The Battle of Guinegatte and the Rise of Infantry Warfare (1479)

The Battle of Guinegatte, fought on August 7, 1479, near the village of Guinegatte in Artois, marked a critical turning point in late medieval European military tactics. In the aftermath of the Burgundian collapse, the young Archduke Maximilian of Austria, husband of Mary of Burgundy, confronted the forces of French king Louis XI, who had aggressively contested the Burgundian inheritance. At Guinegatte, Maximilian employed innovative infantry formations inspired by the successful tactics of the Swiss mercenaries who had decisively defeated Charles the Bold two years earlier at Nancy.

Context: Military Innovations and Swiss Influence

The catastrophic defeat of Burgundy at Nancy (1477) had dramatically showcased the effectiveness of the Swiss infantry pike squares—dense formations of foot soldiers armed with long pikes, capable of resisting and defeating heavily armored cavalry charges. At Nancy, Swiss troops fighting on behalf of the Lower League and René II of Lorraine demonstrated the superiority of disciplined infantry squares over the traditional heavy cavalry charges, revolutionizing late medieval battlefield tactics.

Witnessing firsthand the efficacy of these tactics at Nancy was Jacques of Savoy, Count of Romont, now allied with Maximilian and urging the adoption of similar infantry techniques. This marked a major shift away from medieval dependence on heavily armored cavalry toward an infantry-centric method of warfare that would dominate European battlefields into the early modern period.

Deployment of Innovative Infantry Formations at Guinegatte

At Guinegatte, Maximilian decisively adopted Romont’s advice, deploying his 11,000 infantrymen into two large, densely packed squares. One square, commanded by Count Engelbert of Nassau, a seasoned commander who had also fought at Nancy, anchored the Archduke’s battle line. The second square, under Romont’s command, mirrored the Swiss formations: ranks of disciplined, determined pikemen supported by noblemen and knights, prominently positioned in the foremost lines—an unusual innovation that signaled a major shift in tactical doctrine.

Notably, Maximilian himself took an unprecedented step by personally joining the frontline infantry ranks alongside his noble retainers—an extraordinary act for a prince of his stature, defying contemporary military tradition, which typically placed commanders safely behind front lines.

The Battle: Turning Defeat into Victory

Initially, Philippe de Crèvecœur (Maréchal des Cordes), commanding Louis XI’s French forces, successfully attacked the Burgundian left square, driving it back and capturing the Burgundian artillery positioned there. However, the French cavalry—traditionally the decisive force—failed to capitalize on their early advantage, becoming distracted by their captured artillery and scattered pursuit.

On the opposing flank, Maximilian’s disciplined infantry squares stood firm. Slowly advancing, they methodically wore down French resistance through sustained pressure, demonstrating the tactical superiority of disciplined infantry formations. Ultimately, this steadfastness and cohesion secured victory for Maximilian’s forces.

Tactical Innovation and Shift in Warfare

Guinegatte represented a profound turning point in European military history. The successful use of infantry squares, previously perfected by Swiss mercenaries, fundamentally challenged the long-established dominance of knightly cavalry. The discipline, cohesion, and fighting spirit of massed infantry formations would thereafter dominate European battlefield tactics, significantly diminishing the effectiveness of traditional cavalry-centric strategies.

Long-Term Historical Consequences and Legacy

The victory at Guinegatte greatly reinforced Maximilian’s political and military standing, solidifying his rule over Burgundian territories and decisively checking French expansionism. By highlighting infantry formations as superior to traditional cavalry, Guinegatte accelerated the shift towards infantry-based warfare that would dominate European battlefields well into the early modern period.

Additionally, Maximilian’s extraordinary decision to personally lead his noble troops from the frontline created a new ideal of courageous, engaged leadership. This set a symbolic and practical precedent for battlefield leadership that influenced subsequent military doctrine throughout Europe.

