How Did Medieval Soldiers Train for War? DOCUMENTARY
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2024
- So how did medieval soldiers train for war? Check out this awesome digital wargame, Field of Glory II: Medieval store.steampowered.com/app/13...
In this history documentary we continue our dive into the mechanics of Medieval warfare. The last episode covered how to raise a medieval army which serves as a good primer. This episode seeks to dive deeper by looking at how individual soldiers prepared for battle. We break down this training by major army groups: the aristocratic retinue, the non-aristocratic freemen, and the mercenaries. This involves everything from general fitness, to weapons training, mock combat, and of course practical experience. Stay tuned for more episodes on Medieval history.
Sources and Suggested Reading:
Clifford Rogers, Soldiers Lives Throughout History: The Middle Ages
“Exercises in Arms: the Physical and Mental Combat Training of Men-at-Arms in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries,” Pierre Gaite, Journal of Medieval Military History
“Yron & Stele: Chivalric Ethos, Martial Pedagogy, Equipment, and Combat Technique in the Early Fourteenth-Century Middle English Version of Guy of Warwick,”
B Ann Tlusty, The Martial Ethic in Early Modern Germany
“Archery Practice in Early Tudor England,” Steven Gunn, Past & Present no. 209
Archery and Crossbow Guilds in Medieval Flanders, Laura Crombie
Aldo Sietta, “Military Games and the Training of the Infantry,” Journal of Medieval Military History vol. 11
Michael Mallett, Mercenaries, Medieval Wafare: A History
Matthew Strickland and Robert Hardy, The Great Warbow
William Caferro, John Hawkwood, English Mercenary in Fourteenth Century Italy
“Arms and the Art of War: The Ghentenaar and Brugeois Militia in 1477-79,” J. F Verbruggen, Journal of Medieval Military History
![Moneybagg Yo - WHISKEY WHISKEY [feat. Morgan Wallen] (Official Audio)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kJamyq0WplE/mqdefault.jpg)
I find it really interesting that this channel has gone from Total War content to stuff like this. It's great.
Yeah, its my favorite channel
Total War Rome 2 and Destiny. Also, at the start, this channel was something of an off-shoot of the older The Halo Forge Epidemic (from where the abreviation THFE - the original name of the channel - came from). Oakley was part of 4 or five guys who played Halo and created Forge maps in Forge Mode in Halor Reach.
Ngl I miss classics like the Siege of Athens
Centurion has entered the chat room 🙌
I miss some total war stuff too ,like the Roman army series ,which now is more abandoned than the Balkans during 5th century AD
Damn these soldiers needed to have some serious grinding to stand a chance in pvp, it's unfortunate that the medieval ages were severely pay to win
Pretty funny how these chads were occasionally beaten by Virgin lords that started paying for their whole clan to level up.
That about sums it up the peasant forces were often conscripts with only minimal training and gear while the aristocratic warriors have been training since boyhood and had access to the finest weapons and gear around!
@@FrankCastle-tq9bz Yep. That's why most lord don't need and never want to deploy peasant forces on the offense or even in the defense if possible. Given their poor equipment and training in general, compared to noble retinue, freemen and mercenaries, every lord never sends them on a raid and if the peasants have to fight, the lords will *insist and pray* that the peasant forces fight from a fortified position, 'cause that's pretty much the only chance they have.
@@DogseatDogs Sometimes the peasants fought really good, like in Hastings ( on the side of the ango-saxon defenders. Sure, they were uphill but the fyrd held like champs. They almost won! )
@@Melanrick Yes. It was a good example of how to use peasants and why their undisciplined nature can compromise a battle. Holding out for days only for the left side fyrds to charge over bloodlust and a possible feint by the Norman, Harold lost his battle, his throne and his life.
Another thing to note is that these fyrds are not merely serfs given a hoe or a spear to fight. These are men selected by multiple families and farms over an area, given decent spears, shields, javelins and armor (for a non-noble). They then occasionally train to fight. It is telling how this superior force can still bethe weak chunk that caused Harold's loss.
