Medieval Weapons

    To protect his head and neck during battle, a medieval knight would don a chainmail coif. These coifs were made of interwoven iron rings. As you can imagine, they could be painful to wear, so knights would wear thick padding beneath the coif.

A chainmail coif is not impenetrable. Sharp objects hurled with enough force can pierce the metal chain. The coif also does not protect against broken bones and concussions. Still, for the medieval knight, it was a much-needed form of protection, even after the advent of plated armor.

I watched the movie 300 and one of the things that amazed me was the costumes that they wore in the film. It was barely anything at all. Another thing that had me quit interested was the fact that their hair was short. I know that it’s a movie, but I was always under the impression that they had long hair.

I will say that I was impressed with the fact that not one of the Spartans wore a Spartan war helmet. With the entire sword flinging there was very little armor worn. Though it was an excellent movie, it makes me wonder how true to the real history it truly was. 

Growing up my best friend and I were obsessed about medieval times. Every year we would go to a Renaissance Fair. We would dress up in our most lavished costumes and partake on the festivities. The food and costumes were amazing to see.

The most extravagant costumes had to be the men. They would dress from head to toe in the most amazing costumes. The medieval helmets themselves were a sight to see. I always wondered just how heavy it was to wear those helmets all day long, especially in the heat.

Did you know that there is an International Talk Like a Pirate Day? Every year on September 19th, pirate enthusiasts brush up their swarthy lingo and walk around speaking with extra “arrrrs.” Speaking like a pirate is so popular that even Facebook has pirate listed as a language option.

To really get into the spirit of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, consider dressing in your best deck swabbing attire for the day. From bandannas to wooden peg legs to eye patches, you’ll be the toast of your swill drinking friends. No pirate outfit would be complete without a sword and scabbard, so consider purchasing pirate weapons. There are reputable online retailers that have sword and armor sale that have unique weaponry. This will help you to complete the pirate look.

Cane swords, or swordsticks, became popular in Europe during the 18th century. Similar devices had been developed in Ancient Rome and Japan. The swordstick was mostly viewed as a fashion accessory, replacing decorative swords which went out of style as fire arms grew in popularity.

Typically, wooden cane swords consisted of a shaft made from Malacca wood with a standard round metallic grip. Inside the cane, attached to the handle, was a long thin blade. Gadget canes, similar to swordsticks, also became popular and would hold the tools of the carriers’ trade. Today, wooden cane swords are mostly a novelty item and in some states they are illegal to carry in public, under concealed weapons ordinances along with side swords.

Ever wonder why people get really fascinated with fantasy stories? Young girls are fond of fairy tales while young boys grew up on good adventure stories with heroes wielding fantasy swords. A lot of the bestsellers novels and blockbuster movies we had have this genre as well. We all know that the dragons, evil serpents, fairies and other characters in most stories aren’t real; yet, we keep on patronizing their stories.

The answer is quite simple. We love these stories because they are like windows to the world unknown to us. Through them, we “indirectly” experience a trip to the world we haven’t and will never see. They’re stories aren’t just entertaining, but are magical and by listening, watching or reading them, we sort of being part of the magic. Whatever the reason is, we’re addicted to fantasies, to the stories of the Celts, and even to the medieval fantasy swords, among other things because they are the closest to the fantasies we have adored. And this addiction is reflected in the rise in number of the stories, films, and collectibles inspired by such ideas.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite movies was “American Ninja.” The movie is about a boy who was adopted by a Filipino man and shown the way of the Ninja. One of the weapons that the titular hero had was throwing stars to battle the enemies with ninja swords and renaissance daggers. “American Ninja” inspired me to take up martial arts and now I teach a self defense class for women and children at a local community center in my town.  Whenever I speak to my students about my inspiration, I always go back to that movie.

Earlier this week, they presented me with a thank you plaque with the movie poster framed and throwing stars in a glass case. It was a very sweet gesture and I can’t help but think that a dream of mine - to be a skilled martial artist and someone who helps people for a living - was spawned by a movie.

When I was young, I loved playing swords with my buddies. Like most kids, many of my childhood idols were sword-wielding heroes from movies and video games All summer long we would chase each other around in our various back yards with swords made of wood or just long sticks. I am still in touch with many of my pals from the old neighborhood today.

We can’t-at least with any dignity-chase each other around in our yards anymore, but we can still indulge in our childhood passion. Today, I’ve amassed an impressive cache of Roman Swords which I now keep on display in my den. I can’t wait until my son is old enough to appreciate the weapons so I can begin to impart some of the knowledge I’ve accrued over the years.

A Renaissance fair is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States. You can find them in most every major city. They are usually set in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Participants as well as spectators wear elaborate full body costumes.

There are events that you can participate in as well as watch. You can see stage performers reenact Shakespeare’s plays as well as audience participation comedy routines. Medieval sword play is amazing to witness as well. The larger Renaissance fairs will include a joust competition.  

Armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object through direct contact. Personal armour is used to protect soldiers during war. Armour has been used throughout history. Armour has been made out of a variety of different types of materials.

In present time, armour has become more wearable. Wearable armour is not as heavy plated as it was in the middle ages. Ballistic vests also known as flak jacket are common among police force. The US Army has adopted Interceptor body armour which has been adapted to stop a range of ammunition.