Talos is so handsome! I love his bored pawing of the ground, like "I thought we were gonna have some fun, and now you're just sitting there and blabbing!"
The idea of having an axe rider come by, swing, and the blade deflecting off my skull and taking off half my face but leaving me alive.... is horrific.
It looked to me like this sort of blow would be really harmful to a helmeted person too. Quite a bit of kinetic energy and so i see a potential source of concussion and whiplash and if things really go awry, spine fracture.
Love how Talos is demonstrating his irritation and boredom. Stood there thinking, "Oh come on human, I've been saddled, bridled, brushed and shoe'd and you're just going to sit there talking?" /stomp stomp stomp.
Back in the late 80s, when I was young (and dinosaurs ruled the world) I went to the Maryland Renn. Faire. The jousters there had one guy on a huge black Clydesdale named Fergus. Fergus did NOT realize they were just dong a show-- he took it serious. When the "champion" dismounts the opposing "knight", Fergus tried to stop him flat! The "champion" had a hard time dragging Fergus back by the reins to stop him. Great show! :-)
The part where he looked at the camera was the best. It was as if he was saying, "Can you believe this guy is still talking after he said 'now I'll stop talking?'"
The level of education provided by your videos regarding to horseback combat is unmatched for me, because you're actually DOING what you talk about and I love that!
What I appreciate the most about these videos is the amount of respect that is shown towards those who have come before us. Never once have I seen Jason look down with any sense of superiority due to the luxury of hindsight we have today. He tries to understand what they knew at the time and is not only perfectly willing to admit that perhaps people from the medieval times knew better than we do in regards to some knowledge, it's as if he's excitedly looking for those areas so he can learn and understand. It's refreshing and calming to see history approached with humility. Thank you so much for making these great videos!
@Völkisch Pacifist The axe wasn't ever closer than about arms length to the horses eyes, he knows what he's doing, the camera angle just makes it seem closer.
@Völkisch Pacifist Camera angles can be deceiving. A camera lens sees thing differently than the human which is why you can do forced perspective tricks with a camera and it's been used for a long time for fight choreography. With the proper camera angles/lens settings and good choreography, you can film 2 people fighting each other when they're not actually directly in front of each other.
I love Jason and friends!!! This is one of the best channels on RUclips! I learn something new with ever video. I too am a medieval enthusiast and Jason’s channel is golden!!
I'd love to see you doing that with a straight sword compared to a curved sword/saber. Other youtubers like Matt from Schola Gladiatoria and historians argue that the shape of the saber makes it more effective but most of all easier and less dangerous (impact shock or getting stuck for example) to use from horseback than a straight sword, but I never got to see that in action. Since your horseback warfare content is the best I know on YT this might be an interesting topic for the viewers as well as for you
@Da'Rellus Jarvis Marquavius I bet if I took my shirt of and strutted around with a big hammer or over sized a heap of hot chicks in skimpy leather outfits would look at me and think
The later development of a horseman's pick would seem to imply that not only was it due to armor, but through use. If you find yourself primarily using the spike, presumably you come to question why you're bothering with the axe head at all and drop it to focus on the part of the weapon that sees the majority of use.
I love the cross between a Andalusian and a Shire, how brilliant! The stockiness coupled with the athleticism seems like it makes for quite the ideal warhorse! And I love the name Kingslander, that's just ridiculously epic. Talos is so stunning
The axe is my preferred weapon. I have sparred with them for many years. I love hooking a shield, and when the opponent instinctively resists the pull, I thrust in. Driving the top of the axe into the face plate. Knocking them off balance, and opening them up for the finishing blow... Works almost every time, and is so satisfying. More importantly... What a beautiful and meaty boy! That horse is to die for!
Brilliant video as always! And a big shoutout to Talos! I've never seen or heard of a cross between these breeds of horse; which are coincidentally in my personal favourite top 5 favourite horse breeds. Isn't he handsome, a strong sturdy frame but a little leaner than a Shire. A perfect combination for strength, stamina with a little more agility too.
How interesting. The general shape without the pick is similar to the battle axes of ancient Egypt e.g one was found in Tutankamun's tomb. Good technology lasts a long time. Thanks for another interesting video.
Actually, medieval axe with a lanyard is mentioned in Novgorodian Chronicles. In the Battle of Lipitsa (1216) Novgorodian prince Mstislav the Daring ride three times throu the forces of Suzdalian princes, his enemies, cutting people with his axe with a lanyard. Lanyard is mentioned specifically by the chronicler, maybe because it showed the skill of the prince.
I love that your horse is called Talos. He seems a really cool horse, and he deffo didn't want to be standing around while you gassed at the camera! LOL He really wanted to get going and do something fun
That's exactly how I used to hold my crop when I jumped my horse. I had no idea it was the safest way to hold it; just did it because that was comfortable and I was told to NEVER put it around my wrist. I love your videos.
I've rode horses and walk dogs and you never want to wrap a strap around your wrist. I wonder if they didn't have some kind of thong or straw "break-away" strap wrapped around their weapon instead of a full strap.
I discovered this channel only very recently, as lockdown has had me in front of my computer a lot more than normal. As a long-time knightly enthusiast and a student of history, I cannot express how great your channel is. Keep up the great content!
I had built for me a Dane Axe with the profile and dimensions based on teh on ein The Tower of London (her name is Wormfeeder). The thing that surprises folk is just how thin the head is. It has been tried on a dead sheep and it easily took the head off in one swoop.
Yessss! A new video finally graduated high school and you’re re giving me the motivation and joy that I have for history, so much that I’m planning to major in it for college
That use of the lanyard is interesting, as a young prison officer in the early nineties that is exactly how I was taught to use the leather strap on my baton. Depending on the angle of your hand it was easy to decide whether or not you wanted to keep a hold of the stave (as a baton/truncheon was officially called) or release it. I guess what works works.
What did Legolas say to Gimli? 'An axe is no weapon for a rider.' I would have thought that, because all the weight is in the end of the weapon, the follow through on a strike is almost impossible to control, and especially dangerous with a rear spike. Any miss or glancing blow is going to risk hitting your horse. And reducing the weight of the strike removes the purpose of having such a heavy-headed weapon. And, as you say, the importance of edge alignment is exaggerated by the movement of the horse. I also imagine that the proximity to your opponent required by an axe negates the benefits of being on a horse gained by a spear. In Napoleonic times, at least, a cavalryman thrust his sword forward as far as he could with the cutting edge of the blade towards the opponent, his extended arm and the blade trying as far as possible to mimic the reach of a spear or lance. Anyone swinging an axe on horseback against another mounted opponent using a sword this way, let alone a spear, would undoubtedly have to face such a thrust considerably before getting his swing in. And if he has a shield and his opponent on his left side, it severely reduces the area into which the swing of an axe could reach. Against an opponent on foot, the dangers to the horse of a missed strike, glancing blow or parry off a shield would be further increased. I can't see any benefit to using an axe on horseback. I imagine a horseman's mace would be a preferable weapon. Then again, Robert the Bruce clearly disagreed, and he knew a thing or two about mounted combat.
