Even if avoiding 'nationalist', which is a bit anachronistic for the period, we can note that strong 'national feelings' against invaders made possible the creation of large and reliable militia during 17th century, in Piedmont against the French and in Portugal against the Spanish. Both Duchy of Savoy, later Piedmont, and Kingdom of Portugal, used the mass mobilization as reinforcement for regular army and as a deterrent of invasion by much more powerful and rich neighbor.