The Armour Archive

chef de chambre

Regarding the Charles V garment...... Are you positive it is seperate tubes stuffed? The channels between the ridges don't give the appearence of it being that way (a mere two layers of cloth sewn together verticaly, and then stuffed). The stuffing and quilting method I am espousing can be done with...

chef de chambre

Well, The "tube" side may be unconvincable, but an examination of surviving medieval padding - to whit, two bascinet liners in the Churburg. Three sallets ditto, one close helmet ditto, plus the Black Prince 'Cote Armour', and the solitary survivng late 15th century jack (plus the late 15th century ...

chef de chambre

Hi Gordon, Well, it looks like a rather 'typical' bit of cobbled together late 16th century munition armour to me. The breastplate, morion and tassets look best (the metal looks 'old', not distressed newer metal), the laminated arms look reasonable, although there may be modern replacement bits. The...

chef de chambre

Hi Clermont, OK, looking at this rationaly, while Swiss nobles (yes, there were a precious few with almost no power whatsoever) might possibly take part in a Pas, there is no logical reason for a Swiss pikeman to be there, the fellow would be off herding cows, goats, or working in a shop in a town. ...

chef de chambre

..... A nice 19th century take on the 1798 Feinian (Actually, United Ireland - with as many Protestants as Catholics, much of the leadership were proddies) uprising. 'Bonnie Charlies Noo Awa' , it is in no way, shape, or form 'period'. The funny thing is that there are some 'late period' 'fighting s...

chef de chambre

Hi Guys, It all depends. Many lance rests are permanently attatched but flip up, many are attatched with a staple & pin arrangement. You can fight wearing them, but I wouldn't go so far to say they didn't hinder a mite. Consider, when the rest comes in, the lance is making a comeback as a field weap...

chef de chambre

Hi Rhys, You know, it's the tone of your posts like the tail end of this last one that lead to disgruntled individuals thinking the worst of you. I am not now, nor do I ever play "games" concerning research. Unlike many, my concern regarding armour is to actually study the damned stuff, not to find ...

chef de chambre

Sir Rhys, Here is one, from Chaucer 860: And next his sherte an aketoun, 861: And over that an haubergeoun 862: For percynge of his herte; 863: And over that a fyn hawberk, As Chaucer actually filled a Military role during at least one of Edward III's campaigns, and was in combat, captured, and rans...

chef de chambre

Hi All, If you see that helmet with raised visor, it is clearly a barbute. I believe early 15th century. There is a similar example in the Musee l'Armee, which has a very pointed bowl. Barbuts with visors are extremely unusual, in fact I think there is only one extant example. ------------------ Bob...

chef de chambre

Hi FrauHirsch, It was a rarity for women to be combatants, but it did happen No reasonable scholar I know of doubts this. There is the example of the woman who's name escapes me, but who served as a soldier disguised, was discovered to be a woman(this occued in the 1440's), and when exposed played a...

chef de chambre

Hi All, My kit weighs in at maybe a little less than 70 lbs, including mail standard and brayette. My leg harness is probably 5 lbs in total heavier than it ought be (it was made by an excellent armourer, but one working in mild and used to fighting with rebated steel). My armet weighs in a little l...

chef de chambre

Can't address fighting SCA with them, but historically, these weapons were not 4' along the business end. Even proper 'greatswords' of 15th century vintage, whilst two-handed in grip, rarely exceed 3' of blade. A four foot mace or warhammer is as authentic as 'studded leather' or elf ears. ---------...

chef de chambre

Hi Amalric, I am sure you could make either helmet the correct shape, and make whatever 'additions' are necessary to get either to 'pass'. The shape is a function of the skill of the armourer rather than the legality of the helmet, it is the often unfortunately frankenstien-esque additions to the he...

chef de chambre

Oh, Absolutely - just post 1745. I can chronicle the course of the Jacobite rebellions through Jacobite songs, from 1688 - 1745, without missing any significant event. Want to know Billy of Oranges popular song though as well. If you want a 15th century (English) war song, there is the Agincourt car...

chef de chambre

Nope,

You look cooler Steve. The guy in harness is in an obviously posed shot. You on the other hand look more natural, like a guy riding around his masters estates, or a brother on pilgrimage. I think you look a little more 'Medieval' for what it's worth.

