For a medieval knight, physÂiÂcal comÂbat in a full suit of armor could hardÂly have been a simÂple matÂter — but then, nor could the task of putting it on in the first place. You can see the latÂter depictÂed in the video above from NorÂweÂgian hisÂtoÂry buff Ola Onsrud. He describes the armor as a “detailed reconÂstrucÂtion based on the effiÂgy of the Black Prince (1330–1376) in the CanÂterÂbury CatheÂdral, othÂer relÂeÂvant effiÂgies, paintÂings in fourÂteenth-cenÂtuÂry manÂuÂscripts and late fourÂteenth-cenÂtuÂry armor disÂplayed in The RoyÂal Armories in Leeds.” If you’ve so much as glanced at such imagery, Onsrud’s armor should strike you as lookÂing quite like the real deal.
But this is funcÂtionÂal clothÂing, after all, and as such must be put to the test. Onsrud does so in the video just below, a demonÂstraÂtion of how the wearÂer of such armor would actuÂalÂly do hand-to-hand comÂbat. “To make comÂments, the visor of my helÂmet is open through most of the video,” he notes.
“This will of course make my face an interÂestÂing tarÂget for my adverÂsary.” In a real medieval batÂtle, of course, the helÂmet would be closed, and thus the comÂbatÂants wouldÂn’t simÂply aim for the face. As Onsrud explains, the idea is to use one’s sword “against the weak spots of the armor. After findÂing a weak spot, I can put all my body weight behind it and driÂve it in.”
Medieval suits of armor turn out not to be as impenÂeÂtraÂble as they look. Onsrud runs down a few of their major weak points, includÂing the insides of the gloves, the armpits, and — most wince-inducÂingÂly of all — the groin. The defense capaÂbilÂiÂty of armor also varÂied dependÂing upon the weapons used; even the best-suitÂed-up had reaÂson to fear an eneÂmy with a poleaxe. “But the absolute best way to take down an armored knight is by using a lance from a horse,” espeÂcialÂly a horse “galÂlopÂing up to 40 kiloÂmeÂters an hour” whose comÂbined weight with its ridÂer could reach 700 kiloÂgrams. SureÂly even the most comÂmitÂted reenÂacÂtor won’t do that on Youtube.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
How to Make and Wear Medieval Armor: An In-Depth Primer
What It’s Like to ActuÂalÂly Fight in Medieval Armor
How Well Can You Move in Medieval Armor?: MedievalÂist Daniel Jaquet Gives It a Try in Real Life
What’s It Like to Fight in 15th CenÂtuÂry Armor?: A SurÂprisÂing DemonÂstraÂtion
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.