important agents of this process, because it had pressured European states to concentrate their capital and create bureaucratic compulsive and disciplinary organizations, which eventually provided long lasting superiority over other civilizations.The theory of military revolution in early modern Europe has been discussed and developed since 1950s among mostly Anglo-saxon military historians like Geoffrey Parker or Jeremy Black - and also classic authors of historical sociology like Charles Tilly or Michael Mann. They consider it to be the prime causative source of social change in Europe. What had commenced as swift and abrupt social and technological transformation of European military during Italian Wars, became according to this theory one of the most domineering facets of European history up to 1800s.This class would like to discuss the theory and historical trajectory of Military revolution using theory and methodology of both historiography and historical sociology. Broad overview of European military history in wider context will be provided during lessons, but traditional narratives of "great battles" and "great generals" will be avoided.
The class will include fieldwork and educational excursion to the Great fortress of Theresienstadt. We will learn how to shoot a flintlock musket and small field cannon, watch re-enactment of contemporary disciplinary techniques and also visit the underground counter-mine system.Required reading: There are number of texts required for our lectures during the whole semester and each student will give presentation of 2 of them. Apart from these texts there is a common required reading: 1) Morillo, Stephen; Black, Jeremy and Lococo, Paul; eds. War in World History, Volume 2 since 1500. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009. Chap. 4 "The Dawn of Global Warfare 1500-1750", p. 304 - 403. Chap. 5. , sec. 21, "Bullion and Bayonets...", p. 404-422. 2) Maleševič, Siniša. The Sociology of War and Violence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Chap. 1 a 2, p. 17-85. Texts for individual lectures will be possibly re-arranged after our introductory meeting. 1) 22. 2. 2016- Introduction 2) 29.2. 2016- Basic concepts of interdisciplinary military history, topic assignment 3) 7. 3. 2016- Military revolution as a developmental historical process. Basic outline of European military history 1450 -1704.
Roberts, Michael. "The Military Revolution, 1560-1660." In The Military Revolution Debate, ed. Clifford J. Rogers, Colorado: Westview Press, 1995.
Chapter 1 - The Military Revolution 1560 - 1660 (Michael Roberts)
Chapter 2 - The ´Military Revolution 1560-1660) - a Myth? (Geoffrey Parker) and Chapter 4 - A Military revolution? A 1660-1792 Perspective (Jeremy Black). 4) 14. 03. 2016 -Italian Wars 1494-1559 - modernisation breakthrough of European military
Mallet, Michael a Shaw, Christine. The Italian Wars 1494-1559. Harlow: Pearson, 2012.
Chapter 6 - The transformation of War, Chapter 7 - The resources of War a Chapter 10 - The legacies of the War. 5) 21. 3. 2016- Eighty years war in Netherland - Maurician reforms and advent of systematic social disciplination in armed forces.
Reading 1: Nimwegen:, Olaf van. The Dutch Army and the Military Revolutions, 1588-1688.Londýn: Boydell Press, 2012.
Chapter 2 - The Dutch Army in the Revolution in Infantry tactics (1592 - 1618). Chapter 3 - Field Operations (1590 - 1648). 6) 4. 4. 2016 -War and money - mercenaries, military businessmen and contractors during 16th and 17th centuries
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Annotation
This class will attempt to encourage structured understanding of European military history in contexts, mostly using theoretical apparatus of historical sociology. It is opportune to attend this class in order to prepare for the Comprehensive Exam in European History in Contexts.
The course is open to Erasmus students as well.