Queen Elizabeth I: Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
Thursday, 30 April 2026
Armada campaign Osprey Elite
A book that was very timely was this one which came out in 1988. John Tincey and Richard Hook. My copy is a bit grubby as it's an ex Library book and cost me about 50p. Richard Hook is one of my favourite Osprey artists.
https://www.scribd.com/document/475984071/Osprey-Elite-series-15-The-Armada-Campaign-1588-pdf
Spanish Armada Ladybird
A new addition for my modest Ladybird books collection. Art by Peter Dennis. I actually had this - I bought it in 1988 as we were doing events for the period and I liked the artwork but lost it along the way so I was dead chuffed when Susan picked it up for me just now.
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
Régiment des Gardes françaises 2005
I found this photo from when I started blogging. Régiment des Gardes françaises Reenactors Group | Facebook
Tuesday, 28 April 2026
King of Denmark's Galiard · Ensemble Mare Balticum
Til Konungens Fornøjelse: Music at the Court of Christian IV. More songs of this album Top songs – Ensemble Mare Balticum - YouTube
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Monday, 27 April 2026
Danish army of the Thirty Years War
Any of you Danish? Next big anniversary is August and is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lutter
So I was wondering if anyone knew anything about Danish forces in the TYW?
Battle of Almansa
The 319th Anniversary of the Battle of Almansa concluded on a high note with the Recreation on Sunday, April 26. A weekend full of pictures to remember and great moments that will stay in the memory. 
: Alex Blanquer 
: Alex Blanquer 
Sunday, 26 April 2026
Ack Libertas!
Ack, Libertas!: Songs from the 17th century with lyrics by Lars Wivallius
Mikael Paulsson (lute), Martin Bagge (lute), Ute Goedecke (vocals)
Ensemble Mare Balticum
A record fil
Vadstena Slott 2026
Last weekend saw an event in Sweden that drew participants from around the area including the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, and of course Sweden. The event was a resounding success and the possibilities of future events in this period are being talked about. Maybe next year UK 17th century types? Vadstena Castle - Wikipedia
Saturday, 25 April 2026
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Battle of Dessau Bridge 1626
.The Battle of Dessau Bridge (German: Schlacht bei Dessau) was a significant battle of the Thirty Years' War between Danish Protestants and the Imperial German Catholic forces on the Elbe River outside Dessau, Germany on 25 April 1626.
This battle was an attempt by Ernst von Mansfeld to cross the Dessau bridge in order to invade the headquarters of the Imperial Army in Magdeburg, Germany. The Dessau bridge was the only land access between Magdeburg and Dresden, which made it difficult for the Danes to advance. The Count of Tilly wanted control of the bridge in order to prevent King Christian IV of Denmark from having access to Kassel and to protect the Lower Saxon Circle.[1] The Imperial German forces of Albrecht von Wallenstein handily defeated the Protestant forces of Ernst von Mansfeld in this battle.
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Extract of an article on drumming
Trom en trommelstokken, anoniem, ca. 1600 - ca. 1699 - Rijksmuseum
16th-l7th-CENTURY MILITARY MARCHES
By Henry George Farmer, Ph.D., D.Litt., Mus. Doc
''The drum march, pure and simple, was one of the main features of martial discipline, and every nation had its own particular national type. Gordon of Rothiemay records of 1637-1638 how Scottish drummers were teaching their soldiery
to distinguish between "The marches of severall nationes . . . the Scottish Marche
. . . the Irish Marche . . . the English Marche."1 This knowledge was a necessary
item even in the economy of tactics. During the Thirty Years' War the Germans once used the Scots March so as to deceive the enemy.2 At Oudenarde the Allied
drummers beat the French Retraite,which even a Vendôme could not stem.8''
Friday, 24 April 2026
Pike postures
Anybody know where online I could find these images? I think they are Wallhausen but not in the editions I have found on line.
J Callot Drummers 1635
Left-handed? Apparently there was no hard and fast rule as to what way round you play 'em.
Thursday, 23 April 2026
Shakespeare's songs: 'It was a lover and his lass'
William Shakespeare - Wikipedia Thomas Morley - Wikipedia
Thomas Morley’s song, “It was a lover and his lass:” music from Shakespeare's plays, presented in celebration of Shakespeare's 400th anniversary. 4K video from our January, 2016, concerts in San Francisco. Jennifer Ellis Kampani, soprano; William Skeen, viola da gamba; Hanneke van Proosdij, harpsichord, David Tayler, archlute.
