Composition of the army (Edexcel GCSE History): Quizzes
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Practise the questions
12 questions from this quiz
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Practise the questions
12 questions from this quiz
What were the two primary fighting forces in medieval armies (c1250-1500)?
What were the two primary fighting forces in medieval armies (c1250-1500)?
Infantry soldiers & mounted knights
How many soldiers did a typical medieval army contain?
How many soldiers did a typical medieval army contain?
Between 5,000 and 10,000 soldiers
Which social class did infantry soldiers come from?
Which social class did infantry soldiers come from?
The peasant class
Why did infantry typically lack metal armour?
Why did infantry typically lack metal armour?
Metal armour was expensive & for wealthy
Which social groups did mounted knights come from?
Which social groups did mounted knights come from?
The gentry and nobility
What equipment did mounted knights receive compared to infantry?
What equipment did mounted knights receive compared to infantry?
Swords, lances, helmets & chainmail
What was the purpose of the mounted charge tactic used by knights?
What was the purpose of the mounted charge tactic used by knights?
To reach & eliminate the enemy commander
What defensive formation did infantry create using overlapping shields?
What defensive formation did infantry create using overlapping shields?
Shield walls
What was the primary battlefield role of archers?
What was the primary battlefield role of archers?
Weakening enemy forces at battle start
What determined a person's military role more than their fighting ability?
What determined a person's military role more than their fighting ability?
Their social position
What did lords receive from monarchs in exchange for providing troops?
What did lords receive from monarchs in exchange for providing troops?
Land grants
Why did kings increasingly rely on mercenaries during c1250-1500?
Why did kings increasingly rely on mercenaries during c1250-1500?
Feudal system weakened; nobles reluctant