Scottish military troops and culture in 1300-1325 -- myArmoury.com

Jason Mather

I have decided to put together a kit for the first quarter of the 14th century in Scotland. At this point I am looking for general information about the different types of combatants in Scotland at that time. Once I get a grasp of what was there, I will decide what direction I care to proceed in. My initial inclination is along the poorer lower class fighter, but I am also interested in archery, so that might be the direction I choose. Any help with the initial general info would be greatly appreciated. Books, articles, IMAGES would be great. Thanks in advance.

A. Spanjer

Randall Moffett · Posted: Fri 29 Jan, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject:

I am sure several of us can help as a number of us are very interested regarding this area and time frame but as A. has said we need more info. If you want to be really involved in the wars of independance going on you'd likely be a lowlander. So what trade, class, region etc. are you looking to do?

RPM

Jason Mather · Posted: Sat 30 Jan, 2010 12:18 am Post subject:

Kel Rekuta · Posted: Sat 30 Jan, 2010 9:53 am Post subject:

Randall Moffett · Posted: Mon 01 Feb, 2010 6:55 am Post subject:

Just to add a bit onto what Kel said. There are only a few documents that give a clear idea of what equipment was worn at the time.

Some of the stage for the Wars of Independence.

Lowlanders major players
Highlanders mostly spectators

This goes for war, politics, economy and more or less everything in general. Another is there are no kilts.

The Lowlands are where most of the population and money resides in Scotland. There would be little difference between the people of England and Scotland in their clothing and equipment. One reason is that enterprising Englishmen sold quite a fair share of weapons, armour, clothing and food northward. If their was a armour industry in Scotland I have never seen any real information to show it was very large. Seems much of the weapons and armour were from elsewhere.

A wealthy tradesman or merchant could afford really armour on par with a knight. Several of the inventories I have looked through for this class shows men who had more or less complete harnesses, spurs, lance and mount.

At this period the paid of plates, mail shirt and aketon under it all was standard armour for the torso. This would/could be supplemented with all sorts of limb armour. You'd have a helmet some bascinet, great helm or perhaps pot helm.

Lower you go the further from this complete harness you get. as Kel said aketon/gambeson, spear and shield would likely be lower end.

There is a list of requirements by wealth from the 1320s in the Scottish Parlt. rolls. I could not find off hand but gauntlets, helmets and aketons are fairly common demands the more wealth the more iron armour, mail etc you'd have to own.

Good luck with your kit. As Kel said reading and researching it out is key.

RPM

Jason Mather · Posted: Mon 01 Feb, 2010 8:03 am Post subject:

Thanks all.
Full disclosure, I am have 13 years of reenacting experience so I fully understand your well put point of reading and research. This is a period I have no background in so I need to start from the ground up and ask basic questions. (used to the 17th-19th centuries) I plan to post my progress, although this might take a while. I sent the above book list to my local library for inter library loan, we will see what happens there. For the sake of conversation, (and please remember, I come at this from a newbie perspective) did Scottish armies of the period have archers? Was the term "archer" just refer to a guy who showed up with a bow or was there some level of professionalism? Did archers come from all social levels?

Jack W. Englund · Posted: Mon 01 Feb, 2010 10:01 am Post subject:

Another book that may give you some insight is "James The Good - The Black Douglas" by David Ross - Lauth Press Limited, Edinburgh

Jack

Randall Moffett · Posted: Mon 01 Feb, 2010 12:35 pm Post subject:

Jason,

Yes they had archers, both crossbowmen and bowmen. They had some professional archers but in large scale ventures would be drawn from the commoner class.

RPM

Kel Rekuta · Posted: Tue 02 Feb, 2010 5:45 am Post subject:

Randall Moffett · Posted: Tue 02 Feb, 2010 7:02 am Post subject:

Kel,

I had it saved as a file on my old desktop but since I gave that away have been unable to locate the notes it was written down in....

I just looked it up again. 3 december 1318 Scot. Parl. Rolls. http://www.rps.ac.uk/

Concerning the equipment of those coming to the war according to [the amount] they have in goods

Item, it was ordained and assented that each layman of the kingdom having £10 in goods should have for his body in defence of the kingdom a sufficient haqueton,† a basinet, and mailed gloves with a lance and sword. And anyone who shall not have a haqueton and a bacinet should have a good habergeon†or a good iron [coat of mail] for his body, a cap of iron and mailed gloves, so that each should be prepared with the said equipment around the octave of Easter next to come [15 April 1319]. And whoever has £10 in goods [and] shall not then have all the said equipment of arms should lose all his goods. With the proviso that the lord king [Robert I] should have a half of the goods and the lord of he who was found to be in default should have the other half. And the lord king wishes that each sheriff of the kingdom with the lords of places should investigate concerning these things and immediately cause a muster after the aforesaid octave of Easter. Moreover the lord king wishes and commands that anyone having the value of one cow in goods should have a good lance or a good bow with a sheath of arrows, namely twenty-four arrows with the pertinents, under the prescribed penalty.

I think the penalty for default is much worse in Scotland than England... half ones goods, ouch!

Ten pounds is likely low for a knightly income by maybe half or even three-quarters depending on the period. I think in Scotland 30-40 pounds per year is the average but I'd have to do more digging to get a good idea of that. What we are looking at here I'd guess is likely the wealthy tradesmen, merchants and such.

RPM

Kel Rekuta · Posted: Wed 03 Feb, 2010 1:19 pm Post subject:

David Teague · Posted: Wed 03 Feb, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

Thanks for linking that Randall.

I use to have that act in the period Scots but lost it to a hacker attack on the server it was stored. Much easier to read in English.

Cheers,

David

Randall Moffett · Posted: Thu 04 Feb, 2010 7:15 am Post subject:

Glad I could help. Dave, you are right. Having it in modern english and online makes it tons easier!

There is another one from 1324 I'd like to say but I could not locate it. I will keep an eye out for it but as of yet no luck. I believe the later one includes more specific weapons.

RPM