07-22-2002, 03:47 AM
Welllll, it should be noted that Bachrach's theories (which come from the basic work of Karl-Ferdinand Werner) are more than a little extreme, and are not universally accepted by any means. His recent claim that Charlemagne could actually field an army of 30-35,000 heavy-armored horsemen and 100,000 foot soldiers seems (to me at least) beyond ridiculous. More level-headed historians, like Hans Delbruck, Francois Ganshof and Ferdinand Lot estimated Carolingian manpower potential at about 5,000. Verbruggen (who Tim mentions as a good source for Medieval tactics) puts the numbers at a still more realistic 3,000 horse and 10,000 foot, maximum. Nor can it be argued that Bachrach is simply ignorant about logistics, as he has written on the topic before.<br>
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Bachrach's theory that the Carolingians had a long-term or "grand strategy" of recreating the regnum Francorum is highly dubious, and to me seems reminiscent of traditional theories among Roman historians that the Empire was created through a similar generations-long grand strategy.<br>
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I'm not sure about Bachrach's idea that these vast Carolingian armies could have moved easily over the old Roman roads since they would still have been in perfect working condition. I find that theory unlikely, but I really don't know much about the Roman roads and how long they could have been expected to last without upkeep.<br>
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Also, Bachrarach seems to be a man with an agenda. He is very much out to get the "Primitivist" or "German Primitivist" historians, and I'm not sure about how open-minded he is regarding the evidence.<br>
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I also have a hard time with the assertion that the eighth century Franks had attained the "scale and sophistication of the Roman military infrastructure of supply, armament and deployment."<br>
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It should also be noted that the early Carolingian armies did not have stirrups. I don't believe stirrups were adopted by the Franks until after Charlemagne.<br>
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Gregg<br>
<p></p><i></i>
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Bachrach's theory that the Carolingians had a long-term or "grand strategy" of recreating the regnum Francorum is highly dubious, and to me seems reminiscent of traditional theories among Roman historians that the Empire was created through a similar generations-long grand strategy.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure about Bachrach's idea that these vast Carolingian armies could have moved easily over the old Roman roads since they would still have been in perfect working condition. I find that theory unlikely, but I really don't know much about the Roman roads and how long they could have been expected to last without upkeep.<br>
<br>
Also, Bachrarach seems to be a man with an agenda. He is very much out to get the "Primitivist" or "German Primitivist" historians, and I'm not sure about how open-minded he is regarding the evidence.<br>
<br>
I also have a hard time with the assertion that the eighth century Franks had attained the "scale and sophistication of the Roman military infrastructure of supply, armament and deployment."<br>
<br>
It should also be noted that the early Carolingian armies did not have stirrups. I don't believe stirrups were adopted by the Franks until after Charlemagne.<br>
<br>
Gregg<br>
<p></p><i></i>
