The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (2): Cavalry

"The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (2): Cavalry" by Richard Brzezinski follows the same general format of the other Men-at-Arms volumes, by concisely discussing a military topic, in this case, the Swedish cavalry of Gustavus Adolphus in the early 1600s. One distinction between this book and others in the series is that the author presents some non-standard viewpoints and backs them up with references. This being the case, this book is more scholarly than many others in the Men-at-Arms series. As you may expect from the Men-at-Arms books, there are many photographs, diagrams, and illustrations that bring an image to this time in history. The weapons, equipment, clothing, and armor of the various types of cavalry are discussed. Furthermore, the book explains that the cavalry itself was composed of more than just Swedes, as there were also a number of German mercenaries, Finns, and a small number of British mercenaries. Color illustrations of various cavalry cornets (banners) are also provided. "The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (2): Cavalry" is a great reference for those wanting to learn about the Swedish cavalry of the 1600s. The author attempts to set straight some possible misconceptions other historians attribute to the cavalry of Adolphus, which is not an easy task for 48 page book. As Gustavus Adolphus was an influential figure in military history, this book is worth reading for those interested in 17th century military.

The army of Gustavus Adolphus is an objectively written book of Gustavus' cavalry. I mean objective because many of the long time myths of Adolphus are dispelled. What is said about him is merely factual data and has nothing to do with the stories typically associated with him. It fairly shows the quality of his native Swedish and Finnish regiments. The book discusses the causes of Gustavus' radical new cavalry types were as a result of a lack of money not a flair of genius. While many lovers of Gustavus Adolphus may be upset at the authors lack of respect for Adolphus' generalship the factual information cannot be denied.