These days we are used to wars dragging on for years, which looks likely between Russia and her once friendly neighbours of Ukraine.
Men now fight until they are either killed, their ammo runs out, or they have nothing left to eat or drink.
But it wasn't always thus. In medieval times battles often lasted just a few hours; or less. If you were wearing a full suit of armour, it could last around 10 mins.
Armour could weigh anything up to about 30 kgs (a full bag of cement weight 25 kgs), and was more of a hinderance than benefit. A Knight could hardly see, or move, and was in effect a very clumsy target. A man without armour would have been far more agile and possibly more effective. The encumbered Knight may make a few wild slashes with his sword, then even fall off his 'steed', when he could easily be bludgeoned to death.
Even the question of mounting your 'steed' would have been complicated. At the very least a mounting block would have been required, but more often he would have needed the assistance of a squire. The idea of using a crane to winch them aloft has, I believe, been over exaggerated.
Ahead of him, Archers could launch a whole quiver-full of arrows in a very short time, then would need to run for home when all were gone. This could happen within about 5 mins.
How very different to today's warfare, but maybe the medieval version was preferable. The whole thing could have been over by Tea Time, and the spoils taken back to the winners castle to gloat over.
It's an old idea that it should be the leaders of each country who should square-up to each other. I can picture Putin and Zelensky in the ring together, dancing like Butterflies and stinging like Bees. No armies would have been decimated in the process, no towns and cities levelled, and the loser (Putin) would be shot the following dawn. Sounds good to me!
In Ye Olden Days the decision makers went into battle alongside the canon fodder. I suspect it concentrated their minds.
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope some of the arrows bounced off their armour.
DeleteSounds good to me too. I used to worry about the poor horses with knights in armour and often the horse too, how on earth they managed to run with all that weight on them.
ReplyDeleteIt was a miracle. I imagine the suits were made more to impress than give any protection.
DeleteThe war between Russia and Ukraine was avoidable. Know your enemy. That applies to both Zelensky and Nato.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I am gasping, with delight, at your comment - assuming I am interpreting what you are saying correctly.
DeleteAbout nine months ago I voiced a similar sentiment - and went into some detail. The Result? Well, Rachel, not that I am weeping, but a lifelong and close friend threatened he may never talk to me again. So much for "open" minds, exchange of ideas. In fact, he became so insulting (we were talking on the phone - different countries) and incensed at the very idea that one could put a different spin on the generally pedalled version that I did what I have rarely done in my life: I put the phone down.
U
All wars are avoidable, it just takes people with rational minds to see the pros and cons.
DeleteMy brother inlaw was ranting on to me about that monster P attacking a smaller country. I said I don't see it like that. They now no longer speak to me.
DeleteWhat about The Hundred Years War??
ReplyDeleteIt certainly lasted a long time, but they weren't fighting every day, or even every year.
DeleteThe sad thing about this War is that the Russians have targeted the civilians and the infrastructure more so than the actual Ukrainian military.
ReplyDeleteRegarding old field battles, I once read that one or two Popes even lead the battle charges on horseback.
Yes, and waged war against a county that didn't want anything to do with it. Putin should be tried for war crimes.
DeleteYou missed Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria then. Before we went into Iraq we had 43 days and nights of uninterrupted air strikes. We blew up water works, sanitation works, airports and runways, power stations, telephone exchanges, fibre optic lines, TV stations, distribution hubs as well as the usual military targets. Most were in civilian areas and we killed over 100,000 civilians. But apparently that was OK because we did it and the victims were brown right.
DeleteThe hypocrisy over Ukraine nauseates me.
Thanks to us Libya now has slave markets selling black people in chains. A sight not seen for 150 years and it is back because we blew their country and functioning government to pieces on little more than a whim.
Imagine after supporting all that having the utter cheek to whine about Russia and Ukraine.
This is why I have always said that Blair should have faced a war crimes court. How has he got away with it? He blatantly lied about WMD's, and it cost the Middle East all those lives. NO, it wasn't OK.
DeleteI think Zelensky would beat the shit out of Putin. I would be proud to hold Zelensky's jacket.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd be happy to act as referee.
DeleteI see my role as that of spectator
ReplyDeleteWe're building-up quite an audience!
DeleteQuite a few of us would be shouting from the side-lines. Count me in, I'd bring rotten tomatoes to hurl at Putin.
ReplyDeleteGood, we'll need plenty of tomato throwers,
DeleteAnd the person living in the community, just wants a peaceful, secure life.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of life's great mysteries how war mongers manage to achieve power.
DeleteShort lived wars are a thing of the long ago past. The world needs a way of preventing the likes of VP from coming to power. I do not condone war. Diplomacy and resolution would be so much better. I do believe in democracy and taking action to uphold it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nasty one-sided war that the Ukrainians are dealing with very well. Sadly their country will be in tatters by the time it's all over.
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