Brilliant Minds Neded: a Multi Barrel Illustration of 1511

[fernando]

May i (again), Michael ?

Very interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publius...getius_Renatus

Fernando

[kahnjar1]

The only comment I can find to make about the latest drawings is that there must have been a good supply of a VERY strong smoking weed available at the time! My brain won't cope with trying to sort this lot out, but a most interesting insight into the medieval mind!

[Emanuel]

Many thanks Fernando! I had missed Michael's citation.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

The only comment I can find to make about the latest drawings is that there must have been a good supply of a VERY strong smoking weed available at the time! My brain won't cope with trying to sort this lot out, but a most interesting insight into the medieval mind!

Considering the age; I'd look more to Ergot poisoning than 13 .

[fearn]

Thanks for the link Fernando. That makes it plain that Flavius Vegetius Renatus was not the author of these illustrations.

I have to agree with Richard. This looks like a mix of doodles and semi-practical devices. I don't think drugs were involved at all.

Just wish I knew what kind of text went with these pictures.

F

[fernando]

Originally Posted by fearn

...That makes it plain that Flavius Vegetius Renatus was not the author of these illustrations...

He sure wasn't. Even the persons depicted don't dress in a Roman fashion, but with renaissance outfits, as also other ambiance details.
Browsing on this Roman writer (and veterinary ) on the (wonderful) Internet, one may learn that he was such a preponderant guy for his time and later; some of his maxims are still quoted nowadays.
It's quite possible that a later guy (a 1511 anonimous?) decided to illustrate the war machinery described (or implicit) in Flavius writings on war tatics (Epitoma rei militaris), whether with a fantasized or even satirized intention, or simply with a naíve knowledge of such devices, releasing the leash of his imagination.
But probably Michael knows how to solve the riddle and his hiding behind the door, whatching ud wonderind and wandering .
Fernando

[fernando]

Originally Posted by fearn

...Just wish I knew what kind of text went with these pictures...

The first twenty and so pages are an introdutory text ... in german ... old german ... in a gothic font . Perhaps Michael has an idea of what it is about.

Originally Posted by Matchlock

...Believe me, I have been searching for reprints ever since i got my hands on the first original book in the Munich State Library where these scans are taken from. I could not find any reprints ...The big libraries keep scanning more and more books from their hidden treasures and publishing them on the web...

In the meantime we can do with a PDF version; it was possible to download it from the digital library link.
If anybody wants a copy and has dificulties downloading it, just tell; i will email one to him.
Fernando.

[Matchlock]

I can read the Gothic print type quite well but to me, as in many contemporary books, it seems a bit bewildering and does not give any clue to the illustrations. Also, the text states that the book is about knighthood and the virtues of noble personalities whereas the illustrations depict mercenaries at siege work and fantabulous devices of variuos kind. It is true that some of them wear parts of knightly armor but none is shown to wear a suit of armor. We know from many contemporary illustrative sources that that was the usual Landsknechts' mixed wear: parts of armor or a mail shirt combined with the "buntes Wams", the traditional colorful mercenaries' clothing and the feathered beret.

In the late Middle Ages, colorful clothing was a strict privilege of the nobility and the clergy, while brown and grey clothes were allocated to mercenaries and peasants. At the middle of the 15th century an interesting kind of cultural revolution was started, combined with a radically new aplomb of the mercenaries. They became aware of the fact that wars and land could only be won by their social group, the commons, and that the nobility were reliant on them.

That understanding led to a completely new self confidence of the mercenaries. As free lancers, they could choose for themelves what war lord to serve. Their weapons and clothes were their own property and the more skillful they were in the use of their weapons the higher was their pay. The war booty being part of their pay, many of them used parts of armor and better weapons to improve their own defense and increase their value when bargaining with another war lord for their next pay.

All in all, I do not think that an actual understanding of the text is necessary. In my opinion it is the close study of the illustrations that is most important.

Michael

[Matchlock]

Another variant of well known devices but some new additions as well.

Michael