"When did the pike block show up." Topic

So pikes started showing up in various numbers from very late 13th century, increasing some in number through the 14th and first part of the 15th century.
And then becoming more and more standard the last 50 years of the medieval period.
But when did they start and fight as true pike blocks?

Just before teatime…

Define.

There's a good arguement to make that pike tactics began with Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the greats father, in the 4th century BC.

This is the medieval board not ancient.

A pike block in renaissance is it's own independent "unit" with flanks and a backside.
This would be different from a medieval battle line were one unit would try and be in contact with those on it's flank. And you don't really have separate units as such.

I'd guess the Swiss had a big hand in developing pike block tactics during the 1400s, since they seemed to be using some version of a pike block by the Burgundian Wars, and other armies subsequently imitating Swiss fighting techniques (viz. Landsknechts) were using pike blocks in the 16th C. The Scots and Flemish also famously used pikes in preceding centuries, but didn't seem to have much success using them with mobile tactics.

I hope a better scholar chimes in. This is an interesting question.

- Ix

The Scots used blocks of spear/pike at the end of the 13th Century (e.g schiltrons at Falkirk) and the Flemish at Courtrai if I recall correctly. Not sure how the Welsh fit in here.

The Scottish Schiltrons were not particularly mobile. Unsure about the Flemish.
The Swiss 1339 at the battle of Laupen used blocks of halberds about 40-50 across and deep, supported by archers/stone throwers and XB men. [This is where the white cross of Bern (which became the ubiquitous symbol of the Cantons/Confederation was first adopted].

The Scottish schiltrons could be very mobile when the rain of arrows started.

It just didn't seem to help them much.

That said, I never had the impression schiltrons were well-drilled, disciplined, flexible maneuver elements like 15th and 16th C. pike formations, which is what I think Gunfreak means by "true pike blocks". I do get that impression about 15th C. Swiss pike blocks (and halberd blocks, etc.). I'm not at all sure about the Flemish.

- Ix

Meant to add..not sure when the majority of halberd switched to pike. Perhaps learned at Laupen that needed better stand-off capability against the cav. (Forest Cantons had to form hedgehog and were rescued by the other confederation infantry once they had seen their foot foes off). I believe the best example would be 1477 – Nancy. Seems from then the standard attack would be 3 battles in echelon formation closing quickly.

I think the most common story is that the Swiss developed heavy concentrations of infantry armed with helbard to counter mounted knights, and when losing vs. dismounted knights (as in Arbedo 1422) using lances for better range they added pikes to the mix, and the ratio of pike to helbard went up when the opponent side also started to use pikes. Pikes were part of the ordonnance infantry in Charles the Bold army, and after his downfall participants of these battles successfully championed the usage of pikes by the Burgundian Flemish infantry under Maximilan vs. the French, leading to victory at Guinegate 79. In the years directly after Maximilan, the French and the Spanish tried to introduce pike armes infantry after the Swiss model into their armies, and from then on it spread by example and available mercenary bands.

That said, there are other traditions of pike (or long spears), eg. the already mentioned Schiltron by the Scottish as a defensive formation, and Italian Condottieri – aware of the classic literature including reports on Phillip and Alexander – experimented with practically all different weapons of the era in various configurations, though most of these saw themself rather in the tradition of the Romans and so pike never got common or popular before the French invasion of 94.

Still, imho the pikeblock as a mobile unit of war only shows up after 1470.
My personal guess is that the Swiss victories over Charles would have happened with or without pikes, but their effective presence made Jacques of Savoy, Count of Romont, who had lot of experience on the receiving end, suggest their introduction to the Burgundian army. Maximilians adoption of this, his decision to fight as a noble with and among the infantry at Guinegate, his victory there and especially his later decision to train infantry units specifically with the pike as main weapon, just supported by shot and close combat, made them a mobile unit of war.
If you know of earlier battles involving non-defensive usage of pike I would love to hear of them. I assume that the Zürich wars would see a development within the Swiss factions, but was unable to dig out direct references.

Static Scottish pike units are a feature of one battle – Falkirk..which may explain why that was not tried again. Scottish armies tended to me attack-minded, but the normal practice of Scottish medieval war was actually heavy cavalry (men-at-arms) on both sides; there's only a handful of large engagements.

In the appendix of DelBruck's "Medieval Warfare: History of the Art of War, Volume III" he has a letter written by an Italian ambassador who had attended one of Swiss cities swearing in ceremonies. The author states that the men swear to keep their place with regard to the man to the left and right, stepping into the rank in front only if that person has fallen. IIRC it from the mid-15th century.

I would say that in addition to Falkirk, There was a schiltrom used on day one at Bannockburn which thwarted the knights attempting to relieve the castle.

@dapeters
The Swiss definitely played their part in developing close ranks as a mobile infantry formation, though when they did so they first used Helbards. There were other "rules", especially the killing of cowards and not taking prisoners – the latter to prevent the men from doing away with a valuable hostage and thus breaking the formation. In effect this meant they killed anybody trying to surrender (or unable to run), which played a major part in making battles with the Swiss a "bad war".

Yes Delbruck mentions that swore to obey their officers and not pillage until given permission.

Well we know that they came to an end in the mid to late 1600's due to the increase use of firearms.

I would put the major use of them during the 1300's to mid 1600's.

Plenty of battles during those times that had large use of pikes or halberds.