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M Signore
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 Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2007 4:39 am Post subject: Norman shields and their use through the ages |
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Hello everyone.
I am in need of any information about the Norman shield. I know it has been used at least into the XII century. But what about the XIII? Surely some "infantry units" still used the typical norman shields, and in my opinion some "almond-shaped" shields from the XIII century may be Norman, but I really need some evidence from manuscript of shield with rounded upper border AND a shield boss.
Thank you very much.
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Elling Polden
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| Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2007 5:38 am Post subject: |
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Welcome to the forums!
How do you define "norman" shields?
Almond shaped/kite shields where in use for a long time, from 9th century Byzantium to 16th century Italy.
If you classify "norman shields" as kite shields with bosses, they mostly disappear in the late 12th century. After all, they have a purely decorative function.
"this [fight] looks curious, almost like a game. See, they are looking around them before they fall, to find a dry spot to fall on, or they are falling on their shields. Can you see blood on their cloths and weapons? No. This must be trickery."
-Reidar Sendeman, from King Sverre's Saga, 1201
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Jared Smith
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| Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2007 10:17 am Post subject: |
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You might start with Patrick Kelly's feature article on general development of the shield and its usage. Patrick is something of a Norman fan, and also has an article that discusses time period and general equipment of Normans on Albion's web site.
http://www.myArmoury.com/feature_shield.html
http://www.albion-swords.com/articles/norman.htm
Also, searching the posts using the key subject word "shield" should yield a variety of previous discussion exchanges that have already occurred on this site.
Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence!
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Robin Smith
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| Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2007 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry man, I don't think you are going to find exactly what you are looking for. By the 13th C, the Norman kite had been replaced by the long heater (flat topped kite). If you haven't tried fighting with both, you can't really understand the advantage that the long heater gives. The corners of the long heater protect against on- and off-hand strikes much better than the rounded top kite. The shield boss was essentially only there for fashion reasons by the 11th C, and so its no surprise it disappeared as fashions changed.
Don't think I am bashing the Norman Kite. Its what I use. I do 11th C. Norman, so I love my kite. However, even I recognize that the later long heater was a step forward in design, and offered an advantage...
A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine
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M Signore
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| Posted: Thu 22 Nov, 2007 5:54 am Post subject: |
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I thank you all for the replies, I will do my best with these info!
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This is a standard topic