Medieval Weapons

On the parched ground of the Middle East in early fall, 1096, a lone European knight walked among thousands of dead bodies.   He had been away from his post for days searching for  20,000  Crusaders  who had been called to accept the crusader’s cross by Pope Urban to rescue the Holy Land from the Saracens.   What he found in the desert sickened him.  The stench from the thousands of dead bodies was so nauseating  that he threw up. 

He walked among the dead and to his dismay found not one man alive.  He determined from the decaying bodies that this was the army on which so many hopes had been placed.  He was surprised that the weapons that were lying beside the dead were mostly sling shots, flails and maces.  There were a few Crusader shields among the bodies, and a few Medieval battle swords of that time.  He wondered why there were so few weapons, and he quickly realized why they were doomed.  He wondered if the rag-tag crew lying in the hot desert sun was the best that Europe would offer to save Jerusalem. 

He continued to trudge through the bodies, and he suddenly viewed the cloak of a Monk, and beside the holy man’s decaying body, there lay a scroll.  He unrolled the document, and began to read of the disastrous crusade of Peter the Hermit. 

“I joined Peter, a fellow monk who spoke with such inspiration that I knew that we could save this land for God.  Pope Urban issued the call to crusade and we answered.  Our recruits were not the rich knights with mighty arms; our crusaders were the poor and disadvantaged who desired to escape their sordid existence and do the Lord’s work.  They had few arms, but what they could make themselves or their flails which they used as farm implements.  But what we lacked in wealth and arms we made up for in devotion.  We knew that God would bless us.  I must admit that some of our recruits did not come here with the best intentions, because they have stolen and murdered even from their comrades.   I must say however, that for the most part our band of farmers, peasants and the disadvantaged have attempted to fight like the devoted Christians that they are.   We did well until we reached Nicaea; we sacked the city of the Seljuk, one of the major cities of the Turks.  We moved a few miles from the city in the hopes of securing a castle for a headquarters.  Then we saw a large contingent of troops in the distance.  We determined that they were Saracens with their mighty swords and swift horses.  I fear we will die soon.  We are no match for them.  They have surrounded us, and we have been here for days.  We are starving to death and there is no hope.  God wills that we die here.”

The knight wondered if ever again Christian pilgrims would subject themselves to such a disastrous result.  Would Crusaders ever free the Holy Land? 

The polearm is one of the oldest and most versatile of weapons throughout the ages. The modern definition of a polearm is a weapon with a blade or pointed tip attached to a long shalf. Prehistoric man likely was the first to use a sharpened long stick to slay his dinner, or his neighbor. 

Rome also developed a very effective polearm.  The pilium, a very sharp spear, was used effectively against the Celts.  The development of this weapon was one of the reasons Rome was successful in conquering a large part of the world.

Various types of this weapon gained prominence in the Medieval and Renaissance eras in Europe and elsewhere.  They were a means of dealing with cavalry; the foot soldier’s reach was extended to allow him to attack a mounted opponent while avoiding the blade of the knight’s sword. 

The classic models of the European polearms were the pike and the halderb. First appearing in the l4th century the halderb was a very versatile weapon.  It was usually a little over 5 feet long and had a spiked top that was useful for keeping mounted knights at bay.  It also had a hook that could be used to pull him from the saddle, and an axe head that could penetrate his armor.

The pike was a simple spear like weapon that had a metal head attached to a wooden shaft.  It came into use in the twelfth  century as a defensive weapon again cavalry.  The Swiss, however, turned the simple spear into an offensive weapon by employing a phalnx-like infantry formation.  From this formation they were able to use pikes as long as 22 and a half feet.  This strategy employing a simple spear allowed them to become the premier fighting force of the fourteenth century. 

In other parts of the world, the spear or pike was also widely used.  Samurai warriors are most often associated with the sword, but in battle they were supported by foot soldiers who used the yari (spears).  Perhaps the greatest spearmen in history are the Zulu warriors of Southern Africa.  Their military units, called impis, were armed with the short assegai spear.  They were able to conquer most of the region in the early nineteenth century.

The common soldier was the part of the military that used the polearm.  From prehistoric times to today, these are the warriors that shape our world.

