Thread by @LandsknechtPike

One of the things that made historic European kingdoms and empires so powerful was their ability to learn from their defeats very quickly and come back stronger immediately. It was not rare in European history that the greatest days would come after the most bitter defeats!

This is why I'm also optimistic about the future. Europeans never get defeated, they learn lessons instead! What Europe is experiencing right now is a painful lesson, but people will learn a lot from it and come back stronger and wiser. Learn history and you will see what happens

For example Gonzalo de Cordoba and his Spanish forces humiliated at Seminara in First Italian War. Learns from it, comes back with a totally new pike and shot tactic that ensures Spanish dominance for 150 years.

Swedish forces destroyed in embarrassing fashion by Polish at Kircholm in 1605, Gustavus Adolphus becomes king in 1611, learns from this defeat and starts a period of Swedish dominance and might.

Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I had atrociously bad military campaigns against Swiss and in Italy. But after he died in 1519 came a glorious era of Imperial Habsburg military feats with the victory at Pavia and Habsburg-Ottoman wars.

The French losing in devastating fashion at Sluys, Crecy, Agincourt... Still end up winning the war and become a superpower. Crusaders annihilated at Hattin, win spectacular battles in the Third Crusade that followed right after.

Hungary and Poland crushed by Mongols in the first invasion, but the second time they were prepared and pushed Mongols back like nothing, and entered an era of splendor and might in next centuries.

Also you can go back to the Romans. Devastating loss at Cannae, one of the worst defeats in history. The Romans come back to win the war anyway! Crazy!

Battle of Keresztes 1596 another learning lesson when Habsburg forces lost to the Ottomans after winning because the troops started looting the Ottoman camp and left themselves vulnerable. At Zenta 1697, Eugene of Savoy made it clear no looting of enemy camp until he allowed it.

Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas gets crushed by the Mongol Golden Horde at Vorskla River, uses the same tactics Mongols used to win the battle at Grunwald together with the Polish against the Teutonic Order.