In the late Middle Ages and early modern times, able-bodied men between sixteen and sixty years of age were called upon all over Europe to participate in raids, sieges and battles, for the defense of home and hearth. Because these men are regarded as amateurs, military historiography has paid little attention to their efforts. This book aims to change that by studying the mobilization, organization and weaponry of popular levies for a time when war was frequently waged between states in the making. Central to the book is the composition and development of the rural and urban militias in Friesland, dissected in a comparative Northwest European perspective, along with an examination of why the self-defense of the Frisians ultimately failed in their efforts to preserve their political autonomy. The main source is an extensive series of muster lists from 1552 that have survived for six cities and fourteen rural districts.

Hans Mol (1954) is onderzoeker middeleeuwse geschiedenis aan de Fryske Akademy, (emeritus) bijzonder hoogleraar geschiedenis van de Friese landen in de middeleeuwen aan de Universiteit Leiden en als medewerker van het Humanities Cluster van de KNAW bezig met de ontwikkeling van een historisch GIS voor de Noordelijke Nederlanden op basis van het oudste kadaster.

Preface
1 Introduction
2 Friesland between Vlie and Lauwers: land, population, and government until 1525
3 The mobilisation of able-bodied men in Friesland 1525-1552
4 The equipment and organisation of the militiamen in 1552
5 The deployment of popular militias in the period 1480-1500
6 The deployment of the popular militias in the period 1514-1524
7 Conclusions
Bibliography
About the author
Index