More chivalry! | Knights & Castles

Take note of the ideas presented in C. S Take note of the ideas presented in C.S. Lewis’ “The Necessity of Chivalry”

Men 101: “Is Chivalry Dead?” Start 1:19 End 16:37

You have been given a copy of the chivalry code!! In a well developed paragraph answer the following question: Is Chivalry dead? Why or Why not. Be sure to reference the code and use specific examples.

Weaponry

Basic Info. Soldiers/knights had access to a wide array of weaponry, ranging from expensive, rare swords to common daggers The weapons you used depended on how you were fighting (horse or foot soldier) Weapon choice also varied depending on what you could afford/social class

Price List Knight’s Salary: 2 shillings/day (12 cents/day) Item Price (then) Price (now) Mail 5 pounds $6.14 Lance Armor 4 pounds $4.91 War Horse Up to 2.5 pounds $3.07 Cheap Sword 6 pence $0.03

More Money, More Problems The cost of military technology meant that warfare was mainly reserved for the wealthy Successful campaigns had more to do with construction and conquest of fortifications than with defeating people on the battlefield

Warfare Tactics Siege tactics and artillery were central features of war during the Middle Ages In the late 15th and 16th centuries, the main types of medieval weaponry (swords, lances, arrows, stone projectiles) became obsolete with the development of guns and gun powder

The Sword Swords were considered the grandest weapon in the Middle Ages They were not only useful on the battlefield, but also discussed in epics Some believed that swords had magical powers While other weapons emerged from hunting, the sword was solely a killing instrument

The Sword Swords were extremely expensive and were therefore reserved for the “elite” The high cost was caused by the fact that they were difficult to make Blacksmiths hammered and welded together thing strips of steel and iron in the center, then added sharp edges of hard steel

The Sword Swords were often custom jobs (constructed on specific instructions of individuals) However, there were some patterns in sword design 11th-13th century: double-edged swords Mid 14th-16th century: super sharp point Swords also determined what kind of armor was needed

The Lance Early lances were simple wood poles, 10-12 feet long, with a steel point From the end of the 14th century, lances grew heavier, thicker, and broader In the 15th century, a resting place for a lance was built in to the breastplate of armor Mostly an offensive weapon, but sometimes used defensively if a knight was dismounted

Infantry Even though cavalry was the central weapon in the Middle Ages, infantry also played an important role Infantry was used as the cavalry’s shield in siege warfare and as an additional striking force in pitched battles

Infantry The weapons of infantry were particularly varied Spears, 9 feet long, were common weapons Spear-bearers were often grouped together, forming a hedge of spears, in order to stop fearsome cavalry charges Two-handed words were also used Daggers were used for killing knights through openings in armor (and mercy killings for wounded)

Infantry Axes were also used in the Middle Ages (mainly used for throwing, but sometimes used as hand weapons) The most famous axe-bearers were the Anglo Saxons, who wielded a two-headed axe Other weapons included the flail, a threshing instrument, altered by the attachment of balls and chains; spiked clubs encased in iron; and mallets

Infantry In the 14th century, the Swiss cantons created the most efficient infantry force in the Middle Ages They possessed two very feared weapons, the halberd and the pike The halberd had an ax-shaped head with a hammer or spike on the other side, and the pike was a spear about 15-18 feet long

Infantry The pike was previously used as a defense weapon but the Swiss transformed it into an offensive instrument of devastation Swiss soldiery was organized into moving blocks of pikemen that were almost invincible when completely commanded. The halberd was used as part of the block of pikemen, and sometimes halberd bearers formed their own block formations

Bows and Arrows Projectile warfare was common in the Middle Ages At the start of this period, slings were still used but were made obsolete by the bow and arrow According to historical interpretation, military leaders recognized the importance of archers as early as the 9th century

Bows and Arrows Two types of bow were used in the West: self-bows and crossbows Self-bows were constructed out of wood Different types of arrowheads were utilized in the Middle Ages Broadhead arrows were useful against unarmored people or horses, while narrow, square heads were needed to penetrate armor

Crossbow Though the crossbow existed in antiquity, it only came to be employed widely in the late 11th century The devastating power of a crossbow was widely recognized, so much that a religious council banned its use against Christians while recommending its use against heathens