English army or lack thereof
Hi i hope this is an ok spot to ask but i’m doing a project on the English military between the 1400-1650 (i have to prove that england would be a dominant country post 1650)Now from my understanding an official standing army wasn’t formed till 1660, i believe before that there were knights and mercenaires. now my issue lies here, i don’t understand how that system works, and how it allowed them to be such a powerhouse even despite there small numbers. Finding articles is proving a bit difficult (maybe i’m looking in the wrong place) but an explanation would be appreciated or even just a push in the right direction.
There is a bigger gap than you appear to suppose in England between the 'knights and mercenaries' and the formation of the British Army. In fact the regimental system upon which the British army was (and is still to a degree) based on took its form in the century or two before the Union of Scotland and England (16th and 17th centuries). I hesitate to go into too much detail as I realise that your project may have been completed in the intervening months between OP and answer, so on the off chance you still need a push or a guide I will recommend some light reading instead. I think a few books I would recommend for you on that basis for your question/this period as very introductory reading would be :
Cruickshank, C.G., Elizabeth's Army (Oxford University Press, 1966) is a good overall introductory look at the English army of the mid and late 16th century although less heavy in the details it is a good jumping off point.
Spring, L., The First British Army, 1624-1628: The Army of the Duke of Buckingham (Helion, 2016) is a fantastically well researched look at the formation of English armies pre-British Civil Wars and probably really helpful in explaining the nuances of these early forces to someone new to the topic. Relying mostly on primary source material, the focus on a much smaller period gives a greater depth to the piece.
Carlton, C., This Seat of Mars: War and the British Isles 1485-1746 (Yale University Press, 2011) is a broad description of what warfare was like in the titled period, but focuses more on experiences of warfare rather than organisational, but if read with the previous two books will help put everything into a broader context of English warfare.
This final book I suggest is Manning, R.B., An Apprenticeship in Arms: The Origins of the British Army 1585-1702 (Oxford University Press, 2006) which is a heavily detailed and focused work on the topic you are looking at. However, my reluctance to suggest it as a starting piece is twofold - firstly it is a very expensive book usually only found in reference or university libraries, and secondly it leans very heavily toward academic arguments in state formation and pre-existing historiography so its a bit of a 'chew' to read if you take my meaning. Interesting and detailed but heavy going if you come at it unaware.
I hope this helps, but if you need more information/recommendations or anything just let me know