Thus, the Battle of Guinegatte (1479) represented not only a critical victory for Habsburg ambitions against French aggression, securing the Burgundian inheritance under Habsburg rule, but also marked the beginning of a lasting transformation in military strategy and organization that reshaped warfare in late medieval and early modern Atlantic West Europe.

The Battle of the Spurs (August 16, 1513)

On August 16, 1513, the Battle of the Spurs (La Journée d'Esperons) took place near Thérouanne, marking a significant English victory during King Henry VIII's French campaign. This clash vividly illustrated the decisive power of tactical awareness and effective use of combined cavalry and infantry forces, leaving lasting consequences for the French military position in northern France.

Prelude: Early French Maneuvers and English Vigilance

French forces under commanders Jacques de La Palice, Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville, and Charles IV, Duke of Alençon, intended to surprise the besieging English army at dawn, relieving the strategically important garrison of Thérouanne. However, their movements were promptly detected by English "border prickers"—light cavalry from the English-Scottish borders famed for their vigilance and scouting skill—who alerted Henry VIII to the impending French advance.

Responding swiftly, Henry organized a substantial force from the siege lines, dispatching a vanguard of approximately 1,100 cavalry followed by 10,000–12,000 infantry.

The Engagement near Bomy and French Tactical Errors

La Palice's cavalry encountered English scouts near the village of Bomy, approximately five miles from Thérouanne. Recognizing their plans had been compromised, the French hesitated on an exposed hillside, ostensibly to allow their stradiots—specialized Albanian light cavalry tasked with delivering supplies—to reach Thérouanne. This hesitation proved a critical tactical misjudgment.

English mounted archers dismounted and delivered sustained, flanking arrow fire from a nearby hedgerow. Simultaneously, English heavy cavalry formed opposite La Palice, who now realized the strength and preparedness of Henry’s approaching infantry.

The English Cavalry Charge and French Rout

With the French delayed and vulnerable, the Clarenceux Herald famously encouraged the Earl of Essex to initiate a cavalry charge. The subsequent English cavalry attack struck precisely as the French began retreating, throwing their ranks into chaos. At this critical juncture, the stradiots—already repelled by Thérouanne’s defenders' cannon fire—collided disastrously with their own heavy cavalry, exacerbating French confusion. Additionally, the timely arrival of Imperial cavalry forces, allied with Henry, further sealed the French collapse.

Panic overtook the French cavalrymen, who, in their rush to escape, discarded lances, banners, and even cut away their horses' heavy armor. This chaotic retreat earned the clash its enduring nickname, "Battle of the Spurs," highlighting the speed with which French cavalry fled the field.

Consequences of the Battle

The English pursuit lasted approximately three miles, capturing high-ranking French prisoners including Jacques de La Palice, the famous knight Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard, and the Duke of Longueville. Sir Rhys ap Thomasnotably captured four French standards. Overall, English forces claimed nine French standards and captured twenty-one noble prisoners clad in luxurious cloth-of-gold.

Reports recorded about three thousand French casualties, compared to minimal English losses, which included only three notable soldiers killed.

Despite formal Imperial cooperation, friction emerged between English and Imperial troops concerning the fate of captured prisoners. Some noble captives taken by Imperial forces were reportedly released without being presented to Henry VIII, highlighting underlying tensions within the allied camp.

During the battle, Thérouanne's garrison launched a diversionary attack on Charles Somerset, Lord Herbert'sposition, but their attempt achieved little strategic success.

Strategic Significance and Legacy

The decisive English victory at the Battle of the Spurs marked a significant morale and strategic triumph for Henry VIII, bolstering his reputation as a successful military leader. The defeat severely weakened French attempts to relieve Thérouanne, contributing directly to its surrender and destruction shortly afterward. The clash also reinforced the growing importance of English tactical flexibility, particularly the effectiveness of combined arms and disciplined infantry support against traditional heavy cavalry charges.

The Battle of the Spurs thus became an iconic military event during Henry’s reign, exemplifying England’s emergence as a formidable power in early 16th-century European warfare.