I love seeing theory put to the test, there is always something interesting that comes out of your testing. Whether it's the skill required to use an axe on horseback, or the advantage a foot soldier has over a mounted opponent.
Im so early!! You probably wont see this comment, but if you do, i just wanted to say that I absolutely love your vids and your whole channel. Not only do you include amazing horses, but you make these videos so educational and interesting- honestly, I could watch these videos all day!!! Stay Safe🐴👍
@@InnannasRainbow Jason's horses are all magnificent creatures, you can see he cares about them a lot. I especially love the Mule with no Name and hope there's gonna be lots of videos with him haha
great video once again! another detail about medieval battle-axes is that they were quite popular due to their effectiveness at a much lower cost of metals than swords and in many instances would have been more common than swords.
One thing that I really admire about your videos is that you do not have a fear of being wrong. You are creative and you think of different ways of expanding upon our knowledge of the middle ages and medieval combat, you’re open to testing them, and then you are completely honest as to whether it was successful or not. Keep making these videos, it’s an unparalleled source of education and entertainment!
What a great video! Coming at this as I do from a purely fantasy-fan perspective, it's never really talked about in tabletop games (at least not in ones like D&D and Pathfinder) just WHY there's a difference between the various types of axes. Even when there are illustrations of the weapons it's still not obvious on such differences. What you do here as you introduce us to this weapon is absolutely the best explanation I've ever heard as to why a battle axe is most emphatically NOT a wood cutting axe. And it's so good to see Talos in fine fettle! He's always a pleasure to watch, and this video was no exception. Such a good boy! Thank you once again for sharing these insights and explanations with us and giving us great stuff to think about!
Talos is one magnificent and steady horse, as well as as warlord, with a unique personality. He didn’t blink once , even with all that going on near his head. Great video!
A splendid sight, with such a fine axe and a marvellous horse... though I think everyone watching (except for Talos) has to have been at least a little nervous about the lack of barding. One minor point - you mention the earliest battle axes, axes with rear spikes and horseman's picks as belonging in the early, high and late medieval periods, respectively. These may be the earliest appearances in the popular armaments of medieval Europe, but aren't the earliest appearances in European or world history. There were axes with rear spikes in stone age Europe (and elsewhere) and there were also standalone stone picks, which appear to have been used as weapons. Both types of weapon survived into the bronze age and at least in areas, the early iron age. For most of this prehistoric and ancient era, weapons were not used on horseback, so of the three, the horseman's pick is naturally the latest to appear in history/archaeology, despite the much earlier advent of non-horseman war picks. The earliest culture known to fight predominantly as cavalry is that of the Scythians, whose territory extended from the steppes of Asia to the Baltic. Herodotus claims that in general, the primary melee weapon of the Scythians was their axe, the "sagaris", with the shortsword ("akinakes") a backup weapon, but the Scythian axes that have been found and that appear in art are sometimes so narrow that they would be better described as picks. As such, those can probably be considered the earliest horseman's picks. Incidentally, just as the narrower kinds of sagaris can closely resemble later horseman's picks, the broader types usually have a rear spike and very much resemble late medieval horseman's axes. The use of narrow heads and spikes may be as much to do with using them as a tool as it does using them as a weapon, though the scantily armoured Scythians are known to have fought against other cultures who were well armoured - including their Sarmatian nemeses (often considered the inspiration for later cataphracts and knights), who were apparently clad (as were their horses!) from tip to toe in a scale armour made from horse hoof clippings (Did King Arthur ride into battle in such a panoply? Would sure love someone with a lot of horses and an interest in the experimental archaeology of martial history to take a look at that!), which Roman authors claimed to be lightweight but as effective as bronze armour. An axe head can more easily kill an unarmoured opponent who is resisting, but the Scythians would also often have to kill horses for meat and other materials or execute enemy prisoners, for which the pick or poll head would have been the quickest and cleanest option available to them, so in an era where metal was relatively precious and a warrior may have had very few metal possessions, it makes sense to have developed a preference for a single tool that was effective in more than one role.
Dude, what an amazin channel you have here. It all started when youtube recomended me a video of some guy brushing hist teeths with some medieval flowers and now I'm learning how to yield a lance while in horseback. Just awesome. Keep it up!
I've always been fascinated by Robert the Bruce's combat with DeBohun on the eve of Bannock burn. Axe vs lance. DeBohuns helm and head are split open, the shaft of the axe broken in the process. Would be nice if you could add some thoughts as an experienced rider.
The axe discussion was very informative and interesting, but I have to confess I was enthralled with Talos. 😁 I'm a horse nut who hasn't been able to ride for almost 50 years. I've never seen a Shire/Andalusian cross, and he's simply amazing! Somewhat like a plus-sized Lipizzan. That neck and crest, and those haunches-- :sigh: I think I have a crush on your horse. 😊
I love these videos. I found this channel at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and have been hooked since. Thanks for all of the effort that you and your production team put into these.
just think how bad it was to go up aganist knights on horseback? You can choose to 1: get impaled during the charge 2. get your head bashed in/ half of your face cut off 3. trampled by a horse and you can not even run away, your best bet is to stand still while holding your pointy-stick out and hope that neither the village drunk or the village idiot craps it and runs leaving you behind.
@Gergő Kerekes and even if you manage that then you would still get pushed back by the horse impact, get a few brocken bones if lucky while the knight is flung of his horse contiuing to move in your direction (the horse too it wont stop from one second to the other just 'cause you impalled or killed it) wich can get you impaled neither less or get you burried under the falling horse... not very good options plus the fact that just a few broken bones and open wounds could still kill you after the fact in these days.
What I find more ridiculous is the fact that we used horses for melee combat. I'm sure that they had great training, but if you've ever ridden a horse you'd know they sometimes get spooked by completely random things, they might be fine with extremely loud shouting and gunshots, but they're also entirely capable of being deathly scared of a bit of plastic packaging on the road.
@@harambe4267 thats only today horses though wild horses and medival war horses were known to be quite furious and didn't get spooked at all. War horses were known to commonly biting and kicking at enemys breaking their arms and even kill them to protect them selfs and their riders.
Interesting discussion about the lanyard. I would have never imagined this- especially the problem of getting yanked off the horse if the lanyard is too tight.
You know that Jason Kingsley is a CEO of Rebellion Development, right? So he actually “head butts a computer” for living (or at least he used to I guess)
The image of you calmly sitting atop that gigantic wonderful beast at the end of your video. Speaking softly and gently waving around that beautifully crafted axe. Makes one wonder: "What if that bundle was ridding towards me with the intent of cleaving my skull in half?"... truly terrifying!!!
