How Did Medieval Soldiers Level Up and Get War Gear? DOCUMENTARY
TLDRThis video explores the historical process of medieval soldiers acquiring war gear, from leveling up through battles to equipping with weapons and armor. It delves into the costs and maintenance of such equipment, the role of inheritance, gifts, and loot in obtaining gear, and the social mobility possible through warfare. The video also touches on the arms industry and the challenges of equipping large armies, highlighting the complexities behind the RPG game mechanics we often take for granted.
Takeaways
- 🏰 In medieval times, soldiers had to acquire their own weapons and armor, which were significant expenses.
- 🛡️ Armor was the most expensive part of a soldier's equipment, with a basic mail shirt costing around a month's wage for an English archer in the 1360s.
- ⚔️ Weapons were generally less expensive than armor, but still constituted a notable portion of a soldier's expenses.
- 🥄 Soldiers also needed to carry tools for maintenance, as well as provisions for eating, drinking, sleeping, and marching.
- 🎒 The cost of equipping an entire army was substantial, including logistics, supply wagons, and remounts for cavalry.
- 🧳 Inheritance was a common way for individuals to acquire weapons and armor, with legal documents specifying the transfer of these items.
- 🎁 Gifts of war gear could accompany treaties or political marriages, and were a way for aristocrats to ensure their forces were well-equipped.
- 🏛️ Aristocrats and wealthy individuals could procure large quantities of equipment directly from manufacturing centers or their own workshops.
- 🛍️ The medieval arms industry was extensive, with an international network of craftsmen, workshops, and merchants supplying military gear.
- 🏆 Soldiers could improve their socio-economic status through warfare, as they were paid based on their level of equipment and could amass wealth to afford better gear.
Q & A
How did the process of leveling up in medieval times compare to modern RPGs?
-In medieval times, leveling up involved acquiring better weapons, armor, and supplies, often through inheritance, gifts, or purchases. This contrasts with RPGs where characters typically level up by gaining experience points from combat and completing quests, which allows them to improve their stats and abilities.
What were the main components of a medieval soldier's gear?
-A medieval soldier's gear primarily included weapons, armor, tools for maintenance, clothing, tents, food, drink, ammunition, and fodder for horses. These items were essential for combat, survival, and maintaining military forces.
How expensive was armor for a medieval soldier?
-Armor was very expensive for medieval soldiers. For example, a lower-cost mail shirt in the 1360s could be purchased for around 16 shillings, which was equivalent to over a month's wage for an English archer of the period. Higher quality armor, such as a cuirass with pauldrons or full plate armor, was even more costly.
What were some ways medieval soldiers could acquire their gear?
-Medieval soldiers could acquire their gear through inheritance, gifts from allies or armories, loans, purchasing from international networks of craftsmen and merchants, and looting from battlefields. Wealthy individuals and towns also maintained armories to stockpile equipment for their forces.
How did the cost of maintaining weapons and armor impact soldiers?
-The cost of maintaining weapons and armor was significant and often required frequent upkeep. Soldiers had to carry items for maintenance, and attendants, servants, and specialized artisans like armorers often accompanied an army to repair or replace gear in the field.
What was the role of logistics in supplying military forces?
-Logistics played a crucial role in supplying military forces with necessary items like clothing, tents, food, drink, ammunition, and fodder for horses. Even small units required significant baggage, and mounted forces needed large amounts of supplies for both horse and rider.
How did the armor and weapons industry function during the medieval period?
-The armor and weapons industry during the medieval period was a large-scale, international network of craftsmen, workshops, and merchants. They supplied everything from personal weapons to massive orders for thousands of items, with wealthy nobles often buying in bulk directly from production centers.
What was the significance of looting in the acquisition of war gear?
-Looting was an organized process where soldiers would take weapons and armor from defeated enemies on the battlefield. This was a significant way to acquire new gear, and the loot was usually divided among the ranks, with specific ratios outlined in formal contracts.
How did warfare affect social mobility for medieval soldiers?