Dad Answer: Like their lives depended on it.
Omg such a dad answer that I actually rolled my eyes 🤣
When I have kids I’m totally using that LOL
This answer can be applied to every question and I love it.
"Why is your dick small?"
"Because my life depended on it"
@@adude8424 I think you disproved your own claim just then.
Using this now, cheers mate
How strong was the grind in 1015 fellas
It was S T R O N K
p2w as fuck wouldn't recommend
@@rgm96x49 True bro. Nobles are such a hack.
The art of this series is amazing
It’s like arts in crusader king
@@Spider-Too-Too that's exactly where is it from
Attempt #14: You know what Roman legionaries might have been training for? Julius Caesar’s hypothetical invasion of Parthia.
Well said!
Recover the Legions from Teutoburg?
As they say, practice makes perfect.
You're getting better and better at asking what happened to that series.
@@alansalas1880 hmmmm....That's strange.
Varro hasn't come back from Germania yet...
@@sisyphus4468 Perfect practice makes perfect. Any faults that become habitual become imperfect performance.
His voice sounds very "documentary-ish"
Cuz it’s a sound actor
He got aggressive all of sudden for the ad haha
That's called having a London accent.
Probably because it’s a documentary.
@@prestonjones1653 American logic lol.
"I'll make a man out of you!."
"Tranquil as a forest"
We must be swift as the coursing river
Be a man
@@miliba Mysterious as the dark side of the MOOONNNN..............I'll shut up now ;)
Hit them with a wooden staff for some time in the training grounds until they're ready to be upgraded.
Throw like 10-40 coins at them and watch them Sailor Moon Transform from a Peasant boy into a fully armored footman.
So Pokémon that evolve after a couple of hits from a stick, and a sack of dosh
Ah yes, the Calradian method of martial training.
@@kaptenlemper swadian tested, swadian guaranteed!
bizarre m&b economy. how an trained man ready to die for a complete random such as the player is cheaper than the equipment said man is wearing
@@uhoh1733The idea behind M&B recruiting is that you’re just asking people who wants to join you and then paying for their equipment, the only money they get is their salary.
I think mock battles or battles for entertainment are really under appreciated by most historical channels, there is a reason why most countries have (from italy to england) have a form of calceo storico, a game played by commoners.
England/ Europe = Burhurt, blunt swords and mail.
USa = larp foam weapons under variant names.
@@krispalermo8133 both exists in several countrys around the world. you eltist much m8?
@@inquisitorhedgehog3730 Please clarify about being .. elitist much, and was " m8 ".. also a typo ?
@11:50 imagine been so bored your whole city goes to an mock war
Italians also had ''calcio Fiorentino'': it's a mix of football, rugby, and fistfights :)
Imagine the Aztecs having "flower wars", battles to capture human sacrifices just to make sure the sun would still rise tomorrow, and the next day. And the next...
@@jameswoodard4304 Thanks for the correction! I'll edit it.
You just click on that icon in barrack and wait 10 seconds or 7 if you upgraded it to rapid mobilization.
Upgraded*
Not trying to be an ass, just putting it out there.
What game?
@@killerjack3737 No specific game. That's just your average base building strategy game.
The battle of Visby on Gotland was one of mercenaries against free townsmen with unfortunate if predictable results. I read a thing about how as the mercs advanced they slashed at the ankles of the less experienced townsmen and didn't bother finishing them off until after they had won. There are lots of incredible artifacts from that battle.
Visby was a damned slaughter... The most curious aspect of that battle is how badly the corpses must have smelled that the mercenaries didn't bother to sack armor and money from them lmao
@@riograndedosulball248 yeah that's a really funny image.
The art in this episode was particularly stunning considering the workload and time frame. As a viewer, I'd like to see more of this artist in future episodes!
Also another thing pointing out at technology got better Europeans we're getting better and better armored this is including for the very poor. What are the biggest physical evidence in top of my head that I can think about is the excavation of the battle of Gotland, it shows that even the poorest peasants had metal armor and helmets.