7:53 Talos looks into the camera... T: This human...so noisy.... 8:00 T: Why are you still talking? 8:06 T: If I sniff your boots can we go? 8:13 T: LET'S GOOOOOOOO! Love your content, I love England's history. I enjoy reading about Oct 1066, the start of it all.
Just a thought, but I’d expect one downside of a lanyard would be the inability to easily switch between the two different sides of the axe. The lanyard would need to be relatively thin so as not to impede rotating the tool in hand, and would also require you to rotate it in the opposite direction as you previously did when switching back to the other side of the axe. Just a thought!
Also does the lanyard not also mean that if the axe does come free from you hand at any point in a swing, there is a very high chance of it rotating around your hand and into the horse?
@@dominicparkerz Lanyards or sword knots were very common from the late 1700s to the early 1900s for cavalry sabres which would arguably pose the same problem when the weapon is dropped and dangles by the horse's flank...
I would expect in a battle you would be much more worried about losing your weapon while actively charging an enemy who is trying to kill you rather than your axe swinging and hitting your horse. Also saddle blankets are thick cloth, the saddles, armor on the thighs of the knight or even padding of a gambeson would make this pretty much negligible I think.
I never used a battle axe , but I have struck metal objects with a spike , car bodies etc. . when you drive a spice through steel plate it will always stick . if a mounted man strikes then he will want to let it go , otherwise the weight of a armored man will be dragging him off . if using a lanyard he would end up paying on the ground with his only weapon stuck in someone else . better to ride out of battle , get another axe and return
@@DG-si3mv Croatia, it's a bearded axe. Weights about 1.7 kg , blade length is 17 cm and axe is about 30 cm long, wouldn't want to be hit in a face with it.
HELLO, my friend, Jason, good day to you . Talos is an amazingly beautiful Horse and what a beautiful mane braid on his brow. What a great idea putting a lanyard on the haft or hilt of the axe, I had exactly the same thought though as your riding away from an impaled Armored enemy horrible thoughts of being yanked loose from horseback or heaven forbid have it come back and bash or spike Talos . 🚫🐎💩 As my father would have said. Hope you have been well through this mess , I know your work has been plentiful as some are not. Be well and I always enjoy your videos whether rides through the Forest as you know well I love since I cannot do it physically myself , I get to vicariously do it through you. Your friend .
Jason continues to give us fantastic programming. I wish the History Channel would hire you, they haven't produced anything of this quality in at least fifteen years. Keep up the great work my friend!
One thing to remember is that horseman axes, picks and hammers were known and continuosly used in Asia for much longer than in Western Europe (Scythians spring to mind as an early example), and so was polo an Oriental and Byzantine sport long before being introduced to the West. So, if one were to look for the comparable ways of attaching a lanyard to the original horseman percussive implements, you'll need to look to the East. One way to confirm the spread of this practice is to look at horsemen's whips like traditional Cossack nagaika and related Caucasian and Turkic implements, which often have some form of lanyards or loops for user's hand.
Excellent observations! Axes are indeed quite technical, and you have so much more room to miss and you have to put extra planning and training into where to hit, so I've always considered it a thinking man's weapon of war rather than anything as brutish as a club. The skill with which it needs to be wielded is also formidable so it's understandably the weapon of a veteran, such as the Dane axes used to behead horses, or by the Janissary who brought down King Wladislaw's horse at the Battle of Varna.
I am writing a fantasy novel and your videos are always so informative and immersive. They really help me visualize what life was like in the medieval times. And they help me make combat situations more accurate and grounded. Maybe a character in my novel can challenge the stereotype around axe wielders.
@@Fabio-hc9bv Nintendo is famously anal about their patented technology and they frequently file patent infringement cases against even minor competitors. And then there's Nintendo strap ...
The name of the law firm is Mario& Luigi, Attorneys at Law. (I'm not sure what they would be called in England. Barristers? Solicitors? )In the US, solicitors are annoying people that come to your door to try to sell you stull. Grandchildren are especially evil because, how can you say no? There are not many door to door salespeople anymore, thank heavens.
now, solicitors call your landline from a call center in India with scary lies about your Computer - even if you don’t own a computer. Hence, very few people actually answer their landline.
Hello! I haven't really commented before, but I just want to say that I've found drawing horses a lot easier after watching your content! I know that's probably just from watching you with your horses in general, but I find it so easy to keep watching your videos!
Love the video people tend to generalise history where it's sword, axe, then guns but it's like with rifles there was flintlock, percussion cap, breach load, bolt, magazine load. So over just 200 years alone you have a rifle but different variants and it's the same with medieval weapons they have different weight, sharpness, carbon content, shapes over many more hundreds of years. Love your videos and how you add skills like just moving on a horse, learn so much and it's great how you surround yourself with the history, great channel
That's a very interesting conclusion! Thank you for testing and trying these things out, and thank you Talos for stealing only parts of the show this time :-)
I’m happy you have posted a new video and to see you looking well. I like Talos’ braided forelock which allows us to see his eyes and allow him to see where he is going. I would have expected the axe to inflict more damage on a styrofoam head. The axe seems to be more effective as a bludgeon. The drawback of the pick side threatening your face as you swing is rather daunting - whether on foot or from a horse. Thank you for adding a new video to your channel. Watching a Modern History TV video is my nightly reward and gives me something to look forward to. Stay safe.
when you find out this guy is the CEO of a company making the sequel to one of your favourite game series. mind blown. been watching this channel for ages. love this content. i just figured you were always like this lol
I have to agree that, much as I like the discussions of medieval weapons and armor, much as I *love* the discussions of farming, tiles, food and other less martial aspects of medieval life which you don't get to hear about as often, it's the gorgeous horses (and mule, now) which keep bringing me back to this channel!
These mounted European knights were pretty much jokers, everybody knows that the Mongol mounted archers were the true thugs. They were called the Devils Horseman for a reason.
Any chance of seeing Talos in barding one day? Oh how mighty he would look in it plus it would make a great video demonstrating how it was put on and slow mo shots at full pace!
Love watching you teaching and showing us world’s glorious past. All the contents are so unique and perfectly made that I can watch all day long. This channel is so much underrated. Thank you so much for your effort. Peace be upon you Sire from Bangladesh!