Claymore is a term derived from the Gaelic “claidheamohmor,” meaning “great sword.” It was first used to describe the large cross-hilted broadsword used in the Scottish Highlands and by Scottish mercenaries in Ireland from the late 15th century to the early 17th century.  In its classic form, the claymore consisted of a straight, broad, double-edged blade, long, diamond-section quillons angling towrd the blade and terminating in quatrefoils, a quillon block extending to form a long spur on each side, and a tubular section leather-covered grip with a wheel-shaped pommel.  The blade was generally shorter than blades of Continental two-handed swords of the same period.

The claymore almost certainly developed from a late medieval cross-hilted sword that can be seen on some effigies and tomb slabs in the West Highlands and the Isles.  This sword exhibited two of the characteristics found on the claymore, namely, the long, downward-angled quillons and the central part of the quillon block extending in a long spur.  The dating of claymores is a complex and imprecise, although there is a claymore of classic form depicted on a grave slab from Oronsay dated 1539.  In the latter part of the 16th century, although retaining the characteristic form of quillon and blade, claymores sometimes had large spherical pommels.

A sword related to the claymore is known as the “Lowland” form because of the fact that several examples came from southern Scotland.  Lowland swords had angular, round-section quillons, the terminals arranged as turned knobs set at right angles; some have open rings affixed to the center of the quillons on each side.  They retained the feature of the quillon block extending to a spur on each side but, unlike the claymore’s, this spur was small and pointed.  The pommels of these swords were large and spherical, the long tubular-section grips being of wood covered with leather.  One form of the Lowland sword had quillons in the form of an arched cross, and in the center a solid oval plate bent down as an extra guard for the hands.  Although Lowland swords have been dated to the second half of the 16th century and those with arched quillons and plate have been dated to the early 17th, little evidence is at present available that would lead to a more precise dating.

Most of the blades of both the Highland and the Lowland claymores appear to be of German origin, whereas the hilts were made by Scottish craftsmen. These craftsmen were very creative in developing a hilt that could be handled effectively with a large blade, as well as protecting the hand.

In 1884 Sir Richard F. Burton’s The Book of the Sword was published by Chatto and Windus in London.  The volume was republished in 1987 by Dover.  For those who are drawn to the past and its more civilized lifestyle will appreciate some of Sir Richard’s reflections on the most honorable of weapons.  Keep in mind while reading some of the excerpts of his reflections on the sword that the words were written prior to 1884.  If you are an avid fan of the past and its traditions, this is an excellent read.  I found it at my local library. Here are a few of the relections of Sir Richard.

“The history of the sword is the history of humanity.  The ‘White Arm’ means something more than the oldest, the most universal, the most varied of weapons, the only one which has lived through all time.’

He, she, or it–for the gender of the Sword varies–has been worshipped with priestly sacrifices as a present god.  Hebrew revelation represents the sharp and two edged sword going out of the mouth of the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.  We read of a ‘Sword of God, a holy Sword,’ the ‘Sword of the Lord and of Gideon’; and ‘I came not to send peace but a Sword, ‘meaning the warfare and martyrdom of man.

Uniformly and persistently personal, the Sword became no longer an abstraction but a Personage, endowed with human as well as superhuman qualities.  He was a sentient being who spoke, and sang and joyed and grieved.  Identified with his wearer he was an object of affection, and was pompously named as a well-beloved son and heir.  To surrender the Sword was submission; to break the Sword was degradation.  To kiss the Sword was, and in places still is the highest form of oath and homage. 

The Sword killed and cured; the hero when hopless fell upon his Sword; and the heroine, like Lucreita and Calphurnia, used the blade standing.  The Sword cut the Gordian knot of every difficulty.  The Sword was the symbol of justice and of martydrom and accompanied the wearer to the tomb as well as to the feast and the fight.  ”

The significance of the Sword has survived for many ages.  Today the same words can be used in reference to this magnificent weapon; it is a weapon that is deeply entrenched in art,  literature, religion, history and humanity.  There will never be a weapon that can ever again attain this affluence.  The firearm is a weapon that requires a little skill, aim-fire-kill or maim.  The Sword is graceful but vigorous.  Sword-play is an exercise that requires a skill that few are able to master. 

