The Briefing Room

General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => History => Topic started by: EC on May 16, 2017, 11:43:11 pm

Title: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: EC on May 16, 2017, 11:43:11 pm
It’s a popular misconception that a medieval knight, once knocked off his mount, could barely move and was thus vulnerable to more fleet-footed light infantry.

An October 2016 exhibition at the Swiss Military Museum at the Castle of Morges helped to disprove this myth. The museum organized a race between three men — one each outfitted as an armored knight, a modern infantryman and a present-day firefighter.

The racers met at an assault course at the Place d’Armes de Biere, a Swiss army training center. The men’s loads were of similar weight — but the differences ended there. How each racer distributed his weight varied widely.

More, plus 7 minute video: http://warisboring.com/a-medieval-knight-was-surprisingly-nimble/
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Sanguine on May 18, 2017, 02:05:07 am
Very cool, EC!
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Wingnut on May 18, 2017, 02:10:29 am
(http://thingsthatmadeanimpression.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/picture-blackknight_montypythongrail.jpg)
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: geronl on May 18, 2017, 02:19:54 am
Jack be Nimble, Jack Be Quick, Jack outrun people from the future!
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Suppressed on May 18, 2017, 08:57:04 pm
This isn't surprising.  I wore a similar suit of full plate armor to class in college, and ran for part of the way.  (I gave a presentation on how the armor I wore was different from what Sir Lancelot would have worn.)

Certain motions are difficult in plate armor.  And the well distributed weight leads to fatigue issues. 


The problem is, this is one example of field plate that's not late plate armor, which was much heavier and restrictive.  It's that later armor, and late jousting armor, that's a problem.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Gefn on May 18, 2017, 09:43:09 pm
"Let all men who go to don armor tomorrow remember to go before they don armor"

EDmund Blackadder the First.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: roamer_1 on May 18, 2017, 10:45:00 pm

The problem is, this is one example of field plate that's not late plate armor, which was much heavier and restrictive.  It's that later armor, and late jousting armor, that's a problem.

Yes. IIRC, armor toward it's end was significantly thicker in a vain attempt to ward of advanced quality steel, which hit high(er) production rates in the late Medieval, and along with it, the introduction of gunpowder projectiles. The knee-jerk reaction was to make the armor thicker, to the point inevitably, that it ceased to be functional.

Even as keeps faded, as what had worked for centuries didn't stand a bare chance against cannons, which were light and maneuverable, compared to trebuchets - it was not necessarily the power thereof (a trebuchet is arguably capable of more power), but the portability, mobility, and repeatable accuracy of the cannon, is hard for a trebuchet to compete with. 
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: roamer_1 on May 18, 2017, 10:48:02 pm
"Let all men who go to don armor tomorrow remember to go before they don armor"

EDmund Blackadder the First.

Perhaps his name was misspelled some time along the line...
It would certainly explain his emphasis.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Wingnut on May 18, 2017, 10:54:05 pm
If a knight gets struck by lightning what happens?
Take a period medieval knight adorned in his steely armor.  Does his armor act like a faraday cage or does he get fried like a dragons lunch?   
Now that would be for a knight without a horse, but what would happen if he was on his armor adorned steed?
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Gefn on May 18, 2017, 11:04:28 pm
Perhaps his name was misspelled some time along the line...
It would certainly explain his emphasis.

It was a typo. My iPad is acting up.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Sanguine on May 18, 2017, 11:20:06 pm
Perhaps his name was misspelled some time along the line...
It would certainly explain his emphasis.

Lackbladder?  Or, Ackbladder?
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: roamer_1 on May 18, 2017, 11:27:08 pm
Lackbladder?  Or, Ackbladder?

 :beer:
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: roamer_1 on May 18, 2017, 11:29:20 pm
It was a typo. My iPad is acting up.

No dear... I am sorry to have worried you. I have some weird form of dyslexia that causes me to see words differently than they appear... Often with funny results that fit the content...
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Sanguine on May 18, 2017, 11:37:38 pm
No dear... I am sorry to have worried you. I have some weird form of dyslexia that causes me to see words differently than they appear... Often with funny results that fit the content...

Yes, and I love typos too. 
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: geronl on May 19, 2017, 12:36:48 am
The Council has spoken and we have denied admittance to one Baldrick.

(http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31600000/The-Knights-of-the-Round-Table-2-arthur-and-gwen-31689592-498-283.gif)

So much for that cunning plan!

(https://wellthisiswhatithink.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/baldrick-3.jpg)
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: roamer_1 on May 19, 2017, 12:39:53 am
Yes, and I love typos too.

LOL! yes... Especially unintended, but in context somehow.

Makes me giggle.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Gefn on May 19, 2017, 12:42:41 am
The Council has spoken and we have denied admittance to one Baldrick.

(http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31600000/The-Knights-of-the-Round-Table-2-arthur-and-gwen-31689592-498-283.gif)

So much for that cunning plan!

(https://wellthisiswhatithink.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/baldrick-3.jpg)


love baldrick! ❤️
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: geronl on May 19, 2017, 01:43:14 am

love baldrick! ❤️

A great character.
Title: Re: A Medieval Knight Was Surprisingly Nimble
Post by: Joe Wooten on May 19, 2017, 01:30:36 pm
"Let all men who go to don armor tomorrow remember to go before they don armor"

EDmund Blackadder the First.

EDmund Blackadder the First, or Bill Tinybladder the umpteenth? :)