A totally different time in history but I visited the Alamo a few years ago with my dad and they had some items on display from the siege. This included two swords used by the mexican army (most likely officers). I was very surprised at how small they were.They cosmetically looked to me like the slightly curved longsword I would expect to see the Spanish using in Colonial era movies, but way shorter and smaller. Almost like someone had an accident and shrunk them to an ornamental short sword type of size. I mean it makes sense that in real life as opposed to warfare portrayed in movies and video games, weapons and likely armor would have to be made in a way that they would actually be able to be used effectively rather than being way too heavy to be of any use. I assume that medieval weaponry and armor was likely the same. I've never seen a real one but the weapon of choice for me in a medieval video game has always been a sword (a sword that resembles a longsword) used with a kite shield. I do not know if a longsword was used in medieval times along with a shield because I am no expert but I suspect that like the swords I saw on display at the Alamo, the longsword as well as any other sword was likely smaller than one would expect to see in a movie or game. The battle axe in this video reminded me of how wrong my perception of the size and design of weapons from past eras was. Throughout the video I kept picturing the waraxe from the game "Skyrim", and everytime he said "battle axe" I kept picturing the huge two-handed battle axe from Skyrim that realistically nobody in real life would likely be able to lift, let alone effectively use in combat.
Yeah, most weapons in fantasy media are oversized. This most likely stems from early miniatures, which needed oversize weapons to have enough material to survive the molding techniques. Artists saw the minis, thought that was normal, and went from there.
I bet you would have found the axe easier to use if you had been using larger targets- if you could have aimed for chest of an enemy on foot, you would have been able to use low, sweeping blows, like what you did at 8:18 but lower to the ground. These wouldn't go towards your horse, and you wouldn't need to worry about hitting yourself with the spike. I imagine that would be pretty devastating, and easy to do, though I can also picture losing the axe more easily if it got stuck in some unfortunate opponent's chest- maybe that's why the lanyard wasn't common. I love your channel, it's so educational and always makes me think about what medieval life would have been like- thank you so much for your videos and I hope you continue to make many more!!
I recently found your channel and have come to truly enjoy watching your videos. The way you calmly and thoroughly explain history behind your experiments is so interesting to watch. It's a absolute joy to see someone who is truly passionate about these subjects, and I like seeing your personal introspection. I also admire the fact that you work in your period clothing and show us how people would have really used these things ! I hope someday you might do a video on how horses were fitted for their gear back then, or on how they sewed their clothes and took measurements. I saw bolts of cloth behind you in one video about clothing and was curious if you made your own costumes! Keep up the amazing work! So glad to see a new video from you !
The thumb-grip is a handy idea. I was thinking also that a leather strap tucked under the leather at the base (instead of riveted in with it) might work. It would have enough friction to keep the weapon to hand, but pull loose from the weapon long before enough force was exerted to remove the rider from the horse.
Jason: This is Talos. He is a...
Me: He's a GOOD BOOOY!!
Basically this's what this channel all about😂
literally L o Led
Very much the eager goober sort of horse.
The Gold Standard for history content on YT!
He needs his own tv show
Yes :)
I always thought these were clips from the History Channel
@@TheWoodsman661 He has already done a few look him up
D'accord!
Talos is so handsome! I love his bored pawing of the ground, like "I thought we were gonna have some fun, and now you're just sitting there and blabbing!"
Lol I know, he’s like “let’s go let’s go let’s go let’s go let’s go”
"Get on with it!" :D
That's a sign of aggression. He was about to buck him off.
@@pizzulo81 he didn't look THAT ticked, just annoyed at most.
Talos is in training for Spanish Walk.
Poor Talos wanted so desperately to get moving.
I'm inclined to agree with him.
Right! Jason was talking too much.....
I thought he was digging.
Thalmor were making him nervous
@@kipter Lmao was waiting for this comment.
The idea of having an axe rider come by, swing, and the blade deflecting off my skull and taking off half my face but leaving me alive.... is horrific.
I agree, some of the impacts we didn't use were horrible, disfiguring but not immediately lethal. awful.
It looked to me like this sort of blow would be really harmful to a helmeted person too. Quite a bit of kinetic energy and so i see a potential source of concussion and whiplash and if things really go awry, spine fracture.
No worse than shell or bomb fragments.
And plastic surgery was only invented in the wake of the First World War...
War is heck
Love how Talos is demonstrating his irritation and boredom. Stood there thinking, "Oh come on human, I've been saddled, bridled, brushed and shoe'd and you're just going to sit there talking?" /stomp stomp stomp.
Shod
Back in the late 80s, when I was young (and dinosaurs ruled the world) I went to the Maryland Renn. Faire. The jousters there had one guy on a huge black Clydesdale named Fergus. Fergus did NOT realize they were just dong a show-- he took it serious. When the "champion" dismounts the opposing "knight", Fergus tried to stop him flat! The "champion" had a hard time dragging Fergus back by the reins to stop him. Great show! :-)
The part where he looked at the camera was the best. It was as if he was saying, "Can you believe this guy is still talking after he said 'now I'll stop talking?'"
Came for the battle axe. Stayed for the coolest damn horse I've ever seen.
The level of education provided by your videos regarding to horseback combat is unmatched for me, because you're actually DOING what you talk about and I love that!
What I appreciate the most about these videos is the amount of respect that is shown towards those who have come before us. Never once have I seen Jason look down with any sense of superiority due to the luxury of hindsight we have today. He tries to understand what they knew at the time and is not only perfectly willing to admit that perhaps people from the medieval times knew better than we do in regards to some knowledge, it's as if he's excitedly looking for those areas so he can learn and understand.
It's refreshing and calming to see history approached with humility. Thank you so much for making these great videos!
As a medievalist, I absolutely love your videos, experimental history is always so interesting and fun. Amazing battle axe!
Glad you like them
@Völkisch Pacifist The axe wasn't ever closer than about arms length to the horses eyes, he knows what he's doing, the camera angle just makes it seem closer.
@Völkisch Pacifist Camera angles can be deceiving. A camera lens sees thing differently than the human which is why you can do forced perspective tricks with a camera and it's been used for a long time for fight choreography. With the proper camera angles/lens settings and good choreography, you can film 2 people fighting each other when they're not actually directly in front of each other.
I love Jason and friends!!! This is one of the best channels on RUclips! I learn something new with ever video. I too am a medieval enthusiast and Jason’s channel is golden!!
I love all your Arthur videos!
I'd love to see you doing that with a straight sword compared to a curved sword/saber. Other youtubers like Matt from Schola Gladiatoria and historians argue that the shape of the saber makes it more effective but most of all easier and less dangerous (impact shock or getting stuck for example) to use from horseback than a straight sword, but I never got to see that in action. Since your horseback warfare content is the best I know on YT this might be an interesting topic for the viewers as well as for you
I second this request
Thirded. We deff need to see a comparison of that.
good idea, I'll speak to Matt.
I "4th" this idea! Matt Easton colab would be cool.
That would be great! A Jason Kingsley - Matt Easton collaboration would be awesome! And why not get Todd Cutler in on it aswell!
It always surprises me how tiny actual war axes are compared to their fictional and fantasy counterparts
And then there are war hammers. In fantasy settings their heads look like blocks of steel way over 100kg.
They do that with swords too.
