HomeCreate an AccountSign-inWish ListTop

Newsletter

Subscribe

The Army of James II 1685-1688

The Birth of the British Army

Series : Century of the Soldier 1618-1721 #16

Author : Stephen Ede-Borrett

The Army of James II 1685-1688 : The Birth of the British Army

Digital Editions

eBook (epub)  28.27MB

£14.99 Available for immediate download

eBook (pdf)  12.35MB

£14.99 Available for immediate download

Details

General - Pages : 208 | Images : over 60 b/w ills, 8pp colour ills incl. uniforms, flags & paintings, 12 tables

Paperback - Date of Publication : 15th August 2017 | Size : 248mm x 185mm | ISBN : 9781911512363 | Helion Book Code : HEL0776

eBook - ISBN : 9781914377723

Between James’ accession in February 1685 and flight in December 1688 the British Armies increased four fold (the English, Scots and Irish Armies were still separate institutions and were to remain so until the early 18th Century, in the case of the Scots, and the early 19th Century in the case of the Irish); from a small force of little more than ceremonial and policing use to a fully-fledged Army with all of its necessary supporting arms and services. Respected historian Correlli Barnett wrote: “It might well be said that if the British royal standing army was in fact founded at one given time, it was between 1685 and 1688, and that James II was the army’s creator.” James himself said his Army had “…the reputation of being the best paid, the best equipped and the most sightly troops of any in Europe.” At the time there were political complaints about illegality of a “new standing Army” with a “new Cromwellian military dictatorship” (and on a point of law a standing army was still illegal), in 1689 the new King, William III, kept James’ Army in being and within a few years it was to become the Army which led the victories at Blenheim and elsewhere of the Great Duke of Marlborough, who had himself been a General in James’ Army. It has been said that amongst William’s reasons for accepting the British Crowns was a fear that the British Army would serve in alliance with Louis XIV against him. Despite this, James’ part in the creation of the British Army is often deliberately overlooked or ignored. The political aspects of James’ reign, and thus of the Army, are well covered in numerous works but this book looks at the creation of the enlarged Armies of England, Scotland and Ireland - their uniforms and flags, organization and weapons, their drill and their strength, their pay and their Staff. Researched primarily from contemporary documents and manuscripts, including those in the rarely accessed Royal Library at Royal Archives at Windsor, it will go a long way to restoring these years, and the last Stuart King, to their true importance in the creation of the British Army.

 

“ … This work is essential reading…” Arquebusier, Journal of the Pike and Shot Society

 

“There is new information all the way through this book, and the organisation will allow for anyone to dip in and out when they are just after a specific piece of information. and I believe this is going to become a must have for anyone with even a vague interest in the subject, the author has managed to dismiss a number of the myths regarding the Army of King James II.” Wargames Illustrated

 

“ … As someone who always believed that Cromwell's New Model Army was the foundation of the modern British fighting force, this book comes as something of a revelation!” Books Monthly

 

“ … This is a delightful book, by an expert author who has done considerable fresh research in the Royal Archives at Windsor. Winner of the 'Miniature Wargames Recommends' medal for November 2017.” Miniature Wargames

 

“ … This fascinating book goes a long way to give the British Army of the late 17th century the recognition it deserves.” Military History Monthly

Contact Us

Helion & Company
Unit 8, Amherst Business Centre
Budbrooke Road
Warwick
CV34 5WE

01926 499619

info@helion.co.uk

XFacebookInstagramYouTube