Pike And Shot Tactics 1590-1660

THROUGHOUT THE 17TH CENTURY, LARGE PARTS OF EUROPE WERE DEPOPULATED DURING WIDE-RANGING AND SAVAGE WARS OF RELIGION AND DYNASTY INVOLVING ALL OF THE MAJOR POWERS. THESE INCLUDED THE DUTCH-SPANISH WARS OF INDEPENDENCE, THE THIRTY YEARS` WAR AND THE ENGLISH CIVIL WARS. THIS WAS THE KEY PERIOD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN INFANTRY TACTICS, INCORPORATING THE USE OF POLE-ARMS AND MUSKETS TOGETHER, HENCE THE POPULAR EXPRESSION `PIKE AND SHOT`.