Urban Militias

Hârnic Urban Militias
(My Interpretation)

As I stated on the 'Troop Types' page under infantry, Hârnic feudal militias are considered a single entity consisting of one man per household. These forces are normally unarmored and carry farm implements and/or homemade weapons. This may work well for rural militias but it does not take in to account the wealth and cohesion that urban militias force has available to it.

In addition, if you looked through the historical reference material I provided you can see that historical urban militias followed a pattern no matter where they originated. That pattern being militias based on administrative divisions of the city and/or town followed by a militia based on guilds in the later stages of the medieval period.

However, the same material shows that there were exceptions to the rule. Some cities abandoned the existing militia structures and adopted a special militia force based on the Popolo as happened in Florence just prior to the renaissance. In Russia some cities had militias based on the division of the city into administrative units; however they were autonomous and even found among each other. Then again, there were other cities that were not allowed an established militia force but utilized hired mercenary companies to protect and police their precincts.

As will be seen, Hârn also falls into many of the above categories. The majority of Hârnic cities/towns are held by feudal lords in the feudal kingdoms; within Orbaal they are held by great clans; and within Tharda they are under the control of the dual administration of the military and administrative rulers of the home district. However, there are also a number of free towns that are outside of the normal feudal or administrative constraints. Even so, most will owe some kind of service to the authority that granted them their charter. This document will outline the following:

• A City's Obligations


• Urban Organization on Hârn (based on an 1100-1300 timeline)


• Urban Militia Organization
  • Administrative Districts
  • Organization by Guilds
  • Other


• Specific Urban Centers
  • Aleath
  • Cherafir
  • Coranan
  • Golotha
  • Shiran
  • Tashal
  • Thay


• Troop Types

A City's Obligation:

When a city is formed, whether feudal or free, it will normally receive a charter from the lord granting it the right to be a town. In return for the rights given provided by the charter most cities must agree to provide military and/or financial assistance when requested. Each city's militia will be organized on either a ward or guild basis with an alderman or senior guildsman appointed as the leader of each unit formed. In smaller towns some companies may contain more than the standard number of men if they lack the numbers to form two companies.

Therefore each feudal lord will have a core infantry unit available to him based on the towns within his domains. These troops are usually as good as or better than the select militia in that they perform regular watch duties within the town and surrounding community and may be mustered once a month by their lord or mayor in order to receive drill and weapons training. Like the select militia, those urban centers located in frontier regions will usually be better trained and more experienced than other urban units. Like the select militia, the urban militia can be held in the field for up to 60 days with nothing but support being offered; after that time they must be paid for their services.

Urban Organization:

Although many Hârn fans look at the urban militias as being based on the guilds within the city, some of the evidence provided in canon suggests otherwise. Many of the largest cities have a mayor and aldermen as the administrative heads of the community. As the historical evidence above shows, this implies that those cities are most likely divided into administrative districts equal to the number of aldermen in the government. The alderman was the political representative of his ward, quarter, etc and also the nominal leader of the militia that would be raised within his jurisdiction.

On the other hand, other cities do not have aldermen as part of the administrative government which leaves their organization open to speculation. In such cases these cities can still be based on some form of internal division for administrative and/or military purposes. However, it is quite reasonable that these cities represent advancement in militia organization away from the administrative division to a guild oriented one. In regions such as the Thardic Republic administration has been delegated to both a military leader and a civil administrator. In such cases the city may be broken into both military and civil districts; each acting independently.

Smaller towns may have none of the organizations mentioned above and instead commonly fall under the rule of a local lord or official who may have a council of advisors to assist them. In these cases the local ruler controls both administrative and military maters.

Urban Militia Organization:

Administrative Districts:

I feel this is the dominant form used in most Hârnic cities due to the timeframe upon which I base Hârn on.

Cities and/or towns that divide themselves into administrative districts will usually base such districts on gates, towers or a combination of both. When creating administrative districts city officials and/or rulers will attempt to ensure that each district as equal as possible in wealth, manpower, and defensive requirements. In this way the individuals who command or preside over these districts do not have undue influence within the city's political arena.