Maybe the size of the sword, axe, spear, halberd or whatever was compensation for lack of manhood in other place!
@Da'Rellus Jarvis Marquavius I bet if I took my shirt of and strutted around with a big hammer or over sized a heap of hot chicks in skimpy leather outfits would look at me and think
Bigger means heavier with weapons, heavier means you get worn out faster...a problem that modern armies still endure to this day
Armed with an axe, made by a Viking, on a horse named Talos... *SKYRIM BELONGS TO THE NORDS!!!*
Elven supremacy, one century at a time. The land belonged to elves first and it will again
Elves are gay. The land can't belong to girly people.
Skyrim belongs to THE EMPIRE!
Do you get to the cloud district often? Oh what am I saying, of course you don’t.
@@abramelinomago516 I would just like to point out that Bosmer, the silly voice, pudgy looking short-stack elves, *EAT PEOPLE!*
The later development of a horseman's pick would seem to imply that not only was it due to armor, but through use. If you find yourself primarily using the spike, presumably you come to question why you're bothering with the axe head at all and drop it to focus on the part of the weapon that sees the majority of use.
Probably yes. as he mentioned, the axe is then not pointing to your face during use
I love the cross between a Andalusian and a Shire, how brilliant! The stockiness coupled with the athleticism seems like it makes for quite the ideal warhorse! And I love the name Kingslander, that's just ridiculously epic. Talos is so stunning
Draft crosses are my favorite!
From what I've seen its hard to actually get the traits you want, but Talos has it! His breeders must be proud.
I would love to see Talos is barding. That absolute unit needs armor!
Absolutely! I eagerly await the day he covers horse armor/barding in a video.
Yea, Maybe a 3d printed "faux" barding, its light and cheaper. Have seen some beautiful "plastic" armour from the "cosplay" scene.
He does look like an absolute beast
@my name is my name Protecting your horse is abuse?
@@EricDMMiller, do you not know who Jason is? Wonder how he affords his beautiful estate and horses? Google it.
Talos is huge! What a beauty.
A real royal horse if you ask me (big, muscu lar, commanding, yet noble in proportions)
He’s absolutely stunning!
The thought of an upward swing is more terrifying than a downwards one.
Talos is such a good boy, standing patiently while Jason educates us
The axe is my preferred weapon. I have sparred with them for many years. I love hooking a shield, and when the opponent instinctively resists the pull, I thrust in. Driving the top of the axe into the face plate. Knocking them off balance, and opening them up for the finishing blow... Works almost every time, and is so satisfying.
More importantly... What a beautiful and meaty boy! That horse is to die for!
spoken like a person who doesn't ever fight anyone
Brilliant video as always! And a big shoutout to Talos! I've never seen or heard of a cross between these breeds of horse; which are coincidentally in my personal favourite top 5 favourite horse breeds. Isn't he handsome, a strong sturdy frame but a little leaner than a Shire. A perfect combination for strength, stamina with a little more agility too.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The skull-shaving damage from the first strike is eerily similar to one of the wounds on Richard III's skull.
How interesting. The general shape without the pick is similar to the battle axes of ancient Egypt e.g one was found in Tutankamun's tomb. Good technology lasts a long time. Thanks for another interesting video.
Actually, medieval axe with a lanyard is mentioned in Novgorodian Chronicles. In the Battle of Lipitsa (1216) Novgorodian prince Mstislav the Daring ride three times throu the forces of Suzdalian princes, his enemies, cutting people with his axe with a lanyard. Lanyard is mentioned specifically by the chronicler, maybe because it showed the skill of the prince.
I love that your horse is called Talos. He seems a really cool horse, and he deffo didn't want to be standing around while you gassed at the camera! LOL He really wanted to get going and do something fun
That's exactly how I used to hold my crop when I jumped my horse. I had no idea it was the safest way to hold it; just did it because that was comfortable and I was told to NEVER put it around my wrist. I love your videos.
I've rode horses and walk dogs and you never want to wrap a strap around your wrist.
I wonder if they didn't have some kind of thong or straw "break-away" strap wrapped around their weapon instead of a full strap.
Talos is like: “ Ah, stop the blabbering already, I THIRST FOR BLOOD! LETS CRUSH SOME SKULLS!” and still very cute heheh
Those hooves look freaking dangerous!
Talos is so adorable. His little stomps of boredom and impatience are so sweet.
I discovered this channel only very recently, as lockdown has had me in front of my computer a lot more than normal. As a long-time knightly enthusiast and a student of history, I cannot express how great your channel is. Keep up the great content!
Thanks for watching and subscribing too. We'll keep making the content!
I had built for me a Dane Axe with the profile and dimensions based on teh on ein The Tower of London (her name is Wormfeeder). The thing that surprises folk is just how thin the head is. It has been tried on a dead sheep and it easily took the head off in one swoop.
Yessss! A new video finally graduated high school and you’re re giving me the motivation and joy that I have for history, so much that I’m planning to major in it for college
thanks for watching and glad we could inspire you a little.
That use of the lanyard is interesting, as a young prison officer in the early nineties that is exactly how I was taught to use the leather strap on my baton. Depending on the angle of your hand it was easy to decide whether or not you wanted to keep a hold of the stave (as a baton/truncheon was officially called) or release it. I guess what works works.
Talos really look like an actual warhorse. A fine balance between a lithe, agile frame and robustness combined.
What did Legolas say to Gimli? 'An axe is no weapon for a rider.' I would have thought that, because all the weight is in the end of the weapon, the follow through on a strike is almost impossible to control, and especially dangerous with a rear spike. Any miss or glancing blow is going to risk hitting your horse. And reducing the weight of the strike removes the purpose of having such a heavy-headed weapon. And, as you say, the importance of edge alignment is exaggerated by the movement of the horse. I also imagine that the proximity to your opponent required by an axe negates the benefits of being on a horse gained by a spear. In Napoleonic times, at least, a cavalryman thrust his sword forward as far as he could with the cutting edge of the blade towards the opponent, his extended arm and the blade trying as far as possible to mimic the reach of a spear or lance. Anyone swinging an axe on horseback against another mounted opponent using a sword this way, let alone a spear, would undoubtedly have to face such a thrust considerably before getting his swing in. And if he has a shield and his opponent on his left side, it severely reduces the area into which the swing of an axe could reach. Against an opponent on foot, the dangers to the horse of a missed strike, glancing blow or parry off a shield would be further increased. I can't see any benefit to using an axe on horseback. I imagine a horseman's mace would be a preferable weapon. Then again, Robert the Bruce clearly disagreed, and he knew a thing or two about mounted combat.
Again, an informative video! And can I add that Jason manages to pull off this medieval look with panache? He just looks like a time traveler.
I love seeing theory put to the test, there is always something interesting that comes out of your testing. Whether it's the skill required to use an axe on horseback, or the advantage a foot soldier has over a mounted opponent.
