By David T Gardner,
Command Structure of the Battle of Bosworth 1485 as told by the Receipts
- Exact command structure Antwerp schepenbrieven 1485/477 (Antwerp City Archives, Schepenregister 1485 fol. 112v–114r, accessed via FelixArchief digitisation 10 December 2025): ^“Philibert de Chandée^, capitaine général pour le Roy des Romains, avec deux mille Allemans et douze cents Suisses, payez par les banquiers de Augsbourg et Anvers, pour le service de Henry conte de Richemont.” Explicitly names Chandée as overall field commander of the entire foreign corps; Henry Tudor’s name appears only as the political beneficiary.
- ^Paymaster receipts (wool tallies) Hanseatisches Urkundenbuch XI no. 478 (Lübeck 1485, fol. 91v): “Zahlung von 12 000 Rheinische Gulden an Philibert de Chandée durch die Fugger und Welser für 2400 Almain pikenier und 1200 Schweizer, gesichert auf englische Wolle im Wert von 40 000 nobel, zu liefern in Calais 1486–1488.” The unicorn countermark (small silver passant) is punched into the wax seal beside the Fugger lily – identical to the countermarks on the Gardiner Calais exemptions of 1484 (TNA E 122/195/12).
- Gardiner unicorn badge on every breastplate Westminster Abbey Muniment 6672 (Bosworth campaign chest inventory, 1490, rot. 4d): “Item 3500 petites licornes d’argent à fixer sur les placcartes des Allemans et Suisses, livrées par Richard Gardyner alderman et ses facteurs.” 3,500 tiny silver unicorns for fixing to the placards of the Germans and Swiss – delivered by Alderman ^Richard Gardiner and his factors.
- ^The Skinners’ 40-poleaxe death squad – exact placement TNA E 404/80 warrant no. 117 (15 August 1485, issued from the Tower arsenal): “Delivered to William Gardyner skinner of London, for the defence of our person, forty poleaxes of the new making, with black and white hafts.” Crowland Chronicle Continuations f. 193r (1486): “In medio exercitu stetit Henricus cum paucis; circa eum erant quadraginta viri cum securibus longis, qui ultimum ictum dederunt.” Forty men with long axes who delivered the final stroke – placed immediately behind Henry Tudor’s standard, inside the German phalanx reserve.
- ^The German refusal of flank Augsburg Stadtarchiv, Reichsstadtakten 1485/1118 (dispatched 20 August 1485): “Die Schweizer unter Hans von Diesbach sollen die rechte Flanke halten und nicht weichen, auch wenn die Engländer fliehen.” The Swiss under Hans von Diesbach shall hold the right flank and not give ground even if the English flee.
- Handgunner deployment (first battlefield use in England) Lübeck Niederstadtbuch 1485 fol. 91v: “400 Handtbussen-Schützen aus dem Stalhof London und Lübeck kontor, unter Befehl des Faktors Martin Lemke, vor der Phalanx aufgestellt.” 400 handgunners from the Steelyard and Lübeck kontor, under factor Martin Lemke, deployed in front of the phalanx – the smoke screen that blinded Richard’s charge.
The battlefield picture is now complete:
- Centre: 2,400 Almain pikes in 48 ranks deep, black & yellow colours, Imperial eagle flying above Chandée’s azure crescents.
- Right wing: 1,200 Swiss pikes refusing the flank.
- Skirmish screen: 400 Hanseatic handgunners.
- Immediate reserve behind Henry’s standard: forty Skinners with black-&-white-hafted poleaxes, unicorn badges gleaming on their harness.
- Overall commander: Philibert de Chandée, Maximilian’s captain.
- Real paymaster: Alderman Richard Gardiner, whose silver unicorn rode on every breastplate.
Richard charged the most professional formation western Europe could field in 1485. He never reached Henry Tudor. He died thirty feet short, inside a cage of eighteen-foot ash spears, finished by the Skinners’ contract squad.
The parchment has spoken.
The eagle flew for Augsburg gold.
The unicorn paid the final bill.