Each division will theoretically have a force equal to all able-bodied men between the ages of 15 and 60 or approximately one per household. In reality most cities, especially free cities, allowed only long time residents, holders of real estate property within the city, or guildsmen to serve in the city's militia. As a result, this could equal only 1 in three households providing a man to serve in the militia.

Each divisional contingent would have its own banner representing its origin and specialty. These administrative contingents would be called centads and be identified by the name of their district or administrative officer. Within each centad their would be further specialization based on the number of men from specific categories based on wealth; something similar to what Henry III suggested in his assize of 1242. In this way each centad could muster the following elements of varying size: cavalry, medium infantry, light infantry, bowmen (both archers and crossbowmen). Some cities may have even organized a central group of specialist covering areas such as sappers, siege machine engineers, physicians, etc.

In addition to defending the city's walls, each administrative district was responsible for the policing of its own streets. Towards this end the alderman or a designated representative would organize and command the night watch. Up to five men would be selected each night to patrol their specific district's streets three or four times a night. To add some color to this scene you could have the parade around with torches and musicians as was done in a number of documented cases in medieval Europe; not very effective, but very comical when your players come upon such a scene.

Organization by Guilds:

Some members of the Hârnic community may feel this is the more likely form used in most Hârnic cities due to the timeframe they base their Hârn on, if so the composition of forces will be similar but based on guilds instead.

Organizing an urban militia on the guilds of a commune is problematic at best, as the medieval communes discovered during the medieval period. If organized strictly on a guild by guild basis some elements would be in the hundreds while others would barely scratch together a company. In addition, the same equipment requirements based on wealth are often applied in cities using their guilds as the basis for raising a militia. As a result some guilds would be predominantly horse while others would be nothing but lightly armored foot. In a society where the mounted warrior is received as a member of the nobility this too would be cause for concern for the less affluent guilds. Since guilds were also a part of the political process within a city such inequalities would have led to chaos and turmoil if not out right rebellion.

The fix to this problem of equality was to group smaller guilds together, ensuring that each grouping had an adequate mixture of social classes. Thus, the larger guilds would usually form a centad on their own with elements of horse, foot and bowmen under the command of trusted guild officers. The mixed guild centads would also for elements of the same kinds of troops; however, instead of guild officers these groups would hire mercenary captains to lead their contingents. Eventually all guild centads were hiring mercenary leaders to lead and train their troops.

Like the administrative organization above, there were limitations on who could serve. In the case of troops based on guilds only those who were registered members were required to serve. Failure to serve could result in expulsion from the offender's guild. With such an organization though there are numerous men within a city who are not included because they belong to professions that are not enfranchised. Many cities using this method of conscription would address the flaw by grouping all such men into a special centad under the command of a city official or a hired captain.

This type of militia organization was also called on to police their streets. Towards this end, each centad would be assigned a sector of the town to patrol and conduct their patrols as described for the previous organization.

Others:

Not all cities or towns have the population base or social background to organize a militia force in either of the two methods mentioned above. Many of the smaller towns under the rule of feudal lords or Provencal officials are more like extra large villages than towns. These communities form a militia force in the same way as their country cousins. Every man between the age of 15 and 60 turns out with weapons appropriate to their means under the command of their lord or one of his chosen knights and/or officers. At most many of these smaller towns will only be able to provide a couple of companies of mixed spear and bow.

Specific Urban Centers:

Aleath (Chartered Freetown):

• Government: Mayor and 12 Aldermen (civil); Constable and Sheriff (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Erynroth with a garrison of one company of medium foot and one company of light foot archers. They are responsible for patrolling the castle and the town's walls. Although it is not stated, I assume this to means the gates also. The city's streets are patrolled by the city's own militia.
• Population: 1,160 households or approximately 5,800 souls; this includes four outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: I will assume that the presence of the aldermen is a sign that the city itself is partitioned into 12 separate wards. The more affluent wards containing the temples and the homes of the rich also having jurisdiction over one or more of the surrounding suburbs. In addition I will assume that the city's authorities have done their best to see that all of the wards have similar population sizes and close to the same distribution of social classes. With these assumptions in mind each ward should be able to field the following forces if called upon to do so:
  • Available Households per ward: 96
  • Possible social breakdown per ward:
    
    

    Wealthy Residents (MH)	5%
    Wealthy Residents (MF)	15%
    Middle Class Residents (LF)	35%
    Poor Residents (UF)	45%

  Number of troops by type per ward:

  Medium Horse	5
  Medium Foot	15
  Light Foot	35
  Unarmored Foot	45

  Total Militia Forces for Aleath:

  Medium Horse	60
  Medium Foot	180
  Light Foot	420
  Unarmored Foot	540
  Overall Total	1,200

  Of the light and unarmored troops maybe up to 10% maybe bowmen of some kind giving the city's forces about 120 trained bowmen.

