Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Petty warfare
(741 words)

1. Definition and characteristics

Petite guerre (petty warfare) in the 18th and 19th centuries denoted all forms of hostilities and military action that took place outside the closed formations of linear tactics and enclosed camps and fortifications. During the Age of Absolutism (18th century), petty warfare was closely associated with the deployment of groups of light cavalry infantry, special formations that initially existed independent of regular forces (Military). T…

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Rink, Martin, “Petty warfare”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 02 December 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_022294>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20200721



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