Crimson Castle
05-10-2003, 06:45
Hello I read this from soc.medieval.history :
David Read wrote:
According to Ian Heath, Scottish infantry at the battle of the Standard (Northallerton) in 1138 were described as carrying 'lances of extraordinary length.' He doesn't name his source but the most likely candidate is Aelred, Abbott of Rievaulx, who had been educated at the Scottish court and who is the primary source for this battle.
This would not mean that such weapons were as long as they were to become by the 14th century in Scottish hands, but that they were noticeably longer than those carried by English infantry in the 12th century. Long spears and pikes are not very handy weapons individually,
but are formidable when used en masse. Descriptions of schiltrons vary, and, in all likelihood, they did themselves vary, particularly in the number of ranks deep in which they were formed. The longer the spear or
pike, then the deeper the formation might effectively be. So, anything from a shield wall three or four ranks deep, to a column of perhaps twice or more of that depth are all possible.
Unless such a formation has its flanks well protected by supporting troops, it is very vulnerable to any attacks made upon its flanks should it be used offensively. That is, it can be very formidable going forward
if well-led, well-trained, well-disciplined and well-supported, but it is slow to manouevre should it need to change its front. Used defensively, with secure flanks, it was pretty much invulnerable to anything except a sustained missile attack, such an attack best supported by close fighting infantry or cavalry to exploit any resultant
disorder and gaps.
Heath describes the spear of the 12th-century Scots spearman as being 10-12 feet long. I don't know what the provenance of this. A small shield is carried.
By the 13th century, the Scottish infantry were probably using a spear of between 12-14 feet long. Shields were still carried. By the late 15th century, with apparently many being imported from Switzerland, spears were between 15.5 feet and 18.5 feet. I think shields were no longer
being carried.
David Read wrote:
According to Ian Heath, Scottish infantry at the battle of the Standard (Northallerton) in 1138 were described as carrying 'lances of extraordinary length.' He doesn't name his source but the most likely candidate is Aelred, Abbott of Rievaulx, who had been educated at the Scottish court and who is the primary source for this battle.
This would not mean that such weapons were as long as they were to become by the 14th century in Scottish hands, but that they were noticeably longer than those carried by English infantry in the 12th century. Long spears and pikes are not very handy weapons individually,
but are formidable when used en masse. Descriptions of schiltrons vary, and, in all likelihood, they did themselves vary, particularly in the number of ranks deep in which they were formed. The longer the spear or
pike, then the deeper the formation might effectively be. So, anything from a shield wall three or four ranks deep, to a column of perhaps twice or more of that depth are all possible.
Unless such a formation has its flanks well protected by supporting troops, it is very vulnerable to any attacks made upon its flanks should it be used offensively. That is, it can be very formidable going forward
if well-led, well-trained, well-disciplined and well-supported, but it is slow to manouevre should it need to change its front. Used defensively, with secure flanks, it was pretty much invulnerable to anything except a sustained missile attack, such an attack best supported by close fighting infantry or cavalry to exploit any resultant
disorder and gaps.
Heath describes the spear of the 12th-century Scots spearman as being 10-12 feet long. I don't know what the provenance of this. A small shield is carried.
By the 13th century, the Scottish infantry were probably using a spear of between 12-14 feet long. Shields were still carried. By the late 15th century, with apparently many being imported from Switzerland, spears were between 15.5 feet and 18.5 feet. I think shields were no longer
being carried.