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Effigy of a lord of the Chdteau de Bramevaque, first half of the 14th century. He wears an old-fashioned style of armour which persisted in the deep south of France - see Platę A2. (in situ Cloisters of the Abbey of St Bertrand de Comminges; author’s photo)

Interior of the Porte St Michel at Cahors, a typical example of 14th century urban fortification in south-central France.

(Author’s photograph)

to the establishment in embryo of a permanent and professional French army by the end of the Hundred Years War.

RECRUITMENT

The army which faced an English invasion of France at the start of the Hundred Years War consisted of feudal contingents, troops recruited under contract, and foreign professionals, all of whom were paid. The feudal structure of France was changing but the kingdom still consisted of a Royal domain, five great Duchies, 47 Counties, several dozen Viscounties, and numerous other fiefs with differing titles. Within this system were hundreds of chastellainies consisting of a major castle with its surrounding compact territory; and thousands of lesser seigneuries. As a result France had up to 50,000 noble families - the noblesse or chevaleńe -but only a smali proportion of these could afford the role of fuli knightliood, the majority remaining squires.

This probably left France with between 2,350 and 4,000 fighting men of knightly rank. Many squires fought alongside these knights, but for lower pay, and it took many decades for them to achieve a comparable military status. Meanwhile the proportion of knights front the wealthy upper aristocracy rosę, and knighthood gradually came to be associated with a hereditary caste claiming privilages such as tax exemption.

Though France still had a generał military summons, the ban and the arriere ban which applied to all małe subjects aged from 14 to 60 years, these were virtually abandoned early in the Hundred Years War. Instead the main form of feudal recruitment was the Semonce des Nobles directed at those holding fiefs, plus an arriere ban apres bataille which seems to have been used in emergencies. Knights called up under the Semonce des Nobles were also paid a daily wagę similar to men recruited under contract. Where infantry were concerned the seroitum debitum had virtually collapsed by the start of the 14th century, and all that remained of rural recruitment was a form of local sergeantry and ‘cart service’. Nevertheless, during a widespread collapse of law and order the

government did issue an ordnance which allowed peasants to take up arms against brigauds - a considerable concession at a time when the offence of port d 'armes was regarded as a threat to the social order.

The military obligation of those living in towns was, however, increasingly important, and by the 14th century French towns could field smali armies of infantry and cavalry. Some of these militias were based upon the city’s parishes, each having its own captain

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