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Rouncey
The term rouncey (also spelt rouncy or rounsey) was used during the Middle Ages to refer to an ordinary, all-purpose horse. They were used for riding, but could also be trained for war. It was not unknown for them to be used as pack horses. The horse, which was also referred to as ''runcinus,'' is believed to be a harrowing animal on account of its proportions found in the demesne stock listing before it became an exclusively riding animal. Use in warfare While the destrier is the most well-known warhorse of the Medieval era, it was the least common, and coursers were often preferred for battle. Both were expensive, highly trained horses prized by knights and nobles, while a poorer knight, squire or man-at-arms would use a rouncey for fighting. A wealthy knight would provide rounceys for his retinue. Oakeshott, Ewart. ''A Knight and his Horse'', Rev. 2nd Ed. USA:Dufour Editions, 1998 Gravett, Christopher. ''English Medieval Knight 1300-1400'', Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2002, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horses In The Middle Ages
Horses in the Middle Ages differed in size, build and breed from the modern horse, and were, on average, smaller. They were also more central to society than their modern counterparts, being essential for war, agriculture, and transport. Consequently, specific types of horse developed, many of which have no modern equivalent. While an understanding of modern horse breeds and equestrianism is vital for any analysis of the medieval horse, researchers also need to consider documentary (both written and pictorial) and archaeological evidence. Horses in the Middle Ages were rarely differentiated by breed, but rather by use. This led them to be described, for example, as " chargers" (war horses), "palfreys" (riding horses), cart horses or packhorses. Reference is also given to their place of origin, such as "Spanish horses," but whether this referred to one breed or several is unknown. Another difficulty arising during any study of medieval documents or literature is the flexibilit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horses In Warfare
The first evidence of horses in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons. By 1600 BC, improved harness and chariot designs made chariot warfare common throughout the Ancient Near East, and the earliest written training manual for war horses was a guide for training chariot horses written about 1350 BC. As formal cavalry tactics replaced the chariot, so did new training methods, and by 360 BC, the Greek cavalry officer Xenophon had written an extensive treatise on horsemanship. The effectiveness of horses in battle was also revolutionized by improvements in technology, such as the invention of the saddle, the stirrup, and the horse collar. Many different types and sizes of horse were used in war, depending on the form of warfare. The type used varied with whether the horse was being ridden or driven, and whether they were being used for reconnaissanc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Destrier
Mounted on a destrier, Richard Marshal unseats an opponent during a skirmish. The destrier is the best-known war horse of the Middle Ages. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. It was described by contemporary sources as the ''Great Horse'', due to its significance. While highly prized by knights and men-at-arms, the destrier was not very common. Most knights and mounted men-at-arms rode other war horses, such as coursers and rounceys. Etymology The word is first attested in Middle English around 1330, as ''destrer''. It was borrowed into Middle English from Anglo-Norman ''destrer'', whose Old French counterpart was ''destrier'' (from which the Modern English spelling derives). The word is also found in medieval Provençal (as ''destrier'') and Italian (as ''destriere'', ''destriero''). These forms themselves derived from the Vulgar Latin ''equus dextrarius'', meaning "right-sided horse" (from ''dextra'', "right hand", the same root as ''dextrous'' and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Courser (horse)
A courser is a swift and strong horse, frequently used during the Middle Ages as a Horses in warfare, warhorse. It was ridden by knights and Man-at-arms, men-at-arms. Etymology Coursers are commonly believed to be named for their running gait,Ewart Oakeshott, Oakeshott, Ewart. ''A Knight and his Horse'', Rev. 2nd Ed. USA:Dufour Editions, 1998 (from Old French ''cours'', 'to run'''Oxford English Dictionary'', 10th Ed, 1999). However, the word possibly derived from the Italian ''corsiero'', meaning 'battle horse'.Ann Hyland, Hyland, Ann. ''The Warhorse 1250-1600'', UK: Sutton Publishing, 1998 Coursers in warfare The courser was more common than the destrier,Michael Prestwich, Prestwich, Michael. ''Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience'', New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996, and preferred for Medieval warfare, battle as they were light, fast and strong. They were valuable horses, but less expensive than the highly prized destrier.Christopher Gravett, Gravett ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ewart Oakeshott
Ronald Ewart Oakeshott (25 May 1916 – 30 September 2002) was a British illustrator, collector, and amateur historian who wrote prodigiously on medieval arms and armour. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a Founder Member of the Arms and Armour Society, and the Founder of the Oakeshott Institute. He created a classification system of the medieval sword, the Oakeshott typology, a systematic organization of medieval weaponry. Biography Ronald Ewart Oakeshott was born in 1916. His uncle Jeffery Farnol wrote romance novels and swashbucklers and also had a collection of antique swords, through which the young Oakeshott became interested in swords. After leaving Dulwich College, Oakeshott studied at the Central School of Art in London. He worked at Carlton Studios and at A.E. Johnson Ltd as a commercial artist, while still being interested in collecting arms and armour. During the 1930s and 1940s, antique swords could still be acquired relatively cheaply and Oakeshott be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warfare Of The Middle Ages
