1066 Middle Earth

[jimford]

It's surprising how much wool chainmail still makes it into movies - I think my ultimate scene has to be in Robin and Marion where Sean Connery and Robert Shaw knacker themselves out in about three and ahlaf minutes because they're wearing the real stuff and slogging bloody great swords. Now Robin Hood ... there was a bushman, green tights and all!

My wife and I were in a shop selling armour in Canterbury some years ago (the shop's now gone). She saw a chain mail tunic on a hanger and tried to lift it off the rail, like she would a dress. She couldn't lift it a millimeter it was so heavy!

Jim

 

[Toddy]

A friend came for coffee, and as she went to sit down at the kitchen table I said, "Mind the chainmail." she responded with exasperation, "......only in your kitchen could you say, "Mind the Chainmail", and there damn well is chainmail What the hell are you doing with chainmail ?? " as she tripped over the linen bag that held it

Thing is they weren't daft those poor sods who had to wear the stuff for real, it's heavy and it cuts into your skin, and if you get a blow on it it will leave you will kind of minced flesh if you aren't careful. So they made padded garments for underneath. This adds to the protection, but also to the weight and the heat.

Trishbo and I literally shoved Monarch out the back door into the cool air and stripped him down to his sark, we thought he was going down with heatstroke when we had gotten him dressed him in all the layers.

To fight in that load too ? That's brutal work.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tadpole]

To fight in that load too ? That's brutal work.

cheers,
Toddy

But those who could afford Chain mail were both grateful, and most likely trained from an early age to take the weight and the methods of fighting in mail, something re-enactors have not a hope of doing. I've tried on some real chain mail, the underpadding felt like I was wearing a suit made from carpet, and the mail smell of oil, rust, and "something". My shoulders were ok with the weight, but after a short while the arms started to get really tired.

 

[Tengu]

I fail to see what the title means.

`Middle Earth` was a medieval term, not an anglo saxon.

(yup, and JRRT studied the litrature of both periods)

 

[Draven]

I fail to see what the title means.

`Middle Earth` was a medieval term, not an anglo saxon.

(yup, and JRRT studied the litrature of both periods)

The term originates from the Old Norse word "Miðgarðr" referring to an area that is literally in the middle. It does not mean "middle earth" literally, it means "middle enclosure" according to Wikipedia. "Middle Earth" appears after 1066. Nonetheless, Midgard is usually translated as Middle Earth.

And on 'Medieval':

The Middle Ages of European history (adjective form mediaeval or medieval) are a period in history which lasted for roughly a millennium, commonly dated from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century

The point is, "Midgard" was the name of our world (Compared to, for example, Asgard). It would not be a great stretch to imagine that the term "Middle Earth" or a translation of it had been used, though I'm not sure why England would be considered Middle Earth, as that simply isn't what Midgard or Middle Earth meant.

That's what the title meant, btw - they're referring to England as Middle Earth, and it's the Battle for Middle earth because the first two battles were the english fighting the Vikingr and the last was fighting the Normans. It may have simply been referring to England being in the middle.

Pete

 

[Tengu]

too vague.....

 

[forestwalker]

But those who could afford Chain mail were both grateful, and most likely trained from an early age to take the weight and the methods of fighting in mail, something re-enactors have not a hope of doing. I've tried on some real chain mail, the underpadding felt like I was wearing a suit made from carpet, and the mail smell of oil, rust, and "something". My shoulders were ok with the weight, but after a short while the arms started to get really tired.

I knew someone in the SCA who wore his mail shirt gardening, walking the dog and doing PT (including jogging occationally IIRC). Of course, a Norman hauberk will never be comfortable (too much material), but a more reasonable one (mid-thight, 3/4 sleeves) should be possible to train to.

As for the weight; did you wear a belt with it? A belt basically does the same as the waist belt on a bergen; spreads the load.

 

[durulz]

I used to be a member of the Regia Anglorum and because I could ride a horse I was often a Norman. I even refought Hastings on the actual battlefield (for which we were all given a T-shirt with 'I Survived The Battle of Hastings' on it which I sodding loved and wore to death).
In all that time I never found wearing a mail shirt that encumbering. It was a heavy dead weight, but once put on it was evenly distributed. And I spent more time on foot than on horse (we didn't get horses that often). Actually, I found it more comfortable without a belt. The biggest pain was the helmet - always found that leather strap under the chin irritating. More often I just wore the chain coif.
The quilt underpadding was fairly stiff. But, again, not too bad.
As a weekend Norman I had no problems spending the day in all that armour on a summer's day, and I only did it part-time. Yes, it felt good to get it off, but it wasn't difficult wearing it all day. If armour is encumbering (whether chain or full plate) it is failing in it's task; the armour must be both protective and allow the wearer to function. I think we think that armour is/was awkward, but in my experiences that's just not the case, and I had a reasonable amount of experience.