Cherafir (Feudal City):

• Government: Lord Warden and 12 Aldermen (civil); King and Lord Constable (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Cherafir with a garrison of two companies of light foot. They are responsible for patrolling the castle and the town's walls. Although it is not stated, I assume this to means the gates also. The Royal Guard of three companies of heavy/medium horse and eight companies of foot may also be present when the king is in residence, although not all of them will be present at the same time; some being dispatched to other parts of the kingdom on special duties. The city's streets are patrolled by the city's own militia.
• Population: 1,400 households or approximately 7,000 souls; this includes the outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: I will assume that the presence of the aldermen is a sign that the city itself is partitioned into 12 separate wards. The more affluent wards containing the temples and the homes of the rich also having jurisdiction over one or more of the surrounding suburbs. In addition I will assume that the city's authorities have done their best to see that all of the wards have similar population sizes and close to the same distribution of social classes. With these assumptions in mind each ward should be able to field the following forces if called upon to do so:
  • Available Households per ward: 116
  • Possible social breakdown per ward:
    
    

    Wealthy Residents (MH)	5%
    Wealthy Residents (MF)	15%
    Middle Class Residents (LF)	35%
    Poor Residents (UF)	45%

  Number of troops by type per ward:

  Medium Horse	5
  Medium Foot	20
  Light Foot	40
  Unarmored Foot	50

  Total Militia Forces for Cherafir:

  Medium Horse	60
  Medium Foot	240
  Light Foot	480
  Unarmored Foot	600
  Overall Total	1,380

  Of the light and unarmored troops maybe up to 10% maybe bowmen of some kind giving the city's forces about 140 trained bowmen.

Coranan (Republican City):

• Government: Senate, Prefect and Judge Advocate (civil); Senate, Warden and Red Guard (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Coranan with a garrison of eight companies of the Red Guard. They are responsible for patrolling the castle, town walls and policing the city streets in addition to protecting the senators.
• Population: 2,500 households or approximately 12,500 souls; this includes the outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: It appears the city does not have an organized militia. This may be due to paranoia on the part of the senate and a fear that the populace may rise against them. Instead the city is protected by the Read Guard and its eight companies or 160 men. In an emergency the city could call upon any reserve and retired legionnaires residing in the city, maybe something like 1 in every three households for a total of about 850 trained men. Chances are the city maintains an armory for such a contingency.

Golotha (Chartered Freetown):

• Government: Heptarchial Council; King and Lord Constable (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Chaftar with a garrison of two companies of Royal Guards. They are responsible for patrolling the castle's walls. A Royal Guard of two companies will also be present when the king is in residence. The city's streets are patrolled by the city's own militia.
• Population: 1,240 households or approximately 6,200 souls; this includes the outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: There is no organism in place within the city of Golotha, a significant oversight caused by the constant internal political strife that threatens to destroy the city on a daily basis. Instead the city is protected and policed by a variety of private guard forces, each with its own agenda. The main police force for the city being the Warriors of Mamaka. This particular force is the most feared of all the forces in the city and is also the personal guard of the Agrikan primate. The order provides four octads to patrol the city, each octad consisting of eight dismounted knights for a total of 32 dismounted knights.

