Cavalry

2006-03-27T19:02:47Z

199.91.33.254: Mounted combat and jousting are practised in some kingdoms, including Meridies

'''Cavalry''' refers to units of [[horse|mounted]] [[fighter|warriors]] who fight from [[horseback]]. This allows them to use the speed and strength of the horse to greatly enhance their fighting capabilities.

==Cavalry in Period==
Before the [[10th century]], mounted cavalry were unusual on the [[battlefield]], as the [[stirrup]] had not been invented, and mounted combat less effective. Pitched battles would largely have been fought by [[infantry]] who may have ridden to the field, then dismounted on fought on foot. After the [[stirrup]] gained widespread use, however, cavalry became dominant on the battlefield.

In the latter part of the [[medieval]] period, most [[noble]] warriors would have fought as cavalry whenever possible. The word ''cavalry'' shares the same root as ''[[chivalry]]'', and implies a better social standing than a common [[infantry|foot soldier]].

Cavalrymen were expensive, difficult to train, and hard to [[logistics|supply]]. They were also the primary form of full-time [[medieval]] soldier, as anyone who could afford a the accoutrements of the cavalry also had the time and income to train in their use.

A warrior who owned his own horse, [[armour]] and [[weapon|weapons]] and possessed the skill to use them was a very rich man, and could support himself for life. [[Knighthood]] in period was less about nobility and chivalry than about possessing the skills to fight from horseback.

[[Joust|Jousting]] and [[tourney|tourneys]] developed largely as a way for young [[knight|knights]] to practice the difficult skills of fighting from horseback during times of peace.

==Cavalry in the SCA==
The serious risk to life and limb involved in learning medieval mounted [[combat]] means that mounted combat in the [[SCA]] is rare. While some [[SCA]] [[event|events]] do have horses present, only a few trained individuals particpate in even the least dangerous skills involved in being a cavalryman (such as [[tilting for rings]]).

Nonetheless, devoted [[equestrian]]s have continued to lobby for some semblance of [[mounted combat]], and experiments are in progress in come [[kingdom]]s, including [[Meridies]]. In these experiments, foam-padded weapons of the type used for [[youth combat]] are generally employed, and the object is to knock a loosely attached crest from the top of your opponent's helmet.

Similarly, experiments in [[jousting]] are underway, with the [[lance]] being a fragile construct of cardboard and styrofoam to prevent injuries.

[[category:combat]]

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Cavalry