Dating of Churburg #13 and the armour of the CoTT

For those of us who wish to talk about the many styles and facets of recreating Medieval armed combat.
Post Reply
User avatar
Glaukos the Athenian
Archive Member
Posts: 10605
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 10:32 am
Location: In the front line of the Atlantian phalanx...

Dating of Churburg #13 and the armour of the CoTT

Post by Glaukos the Athenian »

I know, this is like dropping a flash bang in a room and leaving, but most "experts" seem to suggest that the Churburg 13 "kit" is no earlier than 1380.

Still, the kits from the illustrations of Froissart look "later" and suggest that #13 could be of earlier date than that normally attributed to it.

If this is the case, most of the armor worn in the CoTT (including some of my own) is actually way too late for the event it is meant to represent/honor/recreate/etc/

Can anyone contribute with some solid dating points for the STYLE of Churburg 13 (it could have been built later in a "traditional" style but surely not earlier than the "type")


There is a great suit of 14th century transitional armour of Italian make found in a Greek Island... it escapes me.... Chalcis!
http://www.gonderzone.org/Library/Armour/chalcis.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/802254989/

Which is being dated to 1400 and closer to Churburg 13 in style.

Are we dressing "too late" for the CoTT which happened 50 years earlier in 1351? (as in dressing up like Doughboys to recreate Gettysburg?)
Glaukos the Athenian
Squire to Sir Guy Lestrange

Benedictus dominus Deus meus, qui docet manus meas ad proelium, et digitos meos ad bellum.
User avatar
Galvyn Lockhart
Archive Member
Posts: 1384
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Nutley, NJ

Re: Dating of Churburg #13 and the armour of the CoTT

Post by Galvyn Lockhart »

Greetings Glaukos -

To answer your question re: the CoTT. As long as it can be dated to the 14th century, anytime in the 14th century, it is acceptable to the CoTT.

As far as I understand it, the CoTT @ Pennsic was never meant to be a re-enactment of the historical deed w/ arms & armour being documented to such a narrow stretch of history. The CoTT was conceived as a tournament that can be fought w/ more period conditions (counted blows w/ mass weapons to *stun* i/o *kill*, single handed swords largely ineffective, etc.) while remaining SCA legal. Oh, and a great place to pimp the greatness of the 14th century. :wink:

However, Hugh Knight / Rhys would be the authority to confirm this. It was his brain child.

So if it can be documented anywhere in the 14th century, be it early, middle, or late, it's all good in the CoTT.

I believe "the Deed" at Gulf Wars actually does have a more stringent date set for later 14th C. for that tournament.
Galvyn Lockhart
KSCA / KMSR
MKA - John Mertz
----------------------------------------------------
... like a monster crossing the Hudson River.
Post Reply