Authoritative reference guide, using the documents in which arms and
armour first appeared to explain and define them.
"A substantial and impressive piece of scholarship, one that will serve
scholars and enthusiasts of medieval arms and armour very well indeed".
Dr Robert W. Jones, Franklin and Marshall College
Medieval arms and armour are intrinsically fascinating. From the smoke
and noise of the armourer's forge to the bloody violence of the
battlefield or the silken panoply of the tournament, weapons and
armour - and those who made and bore them - are woven into the fabric of
medieval society. This sourcebook will aid anyone who seeks to develop a
deeper understanding by introducing and presenting the primary sources
in which these artefacts are first mentioned. Over a hundred original
documents are transcribed and translated, including wills and
inventories, craft statutes, chronicle accounts, and challenges to
single combat. The book also includes an extensive glossary, lavishly
illustrated with fifty-two images of extant armour and weapons from the
period, and contemporary artistic depictions from illuminated
manuscripts and other sources. This book will therefore be of interest
to a wide audience, from the living history practitioner, crafter, and
martial artist, to students of literature, military history, art, and
material culture.