Arms and Armour of Late Medieval Europe

by Robert C. Woosnam-Savage

The idea of late medieval arms and armour often conjures up images of lumbering warriors, clad in heavy plate armour, hacking away at with each other with enormous weapons - depictions perpetuated in both bad literature and bad movies. In this book, internationally-renowned edged weapons expert Robert Woosnam-Savage describes the brutal reality of personal protection and attack in the so-called `age of chivalry'. From Bannockburn to Bosworth, Poitiers to Pavia, this book is an indispensable introduction to an iconic era. The book forms part of a series of introductions to aspects of the Royal Armouries' collection of arms and armour. Written by specialists in the field, they are packed full of fascinating information and stunning photography. Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour, with sites at Leeds, the Tower of London and Fort Nelson, Hampshire.

128 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2019

Reviews

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot of myths about the medieval world, from flat earthers to primae noctis, so not least among this slim volume’s many accomplishments is the way Woosnam-Savage definitively lays to rest that old canard that a knight had to be winched up on to his horse. Not only does he prove it’s not true but the author even tracks down where it was first mooted as well as who inserted the idea into the popular imagination. First, the proof. A little thought is enough to suggest how risible the idea is, for if it were true, an unhorsed knight on the battlefield would be as helpless as an upturned tortoise and just as easy to dispatch. But Woosnam-Savage then goes on to point out how well the weight of full armour, evenly spread over the body, compares to the kit that modern-day soldiers have to lug around, mostly on their backs. Indeed, a recent demonstration pitted two men, one dressed in armour, the other carrying battle kit, against each other over an assault course, which the modern-day knight won easily. Another of the book’s strengths is the author’s familiarity with the source material. So as further proof of the mobility of armour, he quotes from the chronicle of Jean Boucicaut, Marshall of France, who would vault on to his horse, somersault and dance, all while wearing full armour. To close his case, Woosnam-Savage cites a 15th-century chronicle that recorded a fully armoured man at arms who fell into the River Moselle yet still managed to reach the bank without drowning.

The emphasis of the book is on the practical aspects of medieval arms and armour. In that, it would make an excellent companion volume to another recent book I reviewed recently, How to Read European Armor, which focused on armour as an expression of power and the art of the armourer. Woosnam-Savage is much more concerned with arms and armour as they were used practically, in war, tournies and even hunting. As such, he follows the evolution of weapons and defence through the 14th and 15th centuries, as the knight reached his shining apotheosis, only to be rendered obsolete by the improvement in gunpowder weapons.

The study of medieval military technology, like all such specialised fields of inquiry, can be overpoweringly detailed and technical, as well as riven by scholarly disputes over what might seem trivial issues. Woosnam-Savage, writing for the newcomer to the field, has produced a clear, concise and, as near as possible in 96 pages, complete account of how medieval warriors, from knights through to bowmen, armed and protected themselves upon the battlefield, with just enough telling detail to bring the subject to vivid life. One knight, during the siege of Pontevedra (1397) fought on, though a crossbow had pierced his nostrils, and in the press of men it was hit with a shield and driven further into his head. Yet Don Pero Niño survived. Medieval knights were tough on the inside as well as the outside.

Oh, and it was Laurence Olivier’s 1944 film, Henry V, that popularised the idea of knights being winched onto their horses.

[Joey Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slim, nice read and easily digestible. I certainly feel like I know a bit more now on the subject.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third is the charm, I found this best one so far in the leeds educational booklets on their collection and expertise. As the others I have read it is generously filled with high quality pictures, drawings and accessible written. What makes it take up a notch compared to the other two was the inclusion of production of these weapons and items as well the firm dedication to cutting through myth making. these were weapons of war and a point is made to emphasis the use of daggers to slit fallen knights throats, slipping pas the famous armor they wore.

When reading this booklet I was reminded of my passionate interest in warhammer, the main faction there is the Empire a fantasy version of the late medieval holy roman empire with its use of heavily armored knights alongside formations of pikemen, levy spearmen/billmen, swordsmen and off course gunpowder weapons (but the settings warhammers are comically ridiculously huge) It would warrant a study but I do wonder how unique that time period is to base your fantasy world off and how much more fantasy takes ques from the stereotypical jousting knights of the 12 and 13 th century. Regardless gunpowder is included in this booklet because these armors and weapons came to be at the time gunpowder came into play in Europe, to easily the narrative goes "and then gunpowder came and knights became useless" But as this booklet and the Leeds collection shows, the most elaborate and intricate armors came to be in this same period.

When walking into the collection of leeds I was struck by the armor of 17th century colonel of the British civil war and how basic and rough it seemed to all the fancy armor of the centuries before but the peculiar thing was, on his formal portrait he was wearing this fancy elaborate armor which does make me wonder at what point did even the imagination of what a noble soldier drop the heavy armor that had defined the political and military elites of Europe for so many centuries.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of medieval armor with a particular focus on the 14th and 15th centuries. The book also has several reading recommendations for diving deeper into the subject.