Shiran (Republican City):

• Government: Provencal Magistrate and 6 Aldermen (civil); Provencal Marshall (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Shira with a garrison of three companies of legionnaires. They are responsible for patrolling the castle, town walls and policing the city streets.
• Population: 780 households or approximately 3,900 souls; this includes the outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: I will assume that the presence of the aldermen is a sign that the city itself is partitioned into 6 separate wards. The more affluent wards containing the temples and the homes of the rich also having jurisdiction over one or more of the surrounding suburbs. In addition I will assume that the city's authorities have done their best to see that all of the wards have similar population sizes and close to the same distribution of social classes. With these assumptions in mind each ward should be able to field the following forces if called upon to do so:
  • Available Households per ward: 130
  • Possible social breakdown per ward:
    
    

    Wealthy Residents (MH)	5%
    Wealthy Residents (MF)	15%
    Middle Class Residents (LF)	35%
    Poor Residents (UF)	45%

  Number of troops by type per ward:

  Medium Horse	5
  Medium Foot	20
  Light Foot	45
  Unarmored Foot	60

  Total Militia Forces for Shiran:

  Medium Horse	30
  Medium Foot	120
  Light Foot	270
  Unarmored Foot	360
  Overall Total	780

  Of the light and unarmored troops maybe up to 10% maybe bowmen of some kind giving the city's forces about 80 trained bowmen.

Tashal (Feudal City):

• Government: King and 12 Aldermen (civil); King, Constable and Sheriff (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Elend with a garrison of two companies of light foot. They are responsible for patrolling the castle and the town's walls. Although it is not stated, I assume this to means the gates also. The Royal Guard of two companies of heavy/medium horse and four companies of foot may also be present when the king is in residence, although not all of them will be present at the same time; some being dispatched to other parts of the kingdom on special duties. The city's streets are patrolled by the city's own militia.
• Population: 2,280 households or approximately 11,400 souls; this includes four outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: I will assume that the presence of the aldermen is a sign that the city itself is partitioned into 12 separate wards. The more affluent wards containing the temples and the homes of the rich also having jurisdiction over one or more of the surrounding suburbs. In addition I will assume that the city's authorities have done their best to see that all of the wards have similar population sizes and close to the same distribution of social classes. With these assumptions in mind each ward should be able to field the following forces if called upon to do so:
  • Available Households per ward: 190
  • Possible social breakdown per ward:
    
    

    Wealthy Residents (MH)	5%
    Wealthy Residents (MF)	15%
    Middle Class Residents (LF)	35%
    Poor Residents (UF)	45%

  Number of troops by type per ward:

  Medium Horse	10
  Medium Foot	30
  Light Foot	65
  Unarmored Foot	85

  Total Militia Forces for Tashal:

  Medium Horse	120
  Medium Foot	360
  Light Foot	780
  Unarmored Foot	1,020
  Overall Total	2,280

  Of the light and unarmored troops maybe up to 10% maybe bowmen of some kind giving the city's forces about 230 trained bowmen.

Thay (Chartered Freetown):

• Government: Lord Mayor and 10 Aldermen (civil); Lord Mayor and Lord Warden (military).
• Regular Military Forces: Caer Arien with a garrison of two companies of light foot. They are responsible for patrolling the castle and the town's walls. Although it is not stated, I assume this to means the gates also. The city's streets are patrolled by the city's own militia.
• Population: 840 households or approximately 4,200 souls; this includes outlying suburbs surrounding the city.
• Militia: I will assume that the presence of the aldermen is a sign that the city itself is partitioned into 10 separate wards. The more affluent wards containing the temples and the homes of the rich also having jurisdiction over one or more of the surrounding suburbs. In addition I will assume that the city's authorities have done their best to see that all of the wards have similar population sizes and close to the same distribution of social classes. With these assumptions in mind each ward should be able to field the following forces if called upon to do so:
  • Available Households per ward: 84
  • Possible social breakdown per ward:
    
    

    Wealthy Residents (MH)	5%
    Wealthy Residents (MF)	15%
    Middle Class Residents (LF)	35%
    Poor Residents (UF)	45%

  Number of troops by type per ward:

  Medium Horse	5
  Medium Foot	15
  Light Foot	30
  Unarmored Foot	40

  Total Militia Forces for Thay:

  Medium Horse	50
  Medium Foot	150
  Light Foot	300
  Unarmored Foot	400
  Overall Total	900

  Of the light and unarmored troops maybe up to 10% maybe bowmen of some kind giving the city's forces about 90 trained bowmen.