Shakespeare referenced dozens of musical works in his plays, but only a few manuscripts and prints survive from his time; most of the musical settings that we hear nowadays were composed much later. Nonetheless, there are a few good sources for music for the plays, although the question of authorship for the music is problematic, as most of the sources are without attribution. Of these, by far and away the best example of a work for which we are certain of the author is Thomas Morley’s “It was a lover and his lass;” Shakespeare quotes the song in full, in "As you like it." Morley and Shakespeare lived in the same neighborhood in London--St. Helen’s parrish, Bishopsgate; it's likely that Shakespeare used Morley’s song in the play. This work is presented here for the first time in 4K, ultra high definition video.The English March · The Guild of Ancient Fifes and Drums
For St. George's Day. yorkshirecorpsofdrums.com/Notes to The English March.html
The English March was officially documented in 1610 and was commanded to be preserved by a Royal Warrant in 1632. Despite its historical significance, the march's rhythm and sound have been largely lost, despite the availability of music from the 17th and 18th centuries. The English March defined the sound of the nation for four centuries, but its rhythm and sound have been almost entirely lost, despite the availability of music from the 17th and 18th centuries. The English March and Early Drum Notation on JSTOR
Wednesday, 22 April 2026
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
THE SPANISH ARMY OF PHILIP V. de James Hinds ( 1º parte)
MINIATURAS MILITARES POR ALFONS CÀNOVAS: THE SPANISH ARMY OF PHILIP V. de James Hinds ( 1º parte)
The Spanish Army of Philip V
WSS scans
Eduard Beneyto says
'They are 54mm miniatures created by scanning historical reenactors with a 3D printer. They are still a long way from handcrafted figures, but they should serve as a base for painting the Marquis of Alcantarilla's regiment'
We are approaching a time when reenactors can sell miniatures of themselves at events.
Sunday, 19 April 2026
De Saxe on music
Does anyone know the quote from M de Saxe where he says something like 'without music troops are prone to melancholy'. I can't find it.
Count Saxe's March (around 1760) - Fife & Drum
JG Baroque says
Sometimes, great people of an era inspire musicians to honour them, with celebratory pieces, odes, songs and works being written and performed, sometimes in great numbers. Indeed, sometimes they even inspire people that would normally consider themselves their enemies. One such person was Maurice de Saxe, or in his native tongue, Moritz von Sachsen, a Prince of Saxony who served many years in the French army, perhaps most notably in the War of Austrian Succession. This march “Count Saxe’s March”, is from a British source, namely Thompson’s “Compleat Tutor for the Fife”, published around 1760. There is an interesting feature in the melody – at the end of each phrase of the second part, there is a cadence which resembles the ending phrases of the most common version of “the British Grenadiers”, which stems from the late 18th century.
This arrangement, with the slow 60 bpm pace of the time, captures somewhat the glory of the celebrated commander, where I have written harmonizing fife parts to the melody and drums to accompany it. The image shows Marshall de Saxe (in red), commanding the French army at the battle of Rocoux on October 11th, 1746. It was painted in 1750 by the French artist Pierre Nicolas l’Enfant.Drummer 1615
Ein Trommler, Blatt 3 aus der Folge „Newes Soldaten Büchlein“, herausgegeben von P. Ouverradt 1615
Henry Hexham 1642 on drums and drum majors
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| from Wars of Louis Quatorze: Carved figures from the staircase of Cromwell House, from the Survey of London |
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A43479.0001.001
Of a Drumme Majour. Every Regiment ought to have a Drumme-Majour, to whom when it is watch time, the other Drummes are to repaire, there to beat a call, and to march with his Company that is appointed for the guard. A Drum-ma∣jour ought to be a grave man, able to instruct the other Drums to beat a true march, and other points of warre, to see the Drummes that beat upon a march to be duely relieved, and also to speake divers tongues, and to bee wise, and cautelous what he shall speake to an Enemy.
Of the Drummers. Every company also ought to have two good Drummers, that knoweth how to beate a call, a slow, or a swift march well, a charge, a retreat, and a Reveille: He should also be a linguist, because oftentimes he may be sent unto the enemy, for the ransoming of prisoners, his duty is comming to the campe, or garison of an enemy, hau∣ing his Generalls passe in his hat, to beat a call, till he is fetcht in, and because he shall not discover the weaknesse of guards, workes, or trenches, he is led blindfold, and so carried to the Commander, and place where his prison∣ers are, with whom after he hath ransommed them, he is to returne to the camp, or garison.
Saturday, 18 April 2026
Saxon Army at Breitenfeld
I used to have a little booklet on the Saxon Army in the TYW. Anybody still have that?
Book on Breitenfeld 1631
Book on Breitenfeld 1631 http://milistoria.it/.../breitenfeld-1631-900002-isbn...
- Bilingual text: Italian-English. Colour uniform plates illustrate this work on the battle of Breitenfeld, 1631.