Swords still play a big role in modern society.  There are a few of us who still appreciate and love the images of the knight in shining armor, the armed knight bearing a crusader shield and a cross hilt sword, or  the Renaissance knight battling with a rapier.  History is repeated on weekends all across the world–the reenactor, the collector, the fantasy gamer, and the skilled sword maker keep the myth alive. 

This was a question I asked throughout my school time.  As a matter of fact in my Senior year, I almost did not graduate because I could see no earthly use in learning anything about Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  To me it was the most absurd of all the tons of absurdities I was forced to learn.  I forced myself to spend enough time with the tragic prince to squeak by with a passing grade.  History was also a “bummer” for me, too.

Later that summer a friend forced me to go to a Civil War Reenactment with “her” to watch her brother.  At that event I finally saw someone having a ”hoot” of a time with history.  I was fascinated with the pretend fight.  Always being a shy dude I was never really in with any special highschool group of kids.  But I saw these guys behaving like it was a football game, and they were winning the state playoff game or something.   They performed a simulated battle with cavalry, foot soldiers, cannons, rifles and swords.  I went to their battles a number of times that summer, but never joined the group.  I did learn that they were very adamant about how their clothing, and weapons had to be as realistic as possible. I did carry a sword to one of the Sunday battles with the thought that I would be one of the foot soldiers.  The sword was a cheap thing that I picked up at a flea market.  The pommel was a naked lady.  Needless to say, they did not let me march, because a college was filming the battle to show in an American History class. .  I was embarrassed about that silly sword, so I bought a cheap sabre, but I didn’t go back there for a few years.

I had a few jobs like helping a skilled automobile mechanic with menial tasks that I was able to do without taxing my brain too much.  I needed to keep up my old pickup. I had a lot of spare time so I played a lot of video games.  I played war on a computer and was really good at it.  I tinkered with my cheap sword; bought a scabbard and escaped my hum-drum existence by pretending I was some kind of Medieval war hero.

Then an event occurred that shocked me enough to do something with my life.  I enlisted and no longer played at war; it was the real thing.  The experience did a lot for my ego.  For the first time in my life I was proud of myself.  I walked many a mile with a rifle in my hand,  at the front of the troops  like the Pikesmen of old. 

I have seen a lot of the world and learned that good people are the same everywhere.  Like a lot of country boys I didn’t know the difference between “Iraq and Iran”.  Now I do.  I also know why the study of the past is so important.  I learned that there were Crusades that began more than a thousand years ago.  This conflict is overwhelming with no simple solution.

I do not know what happened to my “naked lady” sword.  I replaced it with a several battle swords.  I was taught swordsmanship by a wonderful Middle Eastern master and sage.  He helped me because I asked.   I practice regularly like the Medieval knights and Samurai warriors did years ago. 

History repeats itself many times over.  I found this out the hard way.  Now many people are engaged in reliving historical events, i.e. Civil War, Medieval, Renaissance, Roman, Viking, Celtic and on and on.  It is a great thing and a good way to build comraderie even if you are not the top jock.  Get into the past; it will help you with your future.

Tonight on NBC another movie will appear similar in nature to The DaVinci Code.  It is based on the book, The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury.  The movie obviously will contribute to the  questions surrounding the ancient military order. Many fictional and factual books have been published attempting to explain the mysteries of these crusading knights.  One of the most popular studies of the Templars is Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln. 

The book by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln asks the question on which the mysterious legend is based: 

“Who and what were the Knights Templar? Were they merely what they appeared to be, or were they something else? Were they simple soldiers onto whom an aura of legend and mystification was subsequently based?”

The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon was founded in 1118.  Its founder was Hugues de Payen, a nobleman from Champagne.  The objective of the Templars was to keep the roads safe for the pilgrims visiting Jerusalem which at the time was in control of Christians.  At the time there were nine knights and for a long period of time they admitted no one to their order. 