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular or irregular military forces. Warfare refers to the common activities and characteristics of types of war, or of wars in general. Total war is warfare that is not restricted to purely legitimate military targets, and can result in massive civilian or other non-combatant suffering and casualties. While some war studies scholars consider war a universal and ancestral aspect of human nature, others argue it is a result of specific socio-cultural, economic or ecological circumstances. Etymology The English word ''war'' derives from the 11th-century Old English words ''wyrre'' and ''werre'', from Old French ''werre'' (also ''guerre'' as in modern French), in turn from the Frankish *''werra'', ultimately deriving from the Proto-Germanic *''we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palfrey
A palfrey is a type of horse that was highly valued as a riding horse in the Middle Ages. It was a lighter-weight horse, usually a smooth gaited one that could amble, suitable for riding over long distances. Palfreys were not a specific breed as horse breeds are understood today. Etymology The word "palfrey" is cognate with the German word for a horse (of any type), ''Pferd''. Both descend from Latin, ''paraveredus'', meaning a post horse or courier horse, itself deriving from Gaulish ''vorēdos''. The German term for a palfrey, meanwhile, is ''Zelter'', which literally means '' ambler'' and is cognate with the Icelandic, ''tölt''. Breeding A palfrey usually was the most expensive and highly bred type of riding horse during the Middle Ages, sometimes equalling the knight's destrier in price. Consequently, it was popular with nobles, ladies, and highly ranked knights for riding, hunting, and ceremonial use. Oakeshott, Ewart. ''A Knight and his Horse'', Rev. 2nd Ed. USA:Dufou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish Hobby
The Irish Hobby is an extinct breed of horse developed in Ireland prior to the 13th century. The breed provided foundation bloodlines for several modern horse breeds, including breeds as diverse as the Connemara pony and the Irish Draught. Palfreys were known as ''haubini'' in France, which eventually became ''hobbeye''. These animals eventually found their way to Ireland where the Irish Hobby developed. The breed was mentioned in 1375 by the poet John Barbour, who called them ''hobynis'' in his poem, ''The Bruce.'' He also mentioned them in his work ''Reliquiae Antiquae'', noting their speed. And one amang, an Iyrysch man,Uppone his hoby swyftly ran... Mares of Irish Hobby breeding may have been among the native horse breeds of Ireland that provided foundation stock for the Thoroughbred. There is a great deal of evidence that the Irish Hobby was imported to England and Scotland for various activities, including racing, "...they be so light and swift." Horses were traded in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Prestwich
Michael Charles Prestwich OBE (born 30 January 1943) is an English historian, specialising on the history of medieval England, in particular the reign of Edward I. He is retired, having been Professor of History at Durham University and Head of the Department of History until 2007. Early life Prestwich is the son of two Oxford historians, John Prestwich and Menna Prestwich. His father, "the redoubtable mediaevalist ... who knew so much and published so little", had worked at Bletchley Park during the war, working among other things on the breaking of U-boat codes. Michael was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford, and then went to a well-known public school Charterhouse, before winning a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford. After being awarded an MA and First in History, he completed his D.Phil. with a thesis entitled ''Edward I's wars and their financing 1294-1307'' at Christ Church, Oxford. Academic career After a year as a lecturer at Christ Church, Michael moved i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On 12 July 927, the various Anglo-Saxon kings swore their allegiance to Æthelstan of Wessex (), unifying most of modern England under a single king. In 1016, the kingdom became part of the North Sea Empire of Cnut the Great, a personal union between England, Denmark and Norway. The Norman conquest of England in 1066 led to the transfer of the English capital city and chief royal residence from the Anglo-Saxon one at Winchester to Westminster, and the City of London quickly established itself as England's largest and principal commercial centre. Histories of the kingdom of England from the Norman conquest of 1066 conventionally distinguish periods named after successive ruling dynasties: Norman (1066–1154), Plantagenet (1154–1485), Tudor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Gravett
Christopher Gravett is an assistant curator of armour at the Tower Armouries specialising in the arms and armour of the medieval world. Gravett has written a number of books and acts as an advisor for film and television projects. Selected works * (1985) ''German Medieval Armies, 1300-1500'', Osprey Publishing, * (1993) ''The Norman Knight, 950-1204 AD'', Osprey Publishing, * (1997) ''Medieval German Armies, 1000-1300'', Osprey Publishing, * (1999) ''Bosworth 1485: Last Charge of the Plantagenets'', Osprey Publishing, * (2000) ''Hastings 1066'', Osprey Publishing, * (2001) ''The History of Castles: Fortifications Around the World'', Lyons Press, * (2002) ''English Medieval Knight 1300-1400'', Osprey Publishing, * (2002) ''English Medieval Knight 1200-1300'', Osprey Publishing, * (2003) ''Towton 1461: England's Bloodiest Battle'', Osprey Publishing, * (2003) ''Tewkesbury 1471: The Last Yorkist Victory'', Osprey Publishing, * (2003) ''Norman Stone Castles: British Isles 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
