The War In Laces

    In 18 century wars of European coalitions were different from wars of their ancestors, sovereign monarchies of Europe. It was not only because a war became a matter of profession, the matter is an army became professional. Improvement of lock made arms quite effective. Also single balls and bayonet, that doesn’t hinder soldiers in shooting and charging, were created. Number of functional military specialists lost their job.

  The great number of troops created required making of the new institution of Officer Corps. Gallant gorgeous cavaliers, their spencers powdered, officer coats embroidered in gold, their hands bosomed in laces… a wide sweep of the arm in the direction of an adversary: “Your shot is the first, Sir”.Sir”.

  A seignior formerly used to call his homagers and after a campaign dismiss his army. And now the great part of these homagers served under a seignior also in peacetime. So the state ought to maintain standing army. And, of course, it shifted maintenance of the army to citizens of itself or in wartime - even better – of other country.

  Armies of 18 century, unlike the former ones, tended to sameness in their uniforms. A soldier became visible to his own army and to that of an enemy. Styles and colours of uniforms constantly changed. Monarchs of Europe dedicated plenty of time and strength to the choice of uniforms for their army. Never before and after was uniform so multifarious. National colours of the coat appeared. Weapons were not so effective yet for soldiers needed to be invisible. Epoch of khaki was two hundred years ahead.

Sergey Bogachev