Physiological effects of wearing armour and heat

migueldiaz · 28th October 2008, 02:07 AM

Hi Jim, thanks for the compliment!

It's a very interesting topic you opened up and I guess we all but can't help contribute.

Hi Kronckew, that's one aspect of the battle I'm not aware of. Thanks for sharing the info!

Going back to the armour aspect, the King of England's opulent armour almost caused him his life.

And once again, de Wavrin's account provides us with a wealth of information:

"Then when it came to be early morning [day of the battle], the King of England began to hear his masses; for it was his custom to hear three every day, one after the other; and he had on every piece of his armour, except for his head gear; but after the masses were said he had brought to him his helmet, which was very rich, and had handsome crown of gold around it like an imperial crown ....

xxx

"... Among the arrangements made on the part of the French, as I have since heard related my eminent knights, it happened that, under the banner of the Lord of Croy, eighteen gentlemen banded themselves together of their own choice, and swore that when the two parties should come to meet they would strive with all their might to get so near the King of England that they would beat down the crown from his head, or they would die, as they did; but before this they got so near the said King that one of them with the lance which he held struck him such a blow on his helmet that he knocked off one of the ornaments of his crown. But not long afterwards it only remained that the eighteen gentlemen were all dead and cut to pieces; which was a great pity; for if every one of the French had been willing thus to exert himself, it is to be believed that their affairs would have gone better on this day. And the leaders of these gentlemen were Louvelet de Massinguehem and Garnot de Bornouille ..."

I'm sure that that lavish helmet of Henry V became a very convenient focal point for the band, in a sea of bobbing heads and helmets!

And in the 2nd to the last sentence of the quote above, we can see that de Wavrin also attributed the defeat to the lack of political will (or perhaps the lack of trying hard enough, or maybe just being too complacent) on the part of the French.

PS - On a positive note, I also realize though that the lavish helmet provides a visual cue for the English knights as to where their king is at any point in time.

28th October 2008, 02:07 AM	#15
migueldiaz Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manila, Phils. Posts: 1,042	Hi Jim, thanks for the compliment! It's a very interesting topic you opened up and I guess we all but can't help contribute. Hi Kronckew, that's one aspect of the battle I'm not aware of. Thanks for sharing the info! Going back to the armour aspect, the King of England's opulent armour almost caused him his life. And once again, de Wavrin's account provides us with a wealth of information: "Then when it came to be early morning [day of the battle], the King of England began to hear his masses; for it was his custom to hear three every day, one after the other; and he had on every piece of his armour, except for his head gear; but after the masses were said he had brought to him his helmet, which was very rich, and had handsome crown of gold around it like an imperial crown .... xxx "... Among the arrangements made on the part of the French, as I have since heard related my eminent knights, it happened that, under the banner of the Lord of Croy, eighteen gentlemen banded themselves together of their own choice, and swore that when the two parties should come to meet they would strive with all their might to get so near the King of England that they would beat down the crown from his head, or they would die, as they did; but before this they got so near the said King that one of them with the lance which he held struck him such a blow on his helmet that he knocked off one of the ornaments of his crown. But not long afterwards it only remained that the eighteen gentlemen were all dead and cut to pieces; which was a great pity; for if every one of the French had been willing thus to exert himself, it is to be believed that their affairs would have gone better on this day. And the leaders of these gentlemen were Louvelet de Massinguehem and Garnot de Bornouille ..." I'm sure that that lavish helmet of Henry V became a very convenient focal point for the band, in a sea of bobbing heads and helmets! And in the 2nd to the last sentence of the quote above, we can see that de Wavrin also attributed the defeat to the lack of political will (or perhaps the lack of trying hard enough, or maybe just being too complacent) on the part of the French. PS - On a positive note, I also realize though that the lavish helmet provides a visual cue for the English knights as to where their king is at any point in time.