Tactical sophistication of knightly armies

[silburnl]

I don't know if this is a better idea or not, but here goes.


I was asked to cite examples of knightly European armies making serious, basic strategic blunders dealing with supply and intelligence, and of falling for the oldest trick in the horse-archers book, the feigned retreat.  Here are three classic examples:

Battle of Hattin 1187
[snippage]

1241 AD, Battle of Liegnitz
[snippage]

1241 AD Battle of Mohi
[snippage

Coming late to the party, but I've only just registered...

Also:

1347 AD Battle of Crecy
The French army approaches a strong English position in the late afternoon. The French King wants to wait and attack in the morning once the army has fully assembled and had a chance to rest, but his caution is disparaged by his subordinates who proceed with a series of piecemeal frontal attacks as various detachments arrive at the battlefield and deploy directly from the line of march. Each attack is defeated in detail by the well dug in and rested English who use a mixture of massed archery and dismounted men-at-arms to great tactical effect.

1396 AD Battle of Nicopolis
Scouting reports arrive at the crusading army's camp describing the approach of the Turkish army. The Count of Nevers commands his French knights forward (against the advice of his senior knights) to the vanguard and refuses to be restrained by the King of Hungary's caution. He orders a spirited charge of the French heavy cavalry directly at the Turkish centre. Although initially wildly successful, the unsupported charge is eventually overwhelmed and the rest of the crusading army is defeated in detail.

Regards
Luke