Circulation of Military Knowledge

The French and Danish Military Reforms of Comte De Saint-Germain in the Late 18th Century

Bibliographic Data

ID5852797
AuthorsHanna Helena Sonkajärvi (0000-0001-5017-3792, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, corresponding author)
Year2024
Issue38
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAlmanack (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2236-4633 • E-ISSN: 2236-4633
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/2236-463338ea00324
OpenAlexW4406345480
SCIELO_PIDS2236-46332024000300503
LanguageEN
References cited14

Count Claude-Louis-Robert von Saint-Germain’s (1707-1778) sweeping military reforms became the subject of massive resistance from officers and the public at large in both Denmark and France in the late 18th century. His French (1775-1777) and Danish (1762-1767) military reforms stood at the junction of two paradoxical ideals which preoccupied French military thinkers in the second half of the 18th century: on the one hand, there was an increasing awareness within the army that the military needed to be professionalized; however, this was not to lead to an equal treatment of all nobles, or of all military personnel within the army. On the other, the professionalization discourse stood against the ideal of the French soldier as a patriot serving his country out of vocation rather than professional interest. Indeed, Saint-Germain’s ideas and political program had much broader implications than the mere transformation of the army. This paper contrasts the image of Saint-Germain and his politics in the eyes of his contemporaries and in the historiography with his own writings and ordinances, from the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) to his renouncement as French Secretary of War in 1777

Ancient history · Art · Art history · Circulation (fluid dynamics · Danish · Humanities · Mechanics · Physics · SAINT · Historical Studies on Spain · History · Philosophy

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