Medieval Armor and Armed Combat

Imagine a scene from a recent motion picture as two knights fully armored square off to start a battle. They are both standing regally tall in fully polished plate armor with long glittering swords in hand. One brings his sword down with all his might onto the shoulder of his opponent. What happens next? Nothing. Why does this happen? The battle scene above is completely inaccurate.

In this project you will see medieval armored combat as it actually occurred. Medieval Armor and Armored Combat analyzes and interprets combat manuals written between 1400 and 1650. Topics of the project include a general overview of the plate armors used, techniques for the bastard sword, wrestling, dagger, and staff weapons, including poleaxe, spear, and dismounted lance. The final products of this research are written reports detailing the various combat methods and armor involved, as well as an informational html-based DVD that provides video and photographic examples of these topics. The culmination of our studies is displayed in exciting armored combat sequences using techniques from each weapons form. The project also entailed the creation of a website to make a sample of our work more easily accessible to the general public.

While this work is at the leading edge of the field of study, it is still an interpretation of very old texts. We attempted to stay as true to the heart of the manuscripts as possible, while still having it physically plausible. We encourage you to question our interpretations and expand upon the work herein. Enjoy.