Anyways, I know you can't cover everything in all in one video but this is a very good video I have to say. Keep it up.
Lords often paid for armor and weapons for their peasants.
I mran: even a spoiled lord knows that his victory chances are higher if the peasants gear get better.
Also after the war he needs them to keep the economy going.
So he can not afford great loses.
Great video! I really like content lately that brings historical war/life concepts that are a "given" into more detailed context.
I.e. Instead of assuming that armies have infantry, calvary, archers... explaining the difference between men at arms, freemen, mercs, etc.
I'd love to see content about the logistics of siege engines. The folks that built and maintained them, where the ammunition came from, and how they differed in different regions
He got so intense, over-the-top and hyped-up when he did the sponsor's game advertisement, like he was a totally different person ... then gets back the documentary part and is so soft-spoken, subdued and calm ... 😂
"He had only participated in 3 large scale pitch battles." According to Invicta that's not a big deal?
Well considering he had been fighting in the hundred years war for almost 50 years I think it is telling
Socrates also fought in 3 battles in his lifetime. Compare that to more modern philosophers in their lounge chairs, ha!
I mean, the guy had probably killed more men and participated in more skirmishes than he could count. Its just that open battles were a rarity compared to later eras. I can imagine a soldier in WWI fighting in 3 large scale battles in their 4 years, while in the Middle Ages they'd have to wait through several wars
@@fdumbass I'm just saying one large scale battle with people getting hacked to death is kind of a big deal. Let alone three! What do you need to do to impress Invicta??? We can't all be Ceaser!
In 47 years of military service, yes.
In fact, most of fencing teatrises in late medieval were more like an advertising for aristocrats to say "I know all this things, hire me and I will teach you that"
The last time I was this early, people still couldn’t use flint.
There's some evidence that our hominid ancestors figured out flint knapping before they even fully evolved into modern Homo sapiens. (earliest evidence suggests 300,000 BCE) That's very, very early indeed.
Last time I was this early, the og voice was in use.
Lmao he's still there for the Roman content haha
Of all these RUclips documentaries, yours have the best illustration. Good work, whoever makes these.
Next: How medieval warriors used their skill points.
shooting competitions are still a huge part of local culture here in lower saxony germany (also common in other parts but especially here).
part of it is shooting at a wooden eagle with a crossbow with medals for shooting of different parts and a king being crowned for bringing the whole thing down. there is also regular target shooting of course especially with air rifles. such competitions are organized by the local marksmen clubs often there is even a small parade.
Your art style is impossibly awesome with a medieval theme
Holy heck for the first time ever in a RUclips video I am absolutely in love with the sponsor
Last times I was this early Invicta announced that he still worked in what if Caesar Lived Part 3.
Really enjoyed this. You've been very helpful to me. I'm wanting to write a medieval fantasy series and I want it to have a sense of realism. Therefore, I will be using a lot of historical information to help me write certain parts of the story like battles and how soldiers would train for battle.
How lucky am I, to watch nothing but back to back awesome videos today
That was a good watch, especially about free companies. Love the content!
@5:52 I love how this illustration looks like something straight out of MS I.33.
I can imagine that a fine line was present in the training of the "peasantry". A lord would need a body of troops for war or defense but the possibility that you could equip and train those that may rise up in revolt against you could not be ignored.
Not really needed: the peasants had to work so they couldn't train to much while the nobility lived to fight and trained everyday since they were children, also they had much better armor
You do realize that most of the armed freemen were peasants right? In medieval times the peasantry came in both serfs who worked the land and are tied to it, and freemen who were able to leave snd did other work and roles.
Field of Glory is literally the first game I have seen advertised on RUclips that I have wanted to play.
Usually I just swear at the screen like an angry drunk about the awful freemium wank that is heavily promoted.
It is genuinely a great game with challenging AI. If you enjoy strategy, definitely pick it up.
I thought the same thing.
