PROJECT LEWES

Bow & Blade: LEWES Just yesterday (March 12) I was browsing my podcast list in Spotify to see what was new amongst my favourites and I saw that in November last year the gents on the Bow & Blade podcast broadcasted on the battle of Lewes - see above link. This was particularly gratifying for me as they did so in a  response from a request I had posted them some time ago and I received several mentions ... 'Greg from Australia'. I was quite surprised and chuffed. If you don't do Spotify, the episode has been listed on the Medievalist website:  Medievalist: Bow & Blade battle of Lewes  and I won't repeat much of what they wrote. For those of you who might not be aware, the hosts are Professors Kelly DEVRIES and Michael LIVINGSTON. Michael left and Kelly right Whilst neither gentlemen profess to be 13th century specialists, they discussed the battle at some length and it prompted me to give some deeper consideration of Simon de Montfort's dispositions for b...

A happy coincidence is Jason Kingsley's latest posting on YouTube of his experiment with the proto-great helm. This constitutes another valuable piece of experimental analysis  in broadening our understanding of armour in the high middle ages. A take-away for me is an appreciation of how mounted commanders of foot soldiers are more likely to have been armoured. Leading a body of spearmen (for example) a commander has an advantage on horse back - to gain a greater view and appreciation of the tactical environment from the height advantage. The soldiers would be looking to the leader for commands and direction and he is more easily seen - his gestures and voice being elevated above the ranks. Conversely, a commander of foot cannot see nearly as well from behind or within a great helm. He also cannot hear or be heard as well. The sensory deprivation and impact on communication seems likely to me to have seen adoption of a great helm in this role as a last resort under extreme circumst...

As I predicted earlier, it's been an age since I've posted on this blog. In the meantime I stumbled across this recent video posted on YouTube which is a snappy account of the battle. Like most short videos on historical subjects, the narrative is condensed to the point where is becomes inaccurate at times through a lack of context, sweeping and simplified statements and misleading through what it doesn't include as much as what it does. Nevertheless, I generally handy little synopsis and as good a starting point as any you could expect for a 10 minute investment of your time. I've not attempted to link video content to this blog before now so will include a link to the YouTube channel in case it can't be viewed properly. I do want to get back to this project as I'm close to finishing the Baronial army and need to start on the royalists but predict this won't be happening until late in the year. BazBattles: The Battle of Lewes    

This is my first link and a rather handy one at that. It's website in both French and English covering a vast array of early blazons (as the name suggests) with the heraldic designs of just about everyone I have come across to date. It also has a very handy battle index with key people present and their arms. It is accompanied with a basic precis of each battle. Whilst my research is more comprehensive, it is nevertheless a very handy place to begin and I recommend it highly for anyone embarking on a similar battle-build in this period. If it's still running by the time I get to the so-called First Barons War, it will be one of my first ports of call. Early Blazon: Lewes I don't seem to be able to link you straight into the Lewes chapter, so just click on 'Battle' link in the left margin and pick your battle.