17th and 18th century decline in Western Europe The advent of wheellock technology spelled the end of the lance in Western Europe, with newer types of heavy cavalry such as reiters and cuirassiers spurning the old one-use weapon and increasingly supplanting the older gendarme type Medieval cavalry. While many Renaissance captains such as Sir Roger Williams continued to espouse the virtues of the lance, many such as François de la Noue openly encouraged its abandonment in the face of the pistol's greater armor piercing power, handiness and greater general utility. At the same time the adoption of pike and shot tactic by most infantry forces would neuter much of the power of the lancer's breakneck charge, making them a non-cost effective type of military unit due to their expensive horses in comparison to cuirassiers and reiters, who usually charging only at a trot could make do with lower quality mounts. After the success of pistol-armed Huguenot heavy horse against their Royalist counterparts during the French Wars of Religion, most Western European powers started rearming their lancers with pistols, initially as an adjunct weapon and eventually as a replacement, with the Spanish retaining the lance the longest.
17th and 18th century decline in western europe the advent of wheellock technology spelled the end of the lance in western europe with newer types of heavy cavalry such as reiters and cuirassiers spurning the old one-use weapon and increasingly supplanting the older gendarme type medieval cavalry while many renaissance captains such as sir roger williams continued to espouse the virtues of the lance many such as françois de la noue openly encouraged its abandonment in the face of the pistol's greater armor piercing power handiness and greater general utility at the same time the adoption of pike and shot tactic by most infantry forces would neuter much of the power of the lancer's breakneck charge making them a non-cost effective type of military unit due to their expensive horses in comparison to cuirassiers and reiters who usually charging only at a trot could make do with lower quality mounts after the success of pistol-armed huguenot heavy horse against their royalist counterparts during the french wars of religion most western european powers started rearming their lancers with pistols initially as an adjunct weapon and eventually as a replacement with the spanish retaining the lance the longest