Cavalry equipment

[Hosakawa Tito]

I was just curious if anyone knows if/when the Japanese adopted the use of the stirrup for their cavalry.It's use in Europe greatly increased the effectiveness of the knight and his use of the lance in battle.Does anyone have any information on this?The Samurai Archive doesn't seem to mention it.

[FwSeal]

I'm not sure just when stirrups came into use off the top of my head. I do know that horses are often thought to have been introduced to Japan sometime in the 4th Century and that stirrups were in general use by the early Heian Period, when they were given the distinctive covered foothold. Beyond that...

[Hosakawa Tito]

Thanks Seal,I guess I have some researching to do.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Quote Originally posted by Hosakawa Tito:
Thanks Seal,I guess I have some researching to do.[/QUOTE]
Upon further research I found that the stirrup was developed around 400 C.E.on the steppes of central asia so they would certainly have been used by the Japanese when the horse,and tack,were first introduced in the 4th century.I guess the next question would be how the Yari lance was used on horseback.In "true" shock troop style, utilizing the weight and speed of the horse and rider to deliver the killing blow or more of a stabbing motion.Back to the search. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Anssi Hakkinen]

Equally off the top of my head, I would go for the stabbing thing, at least as being more common. While I don't completely buy into the Takeda Cavalry in Kagemusha (who carried these tiny and pathetic te-yari, some three feet long), I can't imagine samurai in a Medieval European style lance charge. For one thing, Japanese horses (and, to some extent, people) were much smaller and lighter than European heavy warhorses, so the damage they could do was less...

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"6. Melyo: honor and glory."

[Hosakawa Tito]

I think you are correct Annsi,though some of my resources say that the heavy cavalry charge was first employed in central asia.The design of the saddle,height of the pommel and cantel to provide support to the rider at moment of impact was as important as the stirrup was to providing leverage.The size of the horse and design of the lance would be more important than the size of the rider.Most Europeans at that time were small of stature also.I'm still trying to find photos of cavalry lances,if any exist,of that period.

[This message has been edited by Hosakawa Tito (edited 06-10-2001).]
I believe the design of the lance would be the greatest clue to the tactics employed.
A three foot lance used on horseback does sound quite unlikely.A footsoldier,ala the Zulu,yes,but on horseback the warrior would have a hard time reaching an opposing horseman,let alone an opponent on foot.Also, being that horses were probably a quite precious commodity,without heavy armor for protection, using the horse like a battering ram would not be desirable.The stabbing tactic is probably the most prevalent method,but it is fun to research,let alone to fantasize about the charge of a thousand heavily armored samurai cavalry,lances upright till just before the enemy is joined,then their lance points are lowered in unison as they smash into their hapless foe. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Hosakawa Tito (edited 06-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Hosakawa Tito (edited 06-10-2001).]

[NinjaKilla]

Don't know of how much use it is to you guys, but Norman cavalary in the 10th and 11th centuries had no stirrups and in my opinion, there military effectiveness has been exagerated. They also used spears and it seems that they used an OVER-ARM stabbing motion, although as with all these things you can never be sure.

Only place you can really find out about this kind of thing is by looking at contemporary illustrations.