Almost continual warfare raged in Europe during the period 1300-1500. These wars were the furnaces in which many of the modern European nations were forged. Parallel with this emergence of the nations came the development of national armies to protect the newly-won borders and independence, yet thro[...]

On 12 October 1492 Columbus discovered the New World. In the following decade a number of Spanish colonies were founded in the West Indies, many of the settlers being ex-soldiers. They were a hardy, adventurous and unruly crew, no longer able to find suitable employment in Europe. They carved a foot[...]