Way, Honour And Firearms: Origin And Evolution Of The Spanish Tercios 1481-1600

The end of the Reconquista, following the War of Granada (1481 1492), prompted the Catholic Monarchs to project their formidable military force onto the Italian peninsula, under the command of the Great Captain, aiming to establish their dominance over the French. In subsequent decades, the rulers of the House of Austria (Charles V and Philip II) sustained this immense struggle until its favourable resolution in 1559. Simultaneously, the emerging Hispanic Monarchy had to contend for continental supremacy against formidable rivals such as the Ottomans, German Protestants, the Dutch, and the English, through a constant defensive-offensive effort led by their renowned foreign intervention troops: the Tercios. Way, Honour and Firearms analyses the origin, evolution, and development of this powerful Spanish army, based on the flexible combination of 'pike and shot', along with cavalry and artillery, exploring their formations, experiences, battles, and principal leaders up to the year 1600, providing an engaging scholarly journey through European military history based on a wide range of consulted sources. AUTHOR: Enrique F. Sicilia Cardona was born in Madrid and graduated in Geography and History (UNED) and Information Sciences-Journalism (UCM). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Association of Military History (ASEHISMI), and a Professor of Humanities, lecturer, and specialist in historical-military topics. He has published several articles in national magazines, including Historia, National Geographic, Historia y Vida, Muy Historia, Desperta Ferro Moderna, Ares Enyalius, Revista Medieval, Revista Española de Historia Militar, and Revista de Aeronáutica. He is the author of La batalla de Nieuwpoort 1600 (2013), La batalla de Sekigahara 1600 (2014), Napoleón y Revolución. Las guerras revolucionarias (2016), co-author of La guerra del Rosellón 1793-1795 (2017), and author of La guerra de Portugal 1640-1668 (2022). 40 b/w illustrations, 10 b/w photos, 12 colour illustrations, 10 b/w maps, 1 table