They moved into lavish quarters in the palace of the King of Jerusalem.  According to tradition their quarters were over the remains of King Solomon’s Temple and from their living place they derived their name.  Because they resided over the remains of this rich, elaborate temple, caused many to question whether they truly were impoverished, chaste and humble warriors for Christ when in fact to many they appeared arrogant and rich.  In fact they were rich, because they owned estates in most European countries, although when entering the order they were obliged to relinquish all their wealth and land holdings. 

Although their behavior and chaste commitment were questionable, they played a major role when the west was forced to try to recapture the Holy Land from the Saracens.  They were the most organized and disciplined of all the knights and foot soldiers who fought to recapture the land.  They wore white surcoats and cloaks, and later a red cross was emblazoned on their garments. The white clad Templars could be seen protecting the rearguard and van of all Crusader marches.  They were efficient and powerful soldiers–the best of fighters with the sword and lance.  They sacrificed their lives for the cause.  300 Templars were executed at Hattin by Saladin, the well known Saracen leader.

Were they the best of the Medieval knights or the worst?  Perhaps they were both.  Regardless, they have aroused a curiosity regarding their past. Replica Knights Templar swords, shields and clothing are some of the most popular among Medieval collectors and reenactors.
 

The definition   of The Hand and a Half or Bastard Sword according to A Glossary of the Construction, Definition and Use of Arms and Armor,  is a long, straight blade of the 15th century with a plain cross guard, long grip and rounded pommel.  This sword was ordinarily used with one hand, but the grip was long enough to allow it to be grasped with two to three fingers of the left hand if it was desired to give extra weight to the blow.

Actually according to Swords and Hilt Weapons this Bastard Sword made its appearance in the mid twelfth century.  Perhaps these early Hand and a Half Swords were produced for the Plantaganet family, or a well known family who always desired a little extra power on the blade. 

One of the most famous Bastard Swords that is preserved belonged to Henry IV of England.  It was made for him by Herman van Cleve, a goldsmith.  This Medieval Sword was obviously ceremonial in nature, because of its rich detail of gold forget-me-nots, which was Henry’s symbol before he ascended the throne.  If you are interested in an entertaining  description of Henry IV, Shakespeare provides a lively account  in his plays, HenryIV, parts I and II.  If you desire to be a Renaissance man with a sword and combat skills, try adding a little literacy to the mix also.

Speaking of the Renaissance, this is the period that saw the greatest popularity of the Bastard Sword.  Plate armour became very sophisticated with metal of various sizes being attached to a reinforced heavy fabric  jacket.  In combat against this type of armor, the thrusting sword was favored over the cutting sword.  The mounted knight of the early Renaissance  was armed with two swords, one on the front or side of his saddle and the other on his hip.  Both of these weapons were Bastard or Hand and a Half Swords.

These swords were used extensively in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.  Their use continued until the seventeenth century.

If you are interested in a Bastard Sword in your LARP or historical reenactment, there are many different price ranges of these replica swords.  If you have the big bucks, why not have a custom Hand and a Half weapon made especially for you.  One of the most talented swordsmiths  is Michael “Tinker” Pearce.  Also, Pearce has done design work for CAS/Hanwei, and if you can’t afford a custom sword, the CAS/Hanwei “Tinker” Sword is an outstanding well balanced weapon.  Who doesn’t need a little extra power in the blade?

Many pagan cultures played a very important role in Christmas celebrations from Medieval Europe until December 25, 2008.  Their rituals may have been reworked and glossed to fit our present day interpretation of the holiday, but the fact remains that the Vikings, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and other ancient cultures played a very significant role in the Christian celebration. 

The Romans which are so influential in anything of any consequence in the Medieval and post Roman occupation of the European world also put their stamp on the Christian holiday.  In Rome pagans celebrated three important Roman festivals, Saturnalia (December 17-23), the Kalends (January 1-5), and Dues Sol Invictus, which we celebrate as the twelve nights of Christmas.  This celebration to the sun was December 25.  The citizens would light bonfires, decorate buildings with evergreens as  encouragement for the sun to return. 

