Medieval tournaments – Jousting Knights

Medieval Tournaments

A style of staged combat in the Middle Ages is typically referred to as a tournament, or tourney. Roger of Hoveden gave the most definitive description of tournaments, as a way to carry out military exercises in order to sharpen one’s game and show off their skills to one another, instead of as a hostile act; it is practiced throughout the history of war. However, before the 11th century, Europe did not know the properly dictated style of tournament. A French baron called Geoffroi de Preulli seemingly invented tournaments – according to his peers’ testimonials – in 1066; multiple sources have his rather gruesome killing on record. Read the rest of this entry »

Ancient Weapons -The spear, pike, and jousting lance

A History in Ancient Weapons

The spear is an ancient offensive weapon. The word "spear" is derived from the Latin word, "sparus", which may have a relation with "spar", or a beam. The spear began as a stake with a sharp end, and in addition to the club, may be one the oldest weapons used by man. The spear was used by all prehistoric races, and savages learned to hurl or thrust it. The spear form is still used in modern day bayonets, which are spears attached to a rifle, as well as the lance and boar spear. Read the rest of this entry »

Medieval bascinet helmet and chainmail

The Medieval Basinet

A basinet is a kind of headpiece or helmet, and the word itself is a diminutive form of the word ‘basin’. Originally, the small basinet consisted of a peaked, open cap made of light material. These were either used with the heavier ‘heaume’, or simply by themselves. A ‘heaume’ was a medieval helmet of significant size which was supported by the wearer’s shoulders and head. By the end of the 13th century, the gigantic heaume was phased out as the basinet evolved into a more complete headdress for battle.

The basinet was considered a ‘true headpiece’, as its weight was placed on the wearer’s shoulders and didn’t cover the head, as opposed to the heaume. This later form of the basinet was heavier and larger than previous forms, and it also included a fixed visor; later headdresses, like the armet, would include a pivoting visor and would come to international dominance in battle during the 15th century. The visor was adjustable to allow for better breathing and vision. The visor was closed during battle for protection. A mail hood, or a ‘camail’, connected the basinet to the gorget, which completely covered the vulnerable neck and head areas. The face was also protected by a complete, heavy enclosure. The front side of the basinet is sometimes compared to an animal’s muzzle. The peaked crowd distinguishes the basinet from other forms of headdresses. The word ‘basinet’ also has various spellings, such as ‘bassinet’, ‘basnet’, ‘bacinet’ or ‘bascinet’.

Medieval Weapon – The flail

The term "flail" is derived from the Latin word "flagellum" but its meaning translates as a whip or scourge as from the Vulgate. Flail in German is "flegel", Dutch it is "vlegel," and in French it is "fleu"–all terms refer to a hand used tool meant to thresh corn. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The weapon originated from an early fighting technique that used a club. In Northern Europe, a flail was a threshing tool that was in widespread use and remained the primary way to thresh grain until 1860. In Japan, the tool had been around since antiquity and was most likely used along with a stripper–a large comb-like instrument with upright hard wood teeth. Once straw had been harvested, it was combed through starting at the bottom of the stalks so the tops were removed, the tops would later be threshed by a flail on the threshing floor. Read the rest of this entry »

Medieval Armor, a knight’s battle helmet

A Helmet For Knight Combat

The origin of "helmet" stems from the extinct French word helme, now known in present day France as heaume or "helm" in English. This headgear is to protect the head from attack. This type of historic helmet has no brim, a sharp top and is constructed of anything from basic metal to leather or oddly, wood reinforced with steel. The most noticeable part of the helmet is by far the guard that stretches across the upper face to safeguard it from slashing injuries. The chin is used to secure the helmet to the head via a tight strap but the chin is usually not covered, and to protect the neck, ears and head a heavy quilted hood is worn. Read the rest of this entry »