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Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Holla_die_Waldfee on 09 February 2016, 07:38:42 AM
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Hello, maybe someone can help me.
I don't think that a norman knight on a horse always hold his spear in one hand, so how did they fix the spear on travel?
Greetings Sven
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I don't know about the Normans but failing any definite answer this might help. Wrong era but essentially the same weapon:
(http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu95/anthonymarch/IMG_2510_zpsavmb7jvy.jpg) (http://s637.photobucket.com/user/anthonymarch/media/IMG_2510_zpsavmb7jvy.jpg.html)
I hope this helps in some way. If not, just enjoy the photograph :)
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Norman cavalry used light spears not lances that were considerably shorter and were used overarm and possibly even thrown, as well as couched, so I imagine could be stowed more easily than lances. None of the Bayeaux tapestry depictions suggest lanyards were used and most reenactors don't seem to have added them suggesting they did not warrant them.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8325/8100229701_b7febcb3bd_b.jpg
Most spears/lances are conventionally rested with the buttspike against the RH leg/stirrup, but I imagine all sorts of ad hoc solutions were employed in the field. Knights would have had squires/men at arms and presumably a baggage animal to carry the heavier more awkward kit when not in combat.
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Knights would have had squires/men at arms and presumably a baggage animal to carry the heavier more awkward kit when not in combat.
Yeah, not strictly the answer to the OP, but it looks like they had spear wagons:
(http://imgix.scout.com/140/1408189.jpg)
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Thank you very much for the answers.
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I cant recall any medieval illustrations which show spears or lances on a form of rest - always being held.
On campaign they may have been packed away, or carried by lesser members of the household, if an encounter with the enemy wasn't likely.
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@painterman
Had the same problem, only illustrations with spears being held.
For explanation, working at the moment on cavalry scouts with bows and also want to give them spears because I thought they would also take a spear with them because it was a very effective weapon.
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Resting a spear or lance on the shoulder and using a hand to steady it is something you can do for hours with little effort. As someone said 'knights' had squires/valets too, so they could carry them instead (who cares if they are uncomfortable?). Just like there was more than one horse, there was more than one lance/spear too, so as suggested 'in the baggage' would serve if action was not expected.
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lol! Me and my mates did an experiment where I had my buddy try to ride a bike while carrying a broomstick mimicking a spear and he said it was not only difficult carrying the stick in hand while coasting but trying to stab something even then was difficult. Then we tried to mimic carrying a rifle while on bicycle and even with a sling using my Mauser 98, he claimed was a nightmare. I know a bike is no way like a horse except that you ride both of them but it gave us answers in the difficulty of control when trying to do multiple things! :D