This guy is winning life. Made millions making video games, uses his vast wealth to follow his passion for medieval life. Legendary dude.
thanks!
It's wonderful to watch Talos' eyes when you strike. It's almost like he's happy that you hit your mark right on.😮😊
Im so early!! You probably wont see this comment, but if you do, i just wanted to say that I absolutely love your vids and your whole channel. Not only do you include amazing horses, but you make these videos so educational and interesting- honestly, I could watch these videos all day!!! Stay Safe🐴👍
I saw it, and thanks for your support!
I love watching and listening to Jason but the horses steal the show everytime. Especially Talos.
@@InnannasRainbow Jason's horses are all magnificent creatures, you can see he cares about them a lot. I especially love the Mule with no Name and hope there's gonna be lots of videos with him haha
@@ModernKnight where is your mule today? .. His name is orejas grandes? ... cheerio
great video once again!
another detail about medieval battle-axes is that they were quite popular due to their effectiveness at a much lower cost of metals than swords and in many instances would have been more common than swords.
One thing that I really admire about your videos is that you do not have a fear of being wrong. You are creative and you think of different ways of expanding upon our knowledge of the middle ages and medieval combat, you’re open to testing them, and then you are completely honest as to whether it was successful or not. Keep making these videos, it’s an unparalleled source of education and entertainment!
sometimes it's hard to admit you were wrong at first, but I believe it's valuable to be honest.
Modern History TV I absolutely agree.
What a great video!
Coming at this as I do from a purely fantasy-fan perspective, it's never really talked about in tabletop games (at least not in ones like D&D and Pathfinder) just WHY there's a difference between the various types of axes. Even when there are illustrations of the weapons it's still not obvious on such differences. What you do here as you introduce us to this weapon is absolutely the best explanation I've ever heard as to why a battle axe is most emphatically NOT a wood cutting axe.
And it's so good to see Talos in fine fettle! He's always a pleasure to watch, and this video was no exception. Such a good boy!
Thank you once again for sharing these insights and explanations with us and giving us great stuff to think about!
How nice of Talos to take charge of production, direction, camera, sound, and editing.
Talos is one magnificent and steady horse, as well as as warlord, with a unique personality. He didn’t blink once , even with all that going on near his head. Great video!
Always a delight to see a video from you all!
Thanks
The intro is awesome. I love this channel. I learn so much from it every time.
Glad you enjoy it
I missed your videos so much, thank you for providing more awesomeness!
A splendid sight, with such a fine axe and a marvellous horse... though I think everyone watching (except for Talos) has to have been at least a little nervous about the lack of barding.
One minor point - you mention the earliest battle axes, axes with rear spikes and horseman's picks as belonging in the early, high and late medieval periods, respectively. These may be the earliest appearances in the popular armaments of medieval Europe, but aren't the earliest appearances in European or world history.
There were axes with rear spikes in stone age Europe (and elsewhere) and there were also standalone stone picks, which appear to have been used as weapons. Both types of weapon survived into the bronze age and at least in areas, the early iron age. For most of this prehistoric and ancient era, weapons were not used on horseback, so of the three, the horseman's pick is naturally the latest to appear in history/archaeology, despite the much earlier advent of non-horseman war picks.
The earliest culture known to fight predominantly as cavalry is that of the Scythians, whose territory extended from the steppes of Asia to the Baltic. Herodotus claims that in general, the primary melee weapon of the Scythians was their axe, the "sagaris", with the shortsword ("akinakes") a backup weapon, but the Scythian axes that have been found and that appear in art are sometimes so narrow that they would be better described as picks. As such, those can probably be considered the earliest horseman's picks.
Incidentally, just as the narrower kinds of sagaris can closely resemble later horseman's picks, the broader types usually have a rear spike and very much resemble late medieval horseman's axes. The use of narrow heads and spikes may be as much to do with using them as a tool as it does using them as a weapon, though the scantily armoured Scythians are known to have fought against other cultures who were well armoured - including their Sarmatian nemeses (often considered the inspiration for later cataphracts and knights), who were apparently clad (as were their horses!) from tip to toe in a scale armour made from horse hoof clippings (Did King Arthur ride into battle in such a panoply? Would sure love someone with a lot of horses and an interest in the experimental archaeology of martial history to take a look at that!), which Roman authors claimed to be lightweight but as effective as bronze armour. An axe head can more easily kill an unarmoured opponent who is resisting, but the Scythians would also often have to kill horses for meat and other materials or execute enemy prisoners, for which the pick or poll head would have been the quickest and cleanest option available to them, so in an era where metal was relatively precious and a warrior may have had very few metal possessions, it makes sense to have developed a preference for a single tool that was effective in more than one role.
"And it has a long haft, which tells me it was used from horseback. Now, here's a horse I made earlier ..."
I nearly spit out my water at that.
Dude, what an amazin channel you have here. It all started when youtube recomended me a video of some guy brushing hist teeths with some medieval flowers and now I'm learning how to yield a lance while in horseback. Just awesome. Keep it up!
Thanks and welcome
"This is a 14th Century battleaxe. I'm going to use it from horseback, at speed, against a human head-sized target.
Cameraman: Looks on nervously...
About 8:30 Talos is like "Less talking, more r(a)iding!"
Some serious Warband vibes 😄
I've always been fascinated by Robert the Bruce's combat with DeBohun on the eve of Bannock burn. Axe vs lance. DeBohuns helm and head are split open, the shaft of the axe broken in the process. Would be nice if you could add some thoughts as an experienced rider.
The axe discussion was very informative and interesting, but I have to confess I was enthralled with Talos. 😁 I'm a horse nut who hasn't been able to ride for almost 50 years. I've never seen a Shire/Andalusian cross, and he's simply amazing! Somewhat like a plus-sized Lipizzan. That neck and crest, and those haunches-- :sigh: I think I have a crush on your horse. 😊
He is amazing, and huge!
@@ModernKnight LOL, I can imagine! I've seen a Shire up close at a plowing competition. Magnificent!
I love these videos. I found this channel at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and have been hooked since. Thanks for all of the effort that you and your production team put into these.
thanks to you for watching and stay safe!
just think how bad it was to go up aganist knights on horseback?
You can choose to
1: get impaled during the charge
2. get your head bashed in/ half of your face cut off
3. trampled by a horse
and you can not even run away, your best bet is to stand still while holding your pointy-stick out and hope that neither the village drunk or the village idiot craps it and runs leaving you behind.
@Gergő Kerekes and even if you manage that then you would still get pushed back by the horse impact, get a few brocken bones if lucky while the knight is flung of his horse contiuing to move in your direction (the horse too it wont stop from one second to the other just 'cause you impalled or killed it) wich can get you impaled neither less or get you burried under the falling horse... not very good options plus the fact that just a few broken bones and open wounds could still kill you after the fact in these days.
