Arms and Armour of the Eastern Balkans c.11th-14th cen.

Early in the first half of the 11th century nearly the entire area was under the rule of the Emperor in Constantinople (save areas under Slovene dominance and Dalmatia). The lands of modern Romania however were eaither under the rule of The Magyars or some other Western Steppe nomads.

By the end of the 11th. century, the Serbs had won a large amount of independence, near the end of the 11 hundreds the Bulgarians had also reaserted their independence. The area seemed to have some semblence of order.
In 1204 however, the Latins Conquered Constantinople and the region spirraled into fragmentation. Greece was subjected to the whim of many minor Crusader Kprincipalities, the Despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Nicea. The Serbs held a small state and the Albanians had independence, thugh a short one. By the 1350's the Magyars/Hungary had extended it's rule over Carpathia and the rest of modern day Romania. Bulgarian holding had been severley chipped away, Serbia controlled lands form the Danube to the Gulf of Corinth, the Italian Republics such as the states of Venice and Genoa grappled for the Greeks islands, the Crusaders held southern Greece and Byzantium was nothing more than a collection of isolated provinces.

The Byzantines had always been the dominant cultural and even political entity of the Balkans but increasingly the Latins had a hand in millitary matters. The Latins mostly affected Bosnia and Croatia and in a lesser way, Serbia. Technology from the Latins came through Hungaria. Ragusa also served as major route for the importation of Istalian arms and armour.
Slowly the Elites of the Western Balkans became more Latinised but those of the eastern Balkans were less dramatically changed. This is due to their closer relations to Constantinople.
They were also more exposed to Turkic nomadic cultures as well.

The millitary culture of the Bulgarian Empire (late 12th to 14th cen.) is based upon the 12th century Comnenid Army, this was when they were also subjects of the Comnenids and served in their armies. Russian arms are also found in the Bulgarian Empire, probably through trading links with Byzantium and the mutual threat of Steppe Nomads. Although HA was relegated a minor role and left to allies. This seems to be the same as in 11th century Makedon.

Serbian millitary culture seems to be in the Western tradition.
Spears, maces and Latin straight swords for Horsemen and the elite, spears staff weapos, bows and later xbows for the infantry. The millitary was the classic Latin Feudal one, made up of local lords and mercenaries, local and foriegn. The latter were in most cases Germans, but by the mid 1300's Catalans and men from the Latin Spanish kingdoms dominated.
The Serbian army was structured in battles of 15, 50, 100, 1000. It's stregnth was cavalry and foot archery. The armed levy of peasents was rarely called up however.
The 14th century saw two major developments, either via the influence of Hungary or the Turks, the adoption of curved sabres and comppsite bows.

Thanks for the suggestions, we'll consider them.

The arms and Armour. Evidence. Serbia.

Ras Castle in Serbia c.12th-13th cen.
A small mace head, European socket arrow heads, tanged steepe nomadic heads and characteristic local daggers and knives. The mace head is most likley of Hungarian origin, the Magyars fighting in much the same way as the Sassanids whom made great use of such weapons. Mail piercing tanged and socketed arrow heads were also found dating to the early 13th century.

Reliefs.
late 12th cen. church of the virgin.
Reflects most closely the style, arms and armour of the Italian Normans.

Guards tomb, wall painting Serbian 1230-7. Milesevo.

This contains depictions of outdated Byzantine splinted arms defences and skirts, they carry large round shileds and wear helmets with aventails or seperate mail coifs. These helmets are of two piece construction joined along the crown, a development of the late Roman style popular in the mditeranean of the early medieval era.

Sopocani Monestery c.1265.
Large flat topped shields and tall pointed chpel-de-fer helmets with prominent brims now appear in large quantity. This shows an even stronger culrural influence from the Hungarians than before. Whereas Byzantium, Bulgaria and Russia were developing in their own ways.

Church Arilje, c.1296.
Here by the ne dof the 13th century, we see a basic takeover of western millitary culture. The parralels between Italian artistic depiction of their own arms is striking. In weaponry, costume, horse harness and saddles. The Swords are also wholly of European model.

Church of the apostles c.1300.

Here we see brimmed chapel-delfer war-hats. Some decorated with feathers, a unique Serbian and Bosnian feature which survived well into Otttoman occupation. Mail collars/tippets also appear, stiffened or padded. The shield is a large, flat topped kite style shield. There is also a figure wearing a mail coif and close fitting roun helmet. He is almost identical to figures seen in contemporary western sources.
A Demonic like figure wield a winged mace, indicating it was perhaps still associated with the Turks. However the dagger portrayed in the Betrayal reflects perhaps Turkic influence.
From this date Serbian millitary forms stick closley to that of the Western Christians, especially Italy, until we see in the mid 14th cen, the first wide use if Middle Eastern sabres and Composite bows.However, painting of the raised visors of European helms can still be found, thus indicating that Serbia was still influenced by the western Europeans.

Would it be possible for you to dig up some info about this in the early 11th ct (since that's our starting date), and preferably for the western Balkan because that will feature in II, wheras the eastern portion will be only in AD? The later things will probably be usable for our alternate history theme, so you can keep posting about it more, too, if you want :2thumbsup:

By the way, you might want to consider applying for membership.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alpaca

Would it be possible for you to dig up some info about this in the early 11th ct (since that's our starting date), and preferably for the western Balkan because that will feature in II, wheras the eastern portion will be only in AD? The later things will probably be usable for our alternate history theme, so you can keep posting about it more, too, if you want :2thumbsup:

By the way, you might want to consider applying for membership.

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Ok, I'll get some stuff on the Western Balakans, what date specifically in the 11th cen.?

Oh and I've already applied for membership in you're forums.:2thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

Ok, I'll get some stuff on the Western Balakans, what date specifically in the 11th cen.?

Oh and I've already applied for membership in you're forums.:2thumbsup:

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Ah right, I forgot to update the recruitment threads. We moved our private forums, so I don't read the old ones often anymore.

Sorry I ahve not posted anything yet, I have been raaallly busy with exams and such. Hopefully by the end of tomaorrow NZ time.:2thumbsup: