Combat in Renaissance England

Renaissance England suffered from the constant threat of war from the other Catholic Spanish and French superpowers of the time. It was very important to have a strong fighting force and the best weapons.

Weapons from the medieval period were still being used and wielded by trained military men so there was an extreme necessity for the immediate advancement of Elizabethan era weapons. The weapons needed to win battles had to be modern and innovative.

So, in the Elizabethan Era, many new weapons were innovated. The old weapons were modified to make them more advanced and some of the weapons used disappeared. New technological and social advances happening at this time changed the art of Renaissance warfare and armed combat. Elizabethan weapons not only changed the lives of the people of 16th and 17th century, but it made a great impact in the evolution of futuristic weapons.

Firearms replaced bows as the weapons of choice. The old order, and the old commanders, were out, and new-style armies were being formed. New skills such as literacy and the ability to understand and work with numbers became essential to lead men into war.

Elizabethan Weapons from the Medieval Period

Here are a few of the weapons being used during the Elizabethan era:

• Arbalest – This is the correct term for a crossbow.
• Basilard – A two-edged, long bladed dagger.
• Battle axe – Single and double-handed axes.
• Bill – A polearm (see below) with a wide cutting blade occasionally with spikes and hooks.
• Billhook – A tool with a sickle-shaped blade with a sharp inner edge. It was capable of killing Knights and their horses.
• Bow and Arrow
• Caltrop – Sharp spikes on 12 – 18 feet poles used, in formation, to maim a horse.
• Dagger – A short pointed knife.
• Halberd – A broad, short axe blade on a 6 foot pole with a spear point at the top with a back spike.
• Lance – A long, strong, spear-like weapon for use on horseback.
• Longbow – The Longbow could pierce armor at ranges of more than 250 yards – a longbowman could release between 10 – 12 arrows per minute.
• Mace – Used mainly as an armor fighting weapon, it developed from a steel ball on a wooden handle, to an elaborately spiked steel war club.
• Pike – A long spear measuring between 18 feet and 20 feet.
• Poleaxe (Also called polearm or polehammer) – A group of pole-mounted weapons. They were all variations of poles measuring 6 feet long with different ‘heads’, i.e., spikes, hammers, axes.
• Spear – Used for thrusting.
• Swords – A variety of swords were used, among them were the rapier, the broadsword, the cutting sword, and greatsword.

You can find replicas of these Renaissance weapons online if you want to come to the festival with one in hand. Or wait and buy one at the festival from one of these faire vendors. [NOTE!! Swords must be peace-tied for safety and you may not wield weapons at the festival.]

Swords

Being upper-class nobility required fencing skill. The elegant rapier was used in preference to the older, clumsier cutting swords.

Any nobleman worth his weight would not only have adequate fencing skill, he would also not be seen in public without wearing a sword. The wearing of the sword with civilian dress was a custom that had begun in late fifteenth-century Spain.

This requirement to know fencing changed as firearms, such as the musket introduced in the 1520s, were introduced and used for military warfare.

Armies

England did not have a standing army during the Elizabethan era. As the medieval Feudal system ended, nobles were no longer expected to provide trained soldiers to fight for the Queen or to provide clothes and weapons for the soldiers.

The country began relying on trained men, called the ‘Trayned Bandes’, who acted as a National Guard.
Regular uniforms were not yet of general use and fighting men still used civilian clothes under their military equipment.

Firearms

By the end of the 1500’s firearms were in common use. By 1595 all bows were ordered to be exchanged for muskets.

The most popular firearm was called a Matchlock (this name derived as it was fired by the application of a burning match). It was inaccurate, slow to load and expensive. It was eventually replaced by the flintlock.

Big Guns

Canons were developed which replaced the heavy artillery of the Medieval years such as the ballista, trebuchet and the Mangonel. These early canons were made of bronze or iron and fired stone or iron. They were made in different sizes and were used on both land and on sea.

One consequence of the invention and use of firearms was the end of castle warfare and the required building of Medieval castles.

Elizabethan Armor

During the Elizabethan period, armor was not used for protection in war. It was mainly worn for decoration in parades and ceremonies. It became more and more expensive and elaborate.

But knights and armor still had a part to play in the tournaments which featured in Elizabethan entertainment. The tournaments kept the knight in excellent condition in the event he would have to go to war.

The different types of Elizabethan tournaments, jousts and melees showcased combat methods involving fighting on foot or on horseback. These tournaments reflected many of the fighting practices and weapons used during the Medieval period.

You too can buy and wear Medieval knight armor at the festival!

Combat at the Central Coast Renaissance Festival

This year we are excited to announce that we’ll be featuring the knights from the History Channel program, “Knight Fight”.

Called the toughest and most violent armored combat competition around, they will take you back in time to the world of full-contact Armored Combat League called Knight Fight Club.

You will get to witness first hand historic traditions as these knights wage era-specific wars against each other using era-specific armor, garb, and weaponry. They will fight wearing over 80 pounds of plated armor with very real steel weapons.