What I find more ridiculous is the fact that we used horses for melee combat.
I'm sure that they had great training, but if you've ever ridden a horse you'd know they sometimes get spooked by completely random things, they might be fine with extremely loud shouting and gunshots, but they're also entirely capable of being deathly scared of a bit of plastic packaging on the road.
al you neeed is a lonnng pike
Hunker down with your mates, halberds raised and wait for the charging knights to turn into mincemeat once they get to the other side. Ez
@@harambe4267 thats only today horses though wild horses and medival war horses were known to be quite furious and didn't get spooked at all. War horses were known to commonly biting and kicking at enemys breaking their arms and even kill them to protect them selfs and their riders.
Interesting discussion about the lanyard. I would have never imagined this- especially the problem of getting yanked off the horse if the lanyard is too tight.
'Come on hoomin! I want to run!' I love the personalities of your horses.
Why was medieval weapon expert not a career choice through school? I could be doing this now instead of head butting a computer everyday 😂
Learn to code with an axe, dude. 😉
God knows some of my programming projects have made me consider it a time or two...
@@0d138 Is there something like agile axe combat? Would be quite useful in a lot of projects these days :-)
You know that Jason Kingsley is a CEO of Rebellion Development, right? So he actually “head butts a computer” for living (or at least he used to I guess)
Because that's not a job you can easily turn into a cog in somebody else's machine.
Jason did his share of headbutting computers. He did it so well that now he gets to be a medieval weapon expert for fun
The image of you calmly sitting atop that gigantic wonderful beast at the end of your video. Speaking softly and gently waving around that beautifully crafted axe. Makes one wonder: "What if that bundle was ridding towards me with the intent of cleaving my skull in half?"... truly terrifying!!!
thanks for watching, and yes Talos is such a brilliant horse.
7:53 Talos looks into the camera...
T: This human...so noisy....
8:00
T: Why are you still talking?
8:06
T: If I sniff your boots can we go?
8:13
T: LET'S GOOOOOOOO!
Love your content, I love England's history. I enjoy reading about Oct 1066, the start of it all.
Cringe
Just a thought, but I’d expect one downside of a lanyard would be the inability to easily switch between the two different sides of the axe. The lanyard would need to be relatively thin so as not to impede rotating the tool in hand, and would also require you to rotate it in the opposite direction as you previously did when switching back to the other side of the axe. Just a thought!
Also does the lanyard not also mean that if the axe does come free from you hand at any point in a swing, there is a very high chance of it rotating around your hand and into the horse?
@@dominicparkerz Lanyards or sword knots were very common from the late 1700s to the early 1900s for cavalry sabres which would arguably pose the same problem when the weapon is dropped and dangles by the horse's flank...
I would expect in a battle you would be much more worried about losing your weapon while actively charging an enemy who is trying to kill you rather than your axe swinging and hitting your horse. Also saddle blankets are thick cloth, the saddles, armor on the thighs of the knight or even padding of a gambeson would make this pretty much negligible I think.
I never used a battle axe , but I have struck metal objects with a spike , car bodies etc. . when you drive a spice through steel plate it will always stick . if a mounted man strikes then he will want to let it go , otherwise the weight of a armored man will be dragging him off . if using a lanyard he would end up paying on the ground with his only weapon stuck in someone else . better to ride out of battle , get another axe and return
I've found a Medieval war axe in my backyard when I was digging the ground to make a driveway.
That’s super cool? What country?
wow!
@@DG-si3mv Croatia, it's a bearded axe. Weights about 1.7 kg , blade length is 17 cm and axe is about 30 cm long, wouldn't want to be hit in a face with it.
That's too cool.
Awesome! 😯
HELLO, my friend, Jason, good day to you . Talos is an amazingly beautiful Horse and what a beautiful mane braid on his brow. What a great idea putting a lanyard on the haft or hilt of the axe, I had exactly the same thought though as your riding away from an impaled Armored enemy horrible thoughts of being yanked loose from horseback or heaven forbid have it come back and bash or spike Talos . 🚫🐎💩 As my father would have said. Hope you have been well through this mess , I know your work has been plentiful as some are not. Be well and I always enjoy your videos whether rides through the Forest as you know well I love since I cannot do it physically myself , I get to vicariously do it through you. Your friend .
thanks for watching, and nice to hear from you.
@@ModernKnight My pleasure for sure , I very much enjoy your videos as you give great info and great historical context and content.
@@ModernKnight PS meant to say hope your work has been plentiful, but you know RUclips autocorrect changed my words . Hmmm?
The only man on YT that can talk about medieval history without making it boring 👍🏻
thanks!
So happy to see more content on this channel. One of the best history channels, with superb presenter and subjects.
Glad you enjoy it
Jason continues to give us fantastic programming. I wish the History Channel would hire you, they haven't produced anything of this quality in at least fifteen years. Keep up the great work my friend!
thanks
One thing to remember is that horseman axes, picks and hammers were known and continuosly used in Asia for much longer than in Western Europe (Scythians spring to mind as an early example), and so was polo an Oriental and Byzantine sport long before being introduced to the West. So, if one were to look for the comparable ways of attaching a lanyard to the original horseman percussive implements, you'll need to look to the East. One way to confirm the spread of this practice is to look at horsemen's whips like traditional Cossack nagaika and related Caucasian and Turkic implements, which often have some form of lanyards or loops for user's hand.
Excellent observations! Axes are indeed quite technical, and you have so much more room to miss and you have to put extra planning and training into where to hit, so I've always considered it a thinking man's weapon of war rather than anything as brutish as a club. The skill with which it needs to be wielded is also formidable so it's understandably the weapon of a veteran, such as the Dane axes used to behead horses, or by the Janissary who brought down King Wladislaw's horse at the Battle of Varna.
A remarkable video, but more than anything, BOY how I'd love to own that wonderful horse!
Glad to see you're doing well 😊 And I just can't get over how beautiful Talos is 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
I am writing a fantasy novel and your videos are always so informative and immersive. They really help me visualize what life was like in the medieval times. And they help me make combat situations more accurate and grounded. Maybe a character in my novel can challenge the stereotype around axe wielders.
Nintendo has already filed a patent infringement on the medieval axe lanyard. Expect their lawyers contacting you very soon.
lol. I'll tell all my polo contacts too!
@@Fabio-hc9bv Nintendo is famously anal about their patented technology and they frequently file patent infringement cases against even minor competitors. And then there's Nintendo strap ...
The name of the law firm is Mario& Luigi, Attorneys at Law. (I'm not sure what they would be called in England. Barristers? Solicitors? )In the US, solicitors are annoying people that come to your door to try to sell you stull. Grandchildren are especially evil because, how can you say no? There are not many door to door salespeople anymore, thank heavens.
now, solicitors call your landline from a call center in India with scary lies about your Computer - even if you don’t own a computer. Hence, very few people actually answer their landline.
