The beginnings of my Third Crusade Army - Updated 17 Jun 2012

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Starting off fairly easy with a conroi of Templars under the Marshall carrying the piebald banner (possibly Geoffroy de Morin but still some more research required there) accompanied by ten knights - one of whom carried a spare banner wrapped around his lance - with the newly appointed Grand Master of the Temple (Robert de Sablé) in tow,.



I can find no evidence of horse coverings of any kind in use by the Templars, but the odd noble crusader might enjoy that distinction in due course.

I did originally have the odd figure with a painted helm, but decided that as brother-knights were expected to be modest in dress and that each had at least a couple of serjeants to keep the rust off, then it wouldn't be fitting.

The next call was on shields. There is debate as to whether they carried a red cross on a white background, were piebald like the banner or carried personal heraldry at this time. Evidence of Robert's heraldry showed that it changed on appointment to Grand Master from just the blue budgie on a yellow background to the one depicted below and this (along with later Teutonic practice) might draw one to conclude that this was the norm:



Robert has also been kept modest in dress and equipment as he has only just entered the order (and faced near immediate election to Grand Master - it's not what you know...), although his horse furniture is little more elaborate.

I am not convinced that the privilege of carrying personal heraldry was enjoyed by anyone other than the Masters of the Templars. As to why I went down the piebald route, well a number of sources describe how Henry II, Philip II and the Count of Flanders agree to mark their contingents with white, red and green crosses respectively. I don't think that even Philip would have wanted to use the same mark as an established Military Order due to the likelihood on confusion in battle. However, this is just my feel on an issue that Helen Nicholson and David Nicolle haven't reconciled either.

They are led by the Marshal, but given the idiosyncrasies of WAB, the Order's chaplain figures as the unit leader. However, I removed his sword and scabbard to ensure that he could not spill blood and filled the gap with some greenstuff. He is dressed in black as per normal for priests of the Order. The unit musician is dressed as a serjeant - described as dressed in either dark brown or black. Given that Hopsitalller serjeants wore brown, I felt it appropriate for him to be in black with the red cross on the left breast. The Brother-Knight on the right flank has a spare banner wrapped around his lance as mentioned above.



Personally I think that the Reglé that has  survived is the version post-1190 edit. we know that is was redrafted following the capture (again) of Gerard de Rigefort and his subsequent execution by the Muslims and it would make sense that the Marshal became the formation commander at that point.

Now onto some foot - a mixed unit of serjeants belonging to Guy de Lusignan.

Deus Volt 'an all that...

[Sterling Moose]

Nice work Steve.

[SgtPerry]

What a superb unit!

[jamesmanto]

Very nice. Looking forward to more.

[OSHIROmodels]

Great stuff Steve, especially the research write up 

Not quite 2000pts though 

cheers

James

[General Roos]

Very nice!

[Captain Blood]

Love 'em 

[Malamute]

Lovely stuff Steve.

[janner]

Great stuff Steve, especially the research write up 

Not quite 2000pts though 

cheers

James

Not quite - but the unit comes in at 400 pts and an extra 82 for the character so there be so much more to come!

[Mr.J]

Excellent! A very nice unit. Well researched and presented. The paintjobs are top notch!

[valleyboy]

Lovely

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Next batch of crusaders:



Again these are from Perry Minis 28mm First Crusade range and represent a unit of Danish crusaders c. 1189. About 2,000 Danes and Frisians beached their fleet at Acre and marched almost immediately into battle under James de Avesnes – a hero of the tournament circuit who they had elected as their commander.



The unit commander, his standard bearer, hornblower and bodyguard (on the central stand of four figures) wear the colours of the royal house of Estridsen (Blue and Yellow). Although King Canute VI wasn’t on the Third Crusade, the size of the contingent and the lack of detail on Danish noble participation, led me to assume at least one knight of the royal household would have gone along.



The standard includes the Dannebrog (national flag of Denmark) on a field of Estridsen colours. Popular history tells of the Danneborg falling from the heavens during either during the battle of Lyndanisse (1219) or Fellin (1208), but it only appears in historical narratives of the 16th Century and some have suggested that it came from the strong Hospitaller presence in Denmark. However, a Danish crusader historian has suggested (over a few glasses of Carlsberg!) that the Dannebrog was based on a Papal banner given by Eugenius III at the time of the Second Crusade for the campaign against the Wends. So here it is – on the Third Crusade, but not yet in its modern form with similar schemes repeated on several shields. Flag and shields handed painted as usual.



Some titillation for the next batch (with a huge thanks to Soapy for doing the conversion work):

King Richard the Lionheart



and a couple of his household knights

[Malamute]

Wonderful stuff

[OSHIROmodels]

Looking good mate, I like the shields in paticular 

cheers

James

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As Soapy says, 'focus on bases, shields and banners' - what am I going to do when it comes to Sammies