If the Vikings had seen pictures of Santa Claus cruising the skies in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, they probably would have assumed he was catching a ride with Thor, the Norse god of thunder.  According to Viking traditions, Thor’s personal transport was a flying wagon pulled by a team of horned goats.  The ancient Viking god, Odin, also brought gifts to good little Viking boys and girls.

The Roman Church designated December 25 as the  date of the birth of Christ in the fourth century.  Some early Christians did not celebrate Christmas, because they felt that the celebration had too many pagan practices.  In Roman occupied England the Catholic church banned mumming (masquerades) and wassailing (Anglo-Saxon for good health) as pagan practices, but the common people still celebrated with enthusiasm.  When the Vikings invaded, they would reinvigorate pagan practices.  In the rural areas pagan traditions remained very strong.  When the Roman troops were recalled in the fifth century, it was very common that Thor and Christ were worshipped side by side.

The Greek city-states were intensely competitive in sports as well as warfare.  Inner-city wars were almost continuous, and this wasteful behavior weakened the whole country.  This spirit was described in Homer’s Iliad when Achilles’ father Peleus urged him always to try to excel all other men.  This competitiveness was to be desired in sports,  artisitic and vocational endeavors but was chaos with the continuous warfare among the states.

This state of affairs resulted in each city state building up its military strength, and the result was what has been termed the “hoplite revolution”.  The hoplites were heavily armed infantry.  The body-armour of the hoplite consisted of a breastplate or cuirass (Chalcis), a helmet with nose and cheek guards (first seen at Corinth), and greaves-all of which were constructed of bronze.  The Greeks learned these techniques from the east as China was the first civilization to develop the technique of bronze metal.  The most vital protection of this Greek infantry was a round or elliptical round shield (Argos) secured to the left arm.  They carried a short, straight iron sword (Chalcis) and a nine foot long thrusting spear.

The hoplites fought in a phalanx which is a close, tight mass of soldiers eight lines deep.  They pursued the battle by shoving (othismos), and every man was responsible for protecting his neighbor.  This form of fighting eliminated the hero of the battle which Homer praised.  The age of ego was left in the past of ancient Greece, and the state was the major commitment to the hoplite warrior.

There are a number of Greek reenactment groups all over the world.  If you were inspired the movie, “300″, joining a Greek reenactment group may be just the thing for you.  Reenactment groups are a great way to meet people with interests like yours, and it is also an important in looking at the past, so we may navigate better in the future.  It’s also just plain fun! 

One of the most important archaeological finds in the research of the Anglo Saxon culture was the discovery of a mound in a cemetery overlooking the Deben River near the Suffolk coast in England.  The relics and weapons found in the tomb forced a revision of long held notion that the Anglo Saxons were a primitive and simple people.  These intricately designed early weapons have been the pattern weapons for many collectible swords and amor of the modern day. 

This significant discovery was made in 1939.  Up to this point in history the poem, “Beowulf,” was the only historical evidence that perhaps a more sophisticated Anglo Saxon culture existed.  From Beowulf there is a quote that in a sense describes the grave that the archaeologists found.

“Upon the headland the Geats erected a broad high tumulus plainly visible to distant seamen….within the barrow they placed collars, brooches and all the trappings which they had plundered from the treasure hoard.  They buried the gold and left that princely treasure to the keeping of the earth, where yet it remains….”

The name Sutton Hoo is taken from the site where the tomb was found.  Many rumors and mysteries surround this burial place of the ancients.  It was rumored that Henry VIII’s representatives dug and found treasure at Sutton Hoo. Elizabeth I’s magician, John Dee, also sought treasure there.

What had not been plundered was still very magnificent.  In the earth there was an impression of the ghost ship which was elegant and long.  The wood had rotted over time, but the metal fasteners of the ship were still in place.  Inside the ship the magnificent regala which obviously belonged to a a mighty warrior or King was found.  The treasure consisted of an intricately designed battle helmet, a ceremonial sword with gold and garnet fittings, a whetstone, a stand, spears, a battle axe and a shield with bird and dragon figures.

Still there is no precise evidence to indicate if this place was indeed a burial site.  Soil tests have been inconclusive.  But in 1979 evidence of a coffin was found in the ship.  Who knows for certain about this Sutton Hoo Man?