@@genzo53 Especially things that were invented centuries before they existed?
Horse: "Less talky, more choppy. Let's go!"
Hello! I haven't really commented before, but I just want to say that I've found drawing horses a lot easier after watching your content! I know that's probably just from watching you with your horses in general, but I find it so easy to keep watching your videos!
that's great!
Just beautiful ! Thank you ! Your horse is a marvelous sight as well !
Talos is such a diva. He's beautiful and impatient and he knows it. 😂
thisn channel deserves more subs
thanks, we're working on it!
Another very interesting presentation. I must say, Talos is damn impressive!
thanks for watching
Love the video people tend to generalise history where it's sword, axe, then guns but it's like with rifles there was flintlock, percussion cap, breach load, bolt, magazine load. So over just 200 years alone you have a rifle but different variants and it's the same with medieval weapons they have different weight, sharpness, carbon content, shapes over many more hundreds of years. Love your videos and how you add skills like just moving on a horse, learn so much and it's great how you surround yourself with the history, great channel
Been looking forward to another video from here.
talos is such a magnificent creature, and these videos are always absolutely entertaining, interesting and educational. LOVE the channel.
Thank you very much!
That's a very interesting conclusion! Thank you for testing and trying these things out, and thank you Talos for stealing only parts of the show this time :-)
I’m happy you have posted a new video and to see you looking well. I like Talos’ braided forelock which allows us to see his eyes and allow him to see where he is going. I would have expected the axe to inflict more damage on a styrofoam head. The axe seems to be more effective as a bludgeon. The drawback of the pick side threatening your face as you swing is rather daunting - whether on foot or from a horse. Thank you for adding a new video to your channel. Watching a Modern History TV video is my nightly reward and gives me something to look forward to. Stay safe.
when you find out this guy is the CEO of a company making the sequel to one of your favourite game series. mind blown. been watching this channel for ages. love this content. i just figured you were always like this lol
Which game? You’ve struck my curiosity now.
@@kennethflores93 evil genius. made by rebellion. think they also make the sniper elite series
I have to agree that, much as I like the discussions of medieval weapons and armor, much as I *love* the discussions of farming, tiles, food and other less martial aspects of medieval life which you don't get to hear about as often, it's the gorgeous horses (and mule, now) which keep bringing me back to this channel!
"Knight or thug" isn't necessarily an either/or situation
King of the thugs or Thug among the kings, both BA.
Edgy
These mounted European knights were pretty much jokers, everybody knows that the Mongol mounted archers were the true thugs. They were called the Devils Horseman for a reason.
Robber baron
Knight and Thug often the same bloke, just depends if you payed your taxes on time.
8:22 am i the only one that finds it soothing every time he says "good boiiiiii" to his horses ? lmao it's soothing for some reason
Any chance of seeing Talos in barding one day? Oh how mighty he would look in it plus it would make a great video demonstrating how it was put on and slow mo shots at full pace!
good idea
Love watching you teaching and showing us world’s glorious past. All the contents are so unique and perfectly made that I can watch all day long. This channel is so much underrated. Thank you so much for your effort. Peace be upon you Sire from Bangladesh!
hello and thanks for watching
Modern History TV You are welcome and stay safe in this difficult time. 🙏
A totally different time in history but I visited the Alamo a few years ago with my dad and they had some items on display from the siege. This included two swords used by the mexican army (most likely officers). I was very surprised at how small they were.They cosmetically looked to me like the slightly curved longsword I would expect to see the Spanish using in Colonial era movies, but way shorter and smaller. Almost like someone had an accident and shrunk them to an ornamental short sword type of size. I mean it makes sense that in real life as opposed to warfare portrayed in movies and video games, weapons and likely armor would have to be made in a way that they would actually be able to be used effectively rather than being way too heavy to be of any use. I assume that medieval weaponry and armor was likely the same. I've never seen a real one but the weapon of choice for me in a medieval video game has always been a sword (a sword that resembles a longsword) used with a kite shield. I do not know if a longsword was used in medieval times along with a shield because I am no expert but I suspect that like the swords I saw on display at the Alamo, the longsword as well as any other sword was likely smaller than one would expect to see in a movie or game. The battle axe in this video reminded me of how wrong my perception of the size and design of weapons from past eras was. Throughout the video I kept picturing the waraxe from the game "Skyrim", and everytime he said "battle axe" I kept picturing the huge two-handed battle axe from Skyrim that realistically nobody in real life would likely be able to lift, let alone effectively use in combat.
Yeah, most weapons in fantasy media are oversized. This most likely stems from early miniatures, which needed oversize weapons to have enough material to survive the molding techniques. Artists saw the minis, thought that was normal, and went from there.
I bet you would have found the axe easier to use if you had been using larger targets- if you could have aimed for chest of an enemy on foot, you would have been able to use low, sweeping blows, like what you did at 8:18 but lower to the ground. These wouldn't go towards your horse, and you wouldn't need to worry about hitting yourself with the spike. I imagine that would be pretty devastating, and easy to do, though I can also picture losing the axe more easily if it got stuck in some unfortunate opponent's chest- maybe that's why the lanyard wasn't common.
I love your channel, it's so educational and always makes me think about what medieval life would have been like- thank you so much for your videos and I hope you continue to make many more!!
I love watching Talos being bored and impatient.
He looks like a fence chewer. Bored horses can develop bad habits.
All of your content is very well done and I fell Is incredibly entertaining. I am personally very happy this channel exists and is on the up and up.
Glad you enjoy it!
The horse is like “enough talking, my Lord, let’s charge those bastards now!” 😂
Ikr, the horses are the real stars of the show.
I recently found your channel and have come to truly enjoy watching your videos. The way you calmly and thoroughly explain history behind your experiments is so interesting to watch. It's a absolute joy to see someone who is truly passionate about these subjects, and I like seeing your personal introspection. I also admire the fact that you work in your period clothing and show us how people would have really used these things !
I hope someday you might do a video on how horses were fitted for their gear back then, or on how they sewed their clothes and took measurements. I saw bolts of cloth behind you in one video about clothing and was curious if you made your own costumes!
Keep up the amazing work! So glad to see a new video from you !
Horsee says, " You wack 'em.. ..I stomp 'em ! "
Jason I saw you on the PS5 reveal! Super hyped at what Rebellion has in store for the next generation of games.
The more I watch these videos the more I think....
"How do we get this man some ballistics gel?"
The thumb-grip is a handy idea. I was thinking also that a leather strap tucked under the leather at the base (instead of riveted in with it) might work. It would have enough friction to keep the weapon to hand, but pull loose from the weapon long before enough force was exerted to remove the rider from the horse.