The popular picture of the medieval go well with of armor appears to be like formidable sufficient that any of us might be forgiven for assuming that, with its steel-plated professionaltection, we’d emerge from even probably the most harrowing battle without a scratch. But if we actually discovered ourselves transported to, say, the French facet within the Battle of Agincourt docket, we’d probably really feel a eager sense of simply the place these English arrows might neverthemuch less land a deadly hit. That is the matter investigated intimately in the video above, a professionalduction of Tod’s Workstore, a British maker of “accuprice and detailed historical reproduction crossbows, sword scabbards, swords, daggers and other medieval weapons, and artiinfo.”
This isn’t some againyard target-practice session for Medieval Instances habitués, however a gathering of specialists in a variety of relevant fields. Tod’s Workstore professionalprietor Tod Todeschini brings on each the company’s armorer and fletcher (that’s, maker of arrows), in addition to arms-and-armor historian Toby Capeffectively and a excessively expert archer named Joe.
It’s Joe’s process to shoot a fantastic most of the workstore’s religionfully crafted early-fifteenth-century arrows at its religionfully crafted early-fifteenth-century go well with of armor as a way to professionalvide a visual — and, in sluggish movement, visceral — demonstration of simply how effectively it might actually maintain up towards the mighty English lengthybow.
In some respects, the go well with acquits itself goodly: lots of Joe’s arrows simply bounce off plate armor, someoccasions snapping within the course of. However whenever a shot hits somefactor other than a plate, issues get considerably dicier. The layers of chainmail within the gaps between helmet and breastplate or breastplate and pauldron (which covers the shoulder) become extra vulnerable than they appear, and as for the wholly un-plated groin space, the much less mentioned the wagerter. The yr 1415, the hosts clarify, was earlier than the development of the head-to-toe go well with of armor that involves thoughts right now once we consider medieval knights — a development little question impressed partially by the destiny of the numerous however hopemuch lessly outgunned French military at Agincourt docket.
Related content:
What It’s Prefer to Actually Combat in Medieval Armor
How you can Get Dressed & Combat in 14th Century Armor: A Reenactment
How you can Make and Put on Medieval Armor: An In-Depth Primer
What’s It Prefer to Combat in fifteenth Century Armor?: A Surprising Demonstration
Primarily based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His initiatives embody the Substack newsletter Books on Cities and the guide The Statemuch less Metropolis: a Stroll via Twenty first-Century Los Angeles. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Faceguide.
