Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Physiological effects of wearing armour and heat

Pukka Bundook · 29th October 2008, 03:18 PM

Hi David!

I too saw a program where the conclusion was reached that the knights took turns up front, but I remain unconvinced.
The thing that bothers me, is the fact that because a modern day "knight" got tired quickly, and couldn't fight for long, then neither could the knights "back then".
I find this reasoning floored, as it is putting our 21st century stamina levels on people from a different realm, where there were very few office jobs, and most ran a shovel or whatever for a living, and knights trained every day, not once in a flood.

To put it in a friends Scottish terms, "they were tough wee sods!"

( Another example is the warbow, who now, apart from a very few, can draw 150 lbs?...with some going up to 190 lbs?) "tough wee sods" sounds about right.....

What worries me David, is that such a test can be done in television or whatever, and it soon becomes "truth" by repetition.
I think it's best to just go with first-hand accounts, and I'd love to read some of "how it was" in battle.

Miqueldiaz,
I think it was just two fingers the French were going to cut off the English bowmen, as the bow was drawn with just the two, not with three as we do today.... and hence the English "V" salute....(!)

Best wishes,

Richard.

29th October 2008, 03:18 PM	#20
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Hi David! I too saw a program where the conclusion was reached that the knights took turns up front, but I remain unconvinced. The thing that bothers me, is the fact that because a modern day "knight" got tired quickly, and couldn't fight for long, then neither could the knights "back then". I find this reasoning floored, as it is putting our 21st century stamina levels on people from a different realm, where there were very few office jobs, and most ran a shovel or whatever for a living, and knights trained every day, not once in a flood. To put it in a friends Scottish terms, "they were tough wee sods!" ( Another example is the warbow, who now, apart from a very few, can draw 150 lbs?...with some going up to 190 lbs?) "tough wee sods" sounds about right..... What worries me David, is that such a test can be done in television or whatever, and it soon becomes "truth" by repetition. I think it's best to just go with first-hand accounts, and I'd love to read some of "how it was" in battle. Miqueldiaz, I think it was just two fingers the French were going to cut off the English bowmen, as the bow was drawn with just the two, not with three as we do today.... and hence the English "V" salute....(!) Best wishes, Richard.