# Medieval Arms and Armor-Looking for Books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694 "2017-07-20T02:41:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/1 "2017-07-20T02:41:29Z")
First off, this may be the wrong forum; I’m asking for books about historical facts and personal opinions will dictate what people recommend. I trust in SDMB moderators to put it where it belongs. I’m looking for some books about medieval European arms and armor. Specifically, I’m interested in transition armor (the stuff that came between mail hauberks and full plate) and contemporaneous