13th century fighting equipment: Difference between revisions

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* swords with elaborate basket-style hand guards - not known
* swords with elaborate basket-style hand guards - not known
==Internal Links==

''See also:''
*[[12th century fighting equipment]]
*[[14th century fighting equipment]]
[[category:fighting kit]]
[[category:fighting kit]]
[[category:13th century]]
[[category:13th century]]

Revision as of 10:30, 4 June 2006

The fighting equipment of a 13th century warrrior is described by recovered artefacts, manuscript images and contemporary references and depictions in sculpture.


Equipment

Arms

  • spear - sometimes with wings and generally socketed.
  • lance- ash shaft and rarely shorter than 10-12 feet (3 to 3.7m) long. Small, sharply pointed head.
  • axe
  • sword of war - single handed weapon with longer, heavier blades appear as the great helm appeared. The blade is about 40-42 inches (101 to 106cm). They featured wide crossguards that could be tapering and inclined towards the blade or spatulate and straight. The blade still sports a central fuller, the hilt is longer and the pommel takes the form of wheels, balls or trefoils from the middle of the century. Still worn by nobility as a symbol.
  • thrusting sword - diamond sectioned bladed sword designed for thrusting rather than the cut.
  • falchion - favoured by all classes for it's powerful cuts.
  • battle axe - large axe designed for use with two hands with and well liked by high ranking warriors. Large heavy head on a 4 to 5 foot (1.2 to 1.5m) shaft.
  • mace - increasingly popular with the noble classes with bronze or iron flanged or pyramindal projections head on a 3 foot (1.0m) shaft.
  • longbow - of elm and possibly of yew used by the common infantry.
  • arrows socketed heads and self nocks. Needlelike bodkin points and broadheads for hunting were used.
  • crossbow - with a wooden tiller and composite wood, sinew and horn lath covered in leather or parchment. Spanned with a hook attached to the belt as it became increasingly powerful.
  • knife - Blades are usually 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm) long and used point down. The quillions of the crossguard typically point down.
  • slings - used by foot soldiers

Armour

Clothing

Misconceptions

  • two handed swords - not known
  • double headed axes - not known
  • swords with elaborate basket-style hand guards - not known

Internal Links

See also: