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Author
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Topic: 15th cent women in combat
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Winterfell
New Member
Member # 376
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posted 01-27-2003 12:54 PM
    
A chapter in Gary Embleton's book "The Medieval Soldier, 15 century campaign life..." talks about women on campaign and cites examples of women not only fighting in defense of towns and cities but on campaign and in full harness as well. Now since this is a tertiary source, I was wondering what specific sources and examples is this based on.
Any thoughts?-------------------- "As long as there are heretics there will always be fanatics." http://caerdubh.com/coeurdeleon/index.html
Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged
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Woodcrafter
Member
Member # 197
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posted 04-20-2004 08:16 PM
I just looked at my copy of _The Armour from the Battle of Wisby 1361_. Of the approx 1185 bodies, the average height of all was 168.7cm, percentage below age 20 were 22%, above age 35 was 14% with the majority at 64% between the two. Even though not all the pelvises were in good enough shape to determine, but the remaining pelvises show that 5% of the warriors were female, that is to say about 63 women fought. Coming from one town, I am sure they knew who was who.Also as an addition.... The Questioning of John Rykener, A Male Cross-Dressing Prostitute, 1395 Seems it was investigated, proved he saw more action than Dunkirk, and yet was never charged.  [ 04-20-2004: Message edited by: Woodcrafter ] -------------------- Woodcrafter
14th c. Woodworking
Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged
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Fire Stryker
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 2
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posted 02-15-2005 12:15 PM
I'm not convinced that the Bridgeport muster roll does anything other than indicate that a woman (possibly the head of the household) was required to supply arms and equipment, it doesn't actually state that the women listed went into combat.I think that the women were Swiss. Although I remember seeing somewhere in one of the Medieval Soldier books, that they talked about women being involved with the artillary. That it was a mystery kept in the family. Can't cite and I think we asked Gerry about it and I don't think he could remember where he found it. This is why footnotes are SOOOOOO important and that a lot of modern books seem to be missing.  [ 02-15-2005: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ] -------------------- ad finem fidelis
Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged
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Martin
Member
Member # 603
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posted 02-15-2005 03:49 PM
In the book "Neuss, Burgund und das Reich"
there are plenty of women mentioned, especially in Neuss! As the burgundians complained that it is barbaric to throw so much on human wastes on them, and they ment with that the towns women who in a frantic effort prevented a break through.
Sorry that book has no ISBN as it was printed in 1975 and the archiv of Neuss didn´t find it for neccessary to put one in. In any case that book is a very detailed chronical of the siege of Neuss, which ended up as a rather tuff nut for Burgundy!  Martin -------------------- Verpa es, qui istuc leges. Non es fidenter scripto!
Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged
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chef de chambre
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 4
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posted 09-26-2005 08:42 PM
Hi Phillip[e,Yes, of course you are right. I think the difference is in definition - there isn't a lot of evidence for late medieval women having actually been soldiers (one example from Italy, by Petarch, a very few other scattered examples), and a lot of evidence for women campfollowers following armies, and being caught up in events - even as townswomen and women living in castles were caught up in sieges, and participated in defending their homes (the Taborite women in this case are following their families and homes in the wagon - their congregations, really - can't forget the religious aspect of the Hussites!). The thing is that you don't find very many examples at all of women following a profession of arms - they aren't soldiers, they are usually victims of circumstance. -------------------- Bob R.
Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged
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gregory23b
Member
Member # 642
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posted 09-30-2005 10:21 AM
It is no surprise that women were found at Wisby considering its context. Was it not the last ditch attempt by the remaining able bodied to defend their town against aggression? The other forces having gone off a day or so previously.Other parts of Europe had women defending towns, but as Chef says, where are the incidences of: Women archers - now think carefully about the statutes and societal values Men at arms other than the most odd, the Spanish woman who fought like a man. Possibly Joan of Arc - possibly So rare, so rare and in most unusual situations, far away from typical. I suspect this question is linked to: women fighting in reenactment as men women fighting as women in reenactment The Swiss thing may be related to the odd picture in the Schilling Chronicles, one of which Gerry has in his book, a woman bearing a halberd, but then why is she unharnessed and all the others harnessed to varying degrees? -------------------- history is in the hands of the marketing department - beware!
Registered: Aug 2004 | IP: Logged
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