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Pistol_Pete posted:Slightly obscure question for this thread: are there any surviving 1st hand accounts of what it actually felt like to be a soldier in the middle ages? There's a million accounts of fighting but it's all stuff like: "And Sir Joe Bloggs rode out with 300 spears and presently coming upon a great company of his enemies, he did set about them with great vigour and violence and they defended themselves likewise until, their hearts failing them, they did turn to flee. And then gallant Sir Bloggs and his men did do terrible slaughter amongst them, so that it is said not one man escaped either the blade or the ransom." These sort of passages are interesting in their own way but you never get to see beneath the surface with them. What did it really feel like to be a soldier in a garrisoned fortress looking out over a much larger besieging force? Or a cold and hungry man at arms on the plain below, gazing up at the walls that he'd soon be assulting? Dan Carlin kinda talks about this in his Hardcore History episode(s?) on WW1. Lots and lots of boredom and marching without ever really seeing the enemy, with the occasional high-intensity battle, but even then it was a lot of waiting. He contrasted it with the trench warfare experience of WW1 where you're basically a few hundred yards from the enemy at all times, under constant fire and pressure. Not sure what his sources were for ancient battles, though. There's this description by Geoffroi de Charny, who was a French knight: "In this profession one has to endure heat, hunger and hard work, to sleep little and often to keep watch. And to be exhausted and to sleep uncomfortably on the ground only to be abruptly awakened. And you will be powerless to change the situation. You will often be afraid when you see your enemies coming towards you with lowered lances to run you through and with drawn swords to cut you down. Bolts and arrows come at you and you do not know how best to protect yourself. You see people killing each other, fleeing, dying and being taken prisoner and you see the bodies of your dead friends lying before you. But your horse is not dead, and by its vigorous speed you can escape in dishonour. But if you stay, you will win eternal honour. Is he not a great martyr, who puts himself to such work?" also, "And one should take pleasure in hearing about, listening to, and recounting the good deeds, the great feats, and the admirable utterances of such people who are thus striving to achieve, have achieved, and have perfected themselves in such knightly qualities, both those who have now departed from this world and those who are still living. We therefore learn from the good knights and men-at-arms whose great achievements and honorable deeds of prowess and of valor have been related, described and told above and which they have accomplished through suffering great hardship, making strenuous efforts, and enduring fearful physical perils and the loss of friends whose deaths they have witnessed in many great battles in which hey have taken part; these experiences have often filled their hearts with great distress and strong emotion."
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May 26, 2017 20:53
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JaucheCharly posted:I'm looking for no-bullshit renaissance clothing ... preferably making me NOT look like a clown.
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May 31, 2017 20:27
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