@@RIPDixie1865 you are fake people
@@axmoylotl I am a far right, anti-semite, white supremacist. Do I sound fake now?
Please do more medieval videos!!!
Maybe something like how an army would feed and all (unless that has already been mentioned in your how to raise an army video)
OMG!!! This is quality content. Amazing
It is said at one point Lord Humongous had the best army in the wasteland. Composed of soldiers and police officers turned bandits. Skills borne from the crucible of actual experience. But his was essentially a roving band. Nomads. Their size would dwindle overtime. Even after his death, the rest of the band continued on until they dissolved.
Aunty Entity had a military institution more familiar to us. Bartertown was manned by a citizen militia. Being urban enough to have resources to equip some select wastelanders/bartertowners. With a small retinue of bodyguards payed for and equipped by aunty, literally Housejarls/Huscarls.
Immortan was different. Being able to secure a practically unlimited source of water he would have the resources to gather a slave army. War pups were pretty much just wastelander children or sons of war dogs that had nothing else to do but spar and practice mechanics. Due to indoctrination in the cult of V8. Pay wasn't really that necessary and all he needed to do was to feed them. This allowed Immortan to have a comparative large and well trained army, and although not really payed, would have been considered professionals in standards. Earlier on in his life Immortan started out just like Lord Humongous. Leading a band of veteran bandits. But those elite few dwindled, and whats left became his vassal lords: the Bullet Farmer and the Human Calculator.
According to Corpus Callosum, his father was prepared to arm the dregs of society if he would encounter a larger threat. Akin to having a fyrd or militia. The Citadel will provide the bodies, while the the Bullet farm will provide the arms.
But due to the Raggedy-Man, we will never know if that is really possible.
-The First History Man (On the Fangs of the Wastes)
Liked the artwork and whole video,nicely done.
Hi Invicta,
You should make a Units of History video on the Thespian Hoplites. They are a very unique unit in Ancient Greece. It would be quite interesting to learn some information about them, and their city, that not many people know.
This videos was great, super interesting. I'm subbing rn
love these videos! you guys are awesome!
Everyone seeing this have a good day and be kind to everyone!
Thank you. You have a good day as well and may life be nothing but kind to you.
You also have a great day
@@schmucktheduck7253 Pay it forward :)
This is always so interesting. Thank you
omg the voiceover in this vid, fkn amazing!
Another great presentation 😍
Commenting for the algorithm. Great video and channel.
Another Great Video!
love these videos! thank you!
Fantastic stuff! Thanks.
"let's get down to business!"
Bless this channel
I love the paintings in this video.
good stuff look forward to seeing more, specially the Swiss cantons military development
Enlightening and entertaining indeed 👌🏻
The caption had me waiting for Eastern Roman soldiers too. But anyway, I learned quite a lot!
Love the medieval videos!
Shout out to the Invicta artists. Consistently beautiful images.
Is it just me or the narrator here in Invicta sounds like a younger and more enthusiastic brother of the narrator in Kings and Generals? Two awesome dudes with different styles but same amount of awesomeness!
This was soooo soooo much interesting!
Congrats on 900k subs!
Fascinating! Thank you!
Amazing!!
Invicta when are you going to release the Zack Snyder Cut of What if Caesar Lived Part 3???
Amazing video
Great video
EVOLUTION OF ROME PART TWO ITS BEEN 5 YEARS
Great content as always :)
Were you doing recordings for any EFL coursebooks or resource books? I'm asking as your voice sounds like the one I've heard in a resource book with lessons on different aspects of the English-speaking world culture :)
How about religious/military orders? Templars, Hospitalars, Teoutonics, Livonians, etc??
Probably couldn't do it because there's not a lot of info about that topic.
