OST

Etymology

The word “ Ost ”, appeared towards 1050 in the Language of oil, finds its origin in the Latin word “hostis” ( enemy , which gave “hostile”), then, by extension, “ armed enemy ”, and finally “armed”, term which will replace it gradually, making it fall in disuse. At the 17th century, Jean of the Fountain still uses it, like Stylistic device in its Fables :

(...) one saw almost détruit
Ost of the Greek , and it was the one night work.

Origins of the medieval military organization

The fall of the Roman Empire in 476 involved deep upheavals in the military organization of the new states which were constituted on its ruins, following the Great invasions. To the Roman legions, standing army under the orders with the emperor will succeed a new type of army, nonpermanent, the medieval army (or ost ), which is set up with the Féodalité. It will result a multitude from it from small armies seigneuriales - each Seigneur freely having his own forces, recruited among its vassal - which gather with the call of the king to form the “royal ost” ( royal army ).

The medieval army in the feudal right

In the feudal Right, the King or the Seigneur published his round of applause of war and convened its vassal under its Bannière and with its “ost” ( armed ), not only when the country was invaded or the concerned general interest, but also for the private wars, " because most pressing of the problems which were essential then on the leading classes was much less to manage, during peace, the State or particular fortunes to get the means of fighting . "

The men-at-arms were useful for a given time (from forty to sixty days). The Seigneur provided his troop out of weapons, ammunition and vivres. If they were themselves knights or baron S, the vassal ones took along with them their soldiers. Whoever disobeyed became Félon and like such, was private of sound Fief (Commise).

This capacity of “round of applause” the lord had was one of the wheels essence of the Féodalité, because it made it possible this one to not only order, but also to force and punish. It was thus one of the bases of its authority. In the calls made for Military service, one distinguished the round of applause itself, composed of vassal direct, convened by the king or the lord himself, and the arriere-ban , composed of vassal of vassal convened by their own suzerains.

Evolution of the ost with that of the military strategy

At the 8th century, with the advent of the Carolingian , one assists with a change of the art of warfare of the Francs, the Cavalerie starting to take the step on the Infanterie, thanks to the introduction of the clamp. Progress of the Metallurgy, makes it possible to create Arme S, more solids, but also more expensive, therefore reserved for the elite. The higher cost of the equipment, thus limits the lifting of the men to richest, so that the army tends to some extent to professionaliser, preceding future the Chevalerie. These changes, will allow the victory, with the battles of Toulouse and of Poitiers, which made it possible to move away the threat from a Moslem invasion.

This type of army will know its apogee with the appearance, in the last third of the 10th century, the Chevalerie - which distinguishes the Noble knight combatant with horse, of the Paysan, soldier of Infanterie or artillerist - and its development as from the 11th century. The institution of dignities of Marshal of France and constable, intended to reward the actions for bravery of the most faithful companions of the king during his military campaigns, will come to complete this medieval military organization.

The disappearance of the ost and the constitution of the modern armies

As from the 14th century, the nature of the war changing, with the appearance of new weapons - crossbow S, Artillery - one assists with the creation of companies of Mercenaire S, made up professional soldiers, who engage on behalf of highest offerer. The bond which linked the lord and his vassal in the ost blurs gradually, at the same time as the feudal system changes. It will disappear, in its military form, as from the 16th century, with the creation of new standing armies, préfigurations of our modern armies.

The Spain is the first modern European country to have restored a standing army, composed of four regiments of infantry gathering 7000 men equipped with firearms and lances. Under the king Gustave II Adolphe, the Sweden also will obtain a standing army, recruited by Conscription to face his engagement in the Guerre Thirty Year old.

But, in France, the king Charles VII will provide the foundations of a future professional army. One can have of it an idea through certain chronicles of time:

The military reform of 1439, according to a contemporary poet:

One owes in Charles VII the constitution of the first permanent professional army, which starts with the establishment of the companies of ordinance, decided in 1445 by the king and his Conseil made up of his/her son, the dolphin (future Louis XI), the king de Sicile Rene Ier, the duke of Calabria his son, lord Charles of Anjou, the count de Richemont, Connétable of France, the counts de Clermont, of Foix, Saint-pol., Tancarville and Dunois (Bastard Jehan of Orleans), and other advisers, as well ecclesiastical as secular.