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Bob R.

chef de chambre

Sir Rhys is correct in that no scholar thinks Shires or other draught animals closely resemble a Medieval destrier, or a courser. That said, the principle argument put forward by most people for the 'shortness' of Medieval war mounts centers on Anne Hylands books, and the MoL book on the Medieval ho...

chef de chambre

..... Well, 'Bonnie Charlie' exists - I'm surprised you don't know it - Bonnie Tearlaich's noo awa Saftly o'er the freindly main Mony a heart shall break in twa should ye no come back again (Chorus) Wull ye no come back again? Wull ye no come back again? Better loved, ye ne'r can be Wull ye no come ...

chef de chambre

I don't know how many of you noticed, but there in plain view is indisputable evidence of 15th century wedge tents. Not double bell wedges, but plain old one step up from a pup-tent wedges. That is the first solid evidence I have seen for a wedge tent or an A-Frame in the late middle ages. I had arg...

chef de chambre

For the record, My own opinion regarding the evolution of the mounted man-at-arms. A preponderance of evidence points to him being the dominant force on the Medieval battlefield from the late 11th century through the 13th centuries. There are occasional accounts of dismounted actions, but the vast m...

chef de chambre

Sieur Raymond, You are not going to get the chance for a one-on-one in the middle of a battle. Cavalry acted in units of men. The comparison of ones and twos attacking each other in these situations is ludicrous. The whole point of a charge of heavy cavalry is to deliver a massive shock in a close o...

chef de chambre

Hi All, Bascot, I think most of the people who argue that a solitary man can somehow fight off cavalrymen with ease by themselve, rather than being in a body of disciplined troops just don't know much about horses, the sort of training that went into making a courser or destrier, or have never seen ...

chef de chambre

No,

You are indeed seeing things. You are looking at an illumination of a hunting party of Philip the Bold, and only in the vaugest possible sense of the word do the hats in question resemble cowboy hats.

You wanted to know.

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Bob R.

chef de chambre

But Sir Rhys, There hasn't really been a single scientific experiment replicating any of the conditions of a 14th century battlefield or the defensive equipmenrt used, or using bow use in the fashion it was known to have been used in those circumstances. All the tests have been flawed, usually direc...

chef de chambre

Sir Hugh, I think it behooves us doubt *everything* written in period; their track record for reporting things accurately is *terrible*, especially when it's someone's enemy writing it. They may well have wanted her to sound more rational than she was. The...

chef de chambre

Hi Sir Rhys, Regarding knowing what Joan of Arc said, we do indeed know. The entire transcript of her trial exists word for word, and the transcript was made by her enemies. It was an ecclesiastical court, and in essence they had a stenographer. In the end, we have her own words. You are in essence ...

chef de chambre

Hi All Even as an Anglophile of thoroughly English descent, I am still appalled by some peoples continued bashing of Joan of Arc. As for not knowing a lot about her - nothing could be further from the truth. We know more about Joan than any other Medieval woman, and we have gobs of documentation as ...

chef de chambre

I should add, yes, that is a copy of an actual historic piece that is still extant, instead of blathering away about one of my favorite armets.

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Bob R.

chef de chambre

Hi Amalric, It is either in the Royal Armouries (best bet) or the Wallace collection. It is circa 1490 by the concealed hinges and the developed chin (I have seen it dated to 1460 in an old publication, but this is erronious after the data unearthed by Lionello Boccia in the 70's and 80's regarding ...

chef de chambre

Emrys,

This is your "dream armour", it can be whatever you want it to be, with money no object. It doesn't depend on you making it!

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Bob R.

chef de chambre

Hi Hjalmr, <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Asbjorn Johansen wrote: <<< Haljmr, Do you feel the events that you (and many others) label as wars, recreate the feel of medieval warfar? >>> Yes, I do. Dozens of Arrows flying through ...

chef de chambre

Hi Winterfell, In general, there are two forms of combat practised in LH & reenactment groups - neither of which would meet Sir Rhys's approval http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/wink.gif WoR federation and most English reenactment rules use 'blunts' and restrict targets, and in general they have a re...

chef de chambre

Hi All, Actually. Mounted Rene of Anjou style club tourneys is one of my goals - the full deal with the object of dismembering your opponents crest. I thik it would be lots of fun, and not particulary 'dangerous' (assuming proper equipment)- certainly not to the point of full contact jousting. This ...

chef de chambre

Hi All, Again, not a SCAdian, but perhaps my distance can shed some useful light. IMHO, the best, brightest possible thing for the SCA (if the desire is for more authenticity) is to encourage and cultivate the tournament companies. With the rules written the way they are, the best historic represent...

chef de chambre

Hi Rorick, Sorry, but you are wrong regarding English war arrow shafts. They were, according to a number of royal warrants existing across the span of their use by the English as combat weapons, made out of ash. Ash has the required flex, and being a hardwood is denser. As they put it themselves in ...

chef de chambre

Hi Sir Rhys, Check out the Bibliotheque Nationales online exhibit "The Age of Charles the VI". A large number of the miniatures are from Louis de Bruge's copy of Froissart, which was illustrated in 1468 in Bruge. In the scenes of Siege warfare, you will see examples. As to the Master of WA engraving...