-Warfare allowed for social mobility as soldiers could amass wealth through looting and battle rewards, enabling them to afford better equipment and potentially rise in rank. For instance, English archers in the Hundred Years War could earn enough to become men-at-arms, which was a significant socio-economic class change.
What challenges did lower-income soldiers face in acquiring quality gear?
-Lower-income soldiers faced challenges such as limited access to high-quality gear due to its expense. They often had to resort to cheaper alternatives like wearing helmets and padded or quilted garments instead of full suits of metal armor and using lower-tier weapons like swords or spears.
How did the medieval arms industry address the issue of counterfeit goods?
-Cities and towns attempted to address the issue of counterfeit arms by enacting legislation to punish counterfeit sellers. However, enforcement was difficult, and the practice of selling falsely marked items from renowned weapon centers like Nuremberg continued to be a problem.
Outlines
🏰 Leveling Up in Medieval Times
This paragraph explores the historical process of medieval soldiers acquiring war gear, contrasting it with the leveling up process in RPGs. It delves into the types of equipment needed, the costs involved, and how these expenses were managed in the medieval economy. The discussion includes the significance of armor as the biggest personal expense for soldiers and the relative affordability of weapons. It also touches on the evolution of weapon and armor costs over time and the necessity of maintenance for these items.
🏹 Inheritance and Acquisition of War Gear
The second paragraph focuses on how medieval soldiers obtained their weapons and armor. Inheritance was a common method, especially among the nobility, but also prevalent in non-aristocratic families. The paragraph discusses the practicality of inherited gear and the symbolic nature of legendary artifacts. It also covers the procurement of gear through gifts, loans, and purchases from international networks of craftsmen and merchants. The costs of custom and used gear are highlighted, as well as the role of towns and cities in maintaining communal armories.
⚔️ The Market for Military Equipment
This paragraph examines the production and market for military equipment during the medieval period. It discusses the operation of royal workshops, the value and compensation of armorers and weapon makers, and the legal challenges of fraud and counterfeiting in the arms industry. The paragraph also explores the vast amounts of new and second-hand military gear available in the market, the organized process of looting battlefields, and the social mobility achievable through warfare, where soldiers could potentially upgrade their socio-economic status by acquiring better equipment.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Medieval RPGs
💡Leveling Up
💡Warpath
💡Armor
💡Weapons
💡Maintenance
💡Logistics
💡Inheritance
💡Procurement
💡Looting
💡Social Mobility
Highlights
Medieval RPGs often involve characters leveling up from impoverished peasants to wealthy knights.
Historically, medieval soldiers had to acquire their war gear through various means, including inheritance, gifts, and purchases.
Weapons and armor were significant expenses for medieval soldiers, with armor being the most costly.
In the 1360s, a basic mail shirt could cost over a month's wage for an English archer.
Weapons were generally less expensive than armor, but still made up a significant portion of a soldier's expenses.
Soldiers who could not afford high-quality gear would use cheaper alternatives, such as padded garments and shields.
Weapons and armor required frequent upkeep, and soldiers' gear often included items for maintenance.
Logistics for military forces involved significant baggage, especially for mounted troops.
Inheritance was a common way for individuals to acquire weapons and armor, with legal documents spelling out these provisions.
Royal armories housed legendary objects, like Charlemagne's sword, but these were symbolic and not used in war.
Aristocrats increasingly provided their soldiers with preset livery, such as the English archers with half green, half white coats.
Merchants collected large quantities of equipment for major campaigns, like the French royal campaign in 1295.
The medieval arms industry was international, consisting of a network of craftsmen, workshops, and merchants.
Wealthy nobles might travel to production centers like Milan to buy custom sets of gear in bulk.
The cost of weapons and armor varied widely, with used items being cheaper and custom, high-end pieces being more expensive.
Legislation aimed at regulating the arms market, such as preventing fraud, was difficult to enforce.
Looting the battlefield was an organized process, with loot divided into shares for the army's hierarchy.
Soldiers could potentially move up the ranks through warfare, as seen with English archers in the Hundred Years War.
Social mobility was achievable through warfare, as soldiers could amass wealth and change their socio-economic status.
Transcripts
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