One decides to have, in various places, of the men-at-arms of trade, permanently paid. Mathieu de Coucy, contemporary chronicler, speaks to us about it:

… It (the king) wished of all its heart that a good opening and manner were found, by which people of war who étoient with luy was paid and bribed of qualified number, and were put and sat be cities and fortresses of sondit kingdom, where good luy sembleroit …

Alors it was ordered, as well by the king as by the dessusdits of the Council, as it there auroit fifteen captains, which auroient each one under them hundred lances; and that each one launches seroit counted to pledges for six people, of which the three seroient archers and the fourth coutillier, with the man-at-arms and his page. …

One defines balances it and the places of quartering of this permanent “professional” army, made up of 9000 men approximately:

" which him, man-at-arms accompanied sixth, as known as is, auroit pledges for each one moys 40 francs, monnoye royal, and seroient put and distributed by provinces and dioceses, in various places of the kingdom, by the good cities; and if sauroient one each one of the aforesaid captains his place and his retirement, and where luy and its people devroient being and to have their go . "

People will be made in the places of garrison, which would receive the money to pay the soldiers:

" In addition to this, it was ordered that they prendroient and seroient paid their pledges, so much on the good cities as on lowland (Nb: therefore, in garrison and operation) and that they there auroit some made by the bailliages, the seneschalsies and prévostés, which recevroient and payeroient the sums dessusdists, and rendroient of it account with the known as captains in time and place, the more so as their load pourroit to assemble . "

One chooses the captains in question, which one convenes with the Council, and with which one enjoint to take care of the recruitment of their men, and to maintain a discipline strict with the places where they will be affected:

" Which captains were by the king and the lords of the Council elected and named, and also mandés in the presence of the king; and there was said to them and ordered that they kept and maintained narrowly, very as much as they craindroient to fall into indignation from the king and the lords dessusdits, the aforementioned ordinances, and that they did not make did not suffer being made by their people aucuns dommaiges violences with the merchants, plowmen others, of some state who they were, so expensive that they swage that iceux dommaiges was turned over on them; and took such people of which they were sure and which they could about it return account . "

One specifies, in writing, with the captains, the places where they will have to take garrison, and one equips the men. Then, they will have to often join the defined places, where they will have to replace the garrisons of fortune, people of the local lords or adventurers which will have to leave in good order, in the fifteen days, calmly and without disorder:

" All this thus made, it to them was yawned in writing the places where they devroient outward journey, and what they swage to make . In short following after iceux captains were provided of what it them falloit people, and that they had chosen, to be able to them, on all their compagnées, of most expert and equipped best (Nb: equipped), jusques with their limited number, it was, as known as is above ordered that all the others, it is to assavoir those which do not étoient not guaranteed, were withdrawn hastily and without delay are country from where they étoient originating, without plundering nor to conceal the poor people . Or differently, so thus does not faisoient it, one there pourvoiroit and in feroit one justice like abandoned people and without consent . And for better providing for it, was sent in several bailliages some mandemants royal to the officers being useful on this subject; which ordinances and commands having come to knowledge the iceux one, they from went away incontinent in several and various places, and were épandirent without discussing by unit, so much that inside the fifteen new days following one entendoit more aucuns of them in all the countries of the king . "

The garrisons are set up, avoiding the clashes with the local populations, and promising to repair with justice the possible exactions:

" For the glance of the fifteen captains whose above mention is made, when they were put and sat as known as is above (with) their people, by the provinces, dioceses, bailliages, seneschalsies and prévostés of the kingdom, they started to act, control and maintain by the good cities, very gently and courteously, without making more, to suffer to be made by their people, no violence or rigor with the middle-class men and churls the icelles ones, also with the merchants and plowmen of lowland . That so of adventure they advenoit that aucuns the iceux ones made the opposite, and that the complaint came to iceux captains, at once and without délay, they fassoient them to punish and punish with any rigor; and with this they faisoient to restore with those which swage suffered aucuns dommaige, which them pouvoit to be taken . "

The men of the various garrisons are burst in small detachments. The number of soldiers of each one of them varies according to the place where they are affected, and their behavior is supervised:

" But, jà that the number of the dessusdits people of war thus guaranteed and preserved, as known as is, was assembled approximately to nine or ten thousand horses, if they by the good cities in enough small number étoient; because it there of avoit with Troyes, Châlons, Rheims, Laon or other cities similar, of each one that twenty, twenty-four or thirty, according to the size and the power the icelles ones; by what they do not pouvoient being enough powerful to be able to take any control nor height on the middle-class dessusdits and churls . In addition to what, the royal officers and ordinary justices swage a singular glance on them and their behaviors, to observe if they do not commettroient some faults, of the punishment of which their captains did not make any well owe them . "

The men reviewed periodically, and one provides for the replacement with the failing ones:

" In addition, it there avoit some made from the king, who voyoient them in their habillemens to rather often pass to the watches (Nb: military reviews), so that they discussed like it appartenoit, without selling nor to lose their horses and harnois; and, when it défailloit somebody of them by died or differently, at once another étoit put and subsistué in its place. "

In a spontaneous way, a reserve of volunteers is created, from whom the captains can draw if the need is felt:

" Même it there of avoit which, with their costs, suivoient the captains rather lengthily, on the hope to arrive to their row, and to be enlisted, when the case adviendroit; and still falloit it often to seek to them, by great ways and notable recommendations, to be allowed there. That if it advenoit that he occurred with the king aucunes businesses, in some place that it was in its kingdom, he envoyoit all at once aucuns of his messengers towards the aforementioned captains, or aucuns of them; and incontinent, without any délay, in few days they tiroient and are rendoient towards luy, or are places where they them vouloit; by thus, trouvoit it equipped with good number of combatants, and well in point, rather suddenly, with the assistance of its princes, his knighthood and her nobility . "

