The battle plans in the 17th century on the example of the 'ordres de bataille' album by Eric Dahlbergh. Research model proposal.

The article presents an original analytical method applied to 253 seventeenth-century battle plans (orders of battle) from Eric Jönsson Dahlbergh’s "Ordres de bataille" album, a collection gifted to King Charles XI of Sweden. It examines key features such as symmetry, depth (throws and lines), width-to-depth ratios, cavalry-to-infantry arrangements, and the use of intervals and higher-order formations in both combat and non-combat settings. Findings indicate that most formations were symmetrical or nearly so, with battle plans showing more asymmetry likely due to tactical considerations; typical formations averaged two to three throws and two to six lines, with a width-to-depth ratio around 7:1 by mid-century. Cavalry and infantry positioning varied among classical, almost classical, and mixed types, with intervals commonly used but less so in battle plans than in training or parade formations. This comprehensive quantitative characterization of 17th-century European military arrays offers a new framework for understanding their development and provides a basis for further research into early modern warfare.