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Author Topic: Hundred Years War Question!  (Read 1431 times)

Offline Breazer

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Hundred Years War Question!
« on: January 28, 2020, 09:54:34 AM »
Hey there, I was hoping people here would be able to help me out with this.

I have been looking at the hundred years war and it seems that somewhere around the middle of the 14th century the armor made some changes. When I look around on the interwebs I can only find somewhat varying answers to when what armor would have been the norm.

My question is say at Poitiers, what kind of armor would you have seen on the battlefield. Would for instance the hounskull bascinet be seen or would everyone still be wearing some kind of great helm. Or perhaps both would be seen on the field as not everyone would be able to afford new things? What do we know has been found on the historical site? What about shields, would people still use the Heater shield there? If so would knights that wore the newest armor still carry one perhaps because of a preferred fighting style?

If anyone can help me out with this that would be great!
« Last Edit: January 28, 2020, 01:53:03 PM by Breazer »

Offline Atheling

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2020, 11:59:32 AM »
Hey there, I was hoping people here would be able to help me out with this.

I have been looking at the hundred years war and it seems that somewhere around the middle of the 14th century the armor made some changes. When I look around on the interwebs I can only find somewhat varying answers to when what armor would have been the norm.

My question is say at Poiteliers, what kind of armor would you have seen on the battlefield. Would for instance the hounskull bascinet be seen or would everyone still be wearing some kind of great helm. Or perhaps both would be seen on the field as not everyone would be able to afford new things? What do we know has been found on the historical site? What about shields, would people still use the Heather shield there? If so would knights that wore the newest armor still carry one perhaps because of a preferred fighting style?

If anyone can help me out with this that would be great!

Partila plate in the main except the top dog nobility. Shields were still used but they were wood covered with leather and not heather ;) :)

For a primer I would buy a copy of:
French Armies of the Hundred Years War (Men-at-Arms)
The Armies of Crécy and Poitiers (Men-at-Arms)
Poitiers 1356 (Campaign)


And also, their Otterburn to give you an extra idea of what the top notch armours may have looked like:
Otterburn 1388 (Campaign)

Easily the most appropriate mini's out there for Poitiers are Claymore Castings:
https://claymorecastings.co.uk/new.claymorecastings.co.uk/

Offline Patrice

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2020, 12:02:13 PM »
at Poiteliers

You mean Poitiers 1356?
I would say that all armour from the first half of 14th century is good. For nobility you'd have bacinets without or with early hounskull, perhaps a few great helms, and heather shields.

Wars often are a period of quick evolution in armor and equipment, but in the 1350s the HYW had just begun, many changes would come in the following decades.

Offline Breazer

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2020, 01:55:50 PM »
@Atheling: I dont really have the money to spare atm. hence the question here.

@Patrice: Sorry about the misspellings, I went back and changed it for you.
And thank you that is very helpful. What you're saying is it was still very much a mix of things then.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2020, 02:45:46 PM »
@Atheling: I dont really have the money to spare atm. hence the question here.

Well, there's always the Royal Armouries:
https://collections.royalarmouries.org/hundred-years-war/arms-and-armour.html

My Armoury- I would have a serious in depth gander at this site (well worth joining- it's free):
http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.11059.html

They're both very good informative sites.

Offline Charlie_

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2020, 07:47:33 PM »
This painting from Graham Turner is from the Osprey Crecy 1346 campaign book.

So not quite Poitiers, but only 10 years earlier!

Demonstrates very nicely the range of armour that might be used. The wealthier knight has the most up-to-date plate armour (though not as complete in coverage as it would become by the start of the 15th century, i.e. the Agincourt period) and a visored bascinet... whereas the others are a more mixed bag. One wears a great helm, one has what appears to be a 'coat of plates' rather than a true breastplate.


Offline Breazer

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2020, 09:41:17 PM »
Thanks Charlie, thats really helpfull... I generally don't know how well to trust these images but it seems people are going by it.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2020, 10:27:12 PM »
Thanks Charlie, thats really helpfull... I generally don't know how well to trust these images but it seems people are going by it.

Graham Turner, the artist specialises in Medieval painting and is very knowledgeable so you can definitely trust the image.

Here's a link to his webpage- there are a load of great paintings of various thing but for our purposes many Medieval battles:
https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/Graham_Turner.html


Offline Patrice

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2020, 10:41:24 PM »
There is always a tendency (for wargamers, and reenactors also) to be almost unconsciously attracted to a seemingly better clothed /armoured period a few years later than choosen (whatever the period... try doing 1690s privateers and keep away from people wearing formal tricornes etc. that's a real challenge!)  :D

Regarding the 1340-1350s, I think that if you can keep away of all armour and tactical improvements of the late 14th century and early 15th (Agincourt etc.) then you have a fair chance to stay in period.  ;) :D

Offline Charlie_

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2020, 10:56:02 PM »
Thanks Charlie, thats really helpfull... I generally don't know how well to trust these images but it seems people are going by it.

You can trust Graham Turner, he knows his stuff!

Offline Breazer

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2020, 11:20:45 PM »
Gotcha, thanks a bunch! His art is amazing btw!

Offline Atheling

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2020, 08:01:57 AM »

Offline Sandinista

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Re: Hundred Years War Question!
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2020, 09:31:02 PM »
There are a lot of good books available on Scribd