Commission of array facts for kids

A commission of array was like a special order given by English kings and queens a long time ago. This order told important people, usually soldiers or nobles, in a certain area to gather all the able-bodied men. Their job was to make sure these men were ready for war, like checking their weapons and training them. Sometimes, the officers who did this were called arrayers.

History of Commissions of Array

These special orders came from a very old idea that all free men had a duty to protect their land. The people chosen to lead these commissions were often experienced soldiers. They were appointed by the king or queen to gather men from each "shire" (which is like a county today).

By the time of the Wars of the Roses (a series of wars in England), getting soldiers this way became less common. Kings started to rely more on troops hired through special agreements called "indentures."

Medieval Examples

Gathering Troops for King Henry IV (1403)

In October 1403, King Henry IV used a Commission of Array. He needed to raise an army quickly because Owain Glyndŵr was leading a rebellion in Wales. Glyndŵr had even captured Newport Castle.

The king sent this order from Gloucester. It told important local leaders to gather all the men who could fight, both on foot and on horseback. They had to bring these men, fully armed, to Chepstowe. From there, they would go with the king or his commander to Wales to fight the rebels. The men also had to bring enough food for four days. The order even allowed them to take horses from people who couldn't fight and give them to those who could fight but didn't have a horse.

Protecting St. Michael's Mount (1473)

Another example happened in 1473. A commission was sent to several knights and gentlemen in Cornwall. Their task was to gather the king's loyal subjects (people) from Cornwall and nearby areas. They needed to fight against rebels who had taken over St. Michael's Mount, a famous island castle. Their goal was to take the mount back for the king and then make sure it was kept safe and defended.

Commissions During the English Civil War

Even though commissions of array were very old-fashioned by the 1600s, King Charles I brought them back in 1642. This was at the very beginning of the English Civil War.

King Charles used these commissions without asking Parliament first. He did this because Parliament had also made its own order, called the Militia Ordinance, without the king's approval. Both the king and Parliament were trying to get control of the existing local armies (called militias) and raise more soldiers.

The king's Commission of Array aimed to gather an army for the Royalists (supporters of the king). Important nobles and gentlemen from each county were chosen as commissioners. They were usually people who had a lot of influence over the local population.

These commissioners would go to towns and publicly read out the king's order. Often, people in the towns didn't like these new royal orders. They worried that the king was trying to control them too much. People who opposed the king said that the Commission of Array showed that the king, not Parliament, was actually starting the war.

Commissioners in Devon (1642)

In the county of Devon, 28 commissioners were appointed on July 19, 1642. Some of these important people included:

• Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath
• Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester
• Sir John Acland, 1st Baronet

See also

• Posse comitatus (a similar idea where people could be called to help law enforcement)