(Mathieu de Coucy, " Chroniques" , ch.VI)

How the army of Charles VII was made up in 1450 - the royal artillery:

Another contemporary chronicler gives us an idea of what was then the royal army, which changes, and to which one added artillery:

" It is true that by the ordinance that the king avoit put in his kingdom and without counting the fieffés lords and back-fieffés who cant to be useful, it there avoit seventeen hundred lances . Those which étoient of this ordinance of seventeen hundred lances, of month in month, that is to say that the king or not had war, people of lowland and the good cities payoient them by a size that this king avoit put, which one appeloit size of the men-at-arms .

And avoit each man-at-arms fifteen francs, royal currency, for its three horses, namely for luy, its page and its guisarmier (soldier which carried a guisarme, or chops with two edges), or coutillier; and each archer for him and his horse seven francs and half the month . During the conquest of Normandy, all the men-at-arms of king de France which étoient with its service, was this of this ordinance or not, all were paid their pledges of month in month . And it there avoit so bold which dared in front of the aforementioned war or conquest of Normandy, to take captive, neither to hold to ransom horse nor another animal whatever it was, food in any place without paying, except only on Anglois and people holding of this party .

All those pareillement which gouvernoient artillery étoient paid day in day; in which artillery it avoit the greatest number of grosses bombards there, French canon, serpentine, crapaudaux, couleuvrines, the whole furnished well with powder, coats and other things to approach and take cities and castles; and grinds grand' abundance of cartages to carry out them and the maneuvriers to control them . Etoient made with the artillery lord Jehan Office and his brother, who faisoient some grinds the duty well.

And to say the truth, during this conquest of Normandy, a greater number of cities and castles had been taken by storm and by force of weapons; but, when the places étoient approximate and ready to be attacked, the king of France , Charles, in avoit pity and vouloit that one took them by composition to obviate the overflowing of human blood and the destruction of the country and the people . "

(Memories of Jacques of Clerq, liv. I, ch.VIII)

Therefore, in 1445:

A lance = 1 man-at-arms 1 page 1 coutillier (arms manufacturer) 3 archers, that is to say 6 men, with 40 francs for the totality of the lance.

Each captain thus orders 600 men. With the 15 captains, that represents 9000 men. It is the first professional army, permanently enlisted and remunerated by the capacity in place, i.e. the king, by the size raised on the spot of garrison. It is the embryo of our modern army, with 1500 men-at-arms, 3000 pages and coutilliers, and 4500 archers. In 1450, this army was carried to 1700 lances, which gives, by same calculation: 10200 men, to which one could add, if necessary, troops of certain lords " fieffés" (holders of a stronghold), especially of the Banneret S, which still had the right to raise their own men-at-arms. For that it is also necessary to add two companies of guards Scot, approximately 200 men, more particularly in charge of the safety of the person of the king, following the " Auld Alliance" , treated between the two countries. Thus were thrown the bases of our modern army, first professional army.

Nb: there also existed in the cities a service of guet, which was charged to supervise the neighborhoods top of the turns or the ramparts. As anecdote, here the composition of the " guet" from Orleans, in March 1566, with the number of men and the corresponding pays:

1 knight (or rider) 1200 pounds per annum 1 lieutenant 250 pounds per annum 8 archers with 100 pounds 800 books per annum 22 archers with 50 books 1100 pounds per annum 1 clerk 150 pounds per annum, that is to say 33 men, and an expenditure, for the city, of 3500 pounds per annum. In July 1563, is named to order this body Roland de Sémellon, rider, man-at-arms of the company of Mr. de Cypierre, governor of the city. (Med. Orleans - Bull. SAHO)

Here how was summarized what precedes in the school handbooks, after the last war:

" Companies of ordinance: After the torment of Jeanne (of Arc), the war with the English lasts 20 more years; but the things are well changed. Been useful by wise advisers, Charles VII, who reconciled itself with the Burgundian ones, can return in his capital: Paris . It succeeds in constituting a good army. The cavalry is made of permanent troops, the Companies of ordinance, and the infantry by Francs Archers which are involved on their premises and are called under the weapons according to the needs. Guns, assembled on carriages, form first field artillery . Thanks to this army, the king gained two victories which release Normandy and Guyenne, and in 1453, the English do not have more in France but Calais. During the twenty years which follow the death of Jeanne d' Arc, the kingdom is restored . "

(" Little story of France and the people français" , by H.Belot - Middle price - Classes of 8th and of 7th of the colleges and colleges - Program of 1945 - Bookstore Istra - Strasbourg, 15, rue des Juifs)

Internal bonds

War with the old Middle Ages
Feudality
Vassalage
Armed
Crusades
Chanson de geste
Song of Roland

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