How fast could a medieval army march?

If anything, for a medieval army of conscripts, fresh from a successful battle, with a long supply-train moving off of the main roads, 12 miles per day is actually quite fast. Large armies with lots of wagons often strayed into single-digit marching speeds.

How far did ancient armies march in a day?

The average for a march was between 8 and 13 miles per day, with 20 or more miles being more exhausting and less frequent. Also, the armies usually walked less after a battle, unless in retreat or in pursuit.

What is the most successful army in history?

According to British historian Niall Ferguson, France is the most successful military power in history. The French participated in 50 of the 125 major European wars that have been fought since 1495; more than any other European state.

How far could Roman legions march in a day?

IIRC the Roman Army had hit its sweet spot at a 15-mile (~25km) march a day. They’d force march on occasion, but this was rarely before battle. They wanted their soldiers rested before battle.

How far would an average medieval army travel in a day?

All this scrounging took time, and prevented consistent movement, as no medieval army had sufficient carriage for more than a couple of days of food, before they had to go scrounging again. Realistically, you’re looking at 10-15 miles per day on average, over standard terrain. In wet weather, you’d be lucky to move 5 miles per day.

How long can an army march for?

I am talking about long term marching – a couple of weeks or months in a row. There are lots of cases when an army sprinted to be a specific point in time. They are famous – just not typical. On a good (probably Roman) road, an army would be able to travel about three miles an hour for about 8 hours.

How far did a medieval merchant travel in a day?

The merchant could do between thirty-five and forty miles a day, travelling only in daylight hours, if his merchandise was light and easily carried on one horse. Freight services, such as commonly transported wine in England or travelled the alpine passes with goods from Italy for the fairs of Champagne, were among the slowest of all traffic.

Is long-distance overland travel in medieval times an adventure?

If by “medieval” the question really means the European Middle Ages, say around 1200, then long-distance overland travel is an adventure in itself.