They're pretty much a mercenary force financed by the church. So still covered by this video XD
@@carloreytansiongco8741 well compared to mercenaries the templars and hospitallers were actual standing armies with specializations and a long history that they can make a video of, tuetons were mercenaries so they are indeed covered for the most part, hell they made alot of the head ornaments popular again because they're such show-offs
I mean, compared to other men-at-arms, Militant Religious Orders are the only forces out there comparable to mercenaries in that they are in constant belligerence, and constant training. All thanks to the fact that some other entity is financing them. No other large body of troops are like that except mercenary companies.
Dunno man. Ogre Battle clearly taught me that you just slip a Benjamin to your local dragon tamer and hawkman squad, then you spar to the death, and hopefully get some XP out of it.
Good clip :)
I am surprised you barely mentioned medieval martial arts manuscripts .. We actually know a lot about fighter training in medieval times..
13:54 hey I know them! We still study their Fechtbuchs today in HEMA.
Farmer Freemen be like “wow that ‘war’ thing sucks thoughts and prayers guys”
I love history vs fiction vids
I keep thinking of Admiral Yi and all his drilling.
Great video. Am I right in thinking that an English fyrd would have just been the 'freemen' unit that you described or is it slightly different?
It will be cool, if possible, to cover more in depth the topic of Furusiyya. How were levantines and easterners training and how their methods differed from those of their european counterpart?
I’d like to see a video on how to “raze” and medieval castle
What a documentary !
Fascinating
Is there any way to download or find the source of the beautiful medieval artwork featured during this video essay? I'd be super interested in using that artwork as wallpapers on my phone
For one to effectively fight in armor one must live in armor and this because a person must be adapted to the restriction and the weight of the armor that can even result in a physically stronger person depending on the weight of the armor. Strength and speed that can be result in making mistakes in a fight when heavy armor is removed effecting the speed and the amount of force needed to move, defend and attack and spending some small amount of time of training without armor may helps in the cases of being attacked undressed or in bed.
I appreciate the new voice actor.
I find so cool how roman literature was the base for many things in medieval world
In regards to mercenaries. Niccolo Machiavelli really liked then. He even wrote about them in a week known as "the prince".
Concerning the structual Training, there are quiet a few manuals to be honest.
Talhoffer for example wrote some books around the 15.th century where He describes how to train.
Get up early, pray, take a Full grain bread and put it into cold water and eat it later. Then exercices like: jump, run, wrestle, throw Stones, lift stones, practice Fencing and so on.
Go to bed early and repeat.
And there are more such example for gymnastics and whole Workouts. So maybe you missed something.
10:13 This picture is from Earlymodern era. note that there's a musketeer here with gunpowder bandolier and his musket.
I'm a recent subscriber and I really love the details and information you provide on here. One series I really enjoyed was your Law and Order series of Rome. I was wondering if you could do a Medieval Law and Order series as well.
The narrator sounds excellent!!
I love your exposés, Invicta, and your amount of time and effort that you put into making them for us. ☝🏻With that said, 10:13 the painting here is not medieval. The people are dressed in garb from the late 1500’s, the Late Renaissance. Tsk tsk, Sir. History and French teacher here. 🙋🏻♂️👨🏻🏫
Hawkwood was part of the inspiration for the Dorsai series of books
In Poland between 15 and 18 century noble children, often at age 8 started they martial training with so called palcaty (term depending on context may mean: wooden, heavy training sword/sabre or game - duel - in which they are used. )
To discover that any commoner with a lance and some martial training will beat hem
@@2adamast Nope. Around 14 years they could beat easly anyone without basic martian training, and most of people with basic martial training.
Time to start training my friends
Could you do one of these for just like every culture ever?
K Thank!
This is pretty interesting. In some countries modern soldiers lift weights, stones and do high intensity workout. I wonder what the diet of soldier like? 🤔
I love the background pictures because it's from Crusader Kings 3.
Nice game - it kicks you in the balls and give you a glas of honey afterwards.
Oo love the shout out to Masters whose work are a cornerstone to modern HEMA!
Could you make an indepth video on medieval mercenaries
You guys could speak about how middle eastern armies worked
Anyone else just imagine medieval soldiers doing cqb and room clearing drills?
Ye gods I love this channel