After the Peace of Westphalia, several German states developed a disciplined military that produced outstanding armies and Germany supplied mercenary troops to many major, and minor, powers across Europe, and the military-state, usually exemplified by Prussia, became a crucial part of German history.

Germany, however, was apparently weak and was internally divided into a multitude of states that constantly faced a hostile environment formed by the belligerent 'great powers'. Moreover, the German 'military' was the result of a system of collective security and internal conflict and resolution that allowed a rich variety of political traditions to coexist relatively harmoniously. This system tried to preserve Germany against formidable attacks without making it a danger to the security of its neighbors. In contrast to the political culture of later German states, that of the 'Reich' was inherently defensive, preferring peace to war in both domestic politics and external relations. This study deals, for the first time in English, with the armies of the States of the German Empire, using unpublished iconography and significant primary research in numerous archives across Germany.

This first part examines the military development of German Armies in the aftermath of the Thirty Years' War and looks in detail at the armies of Brandenburg, Bavaria, Saxony and the Prince-Bishopric of Münster. The book is lavishly illustrated and has specially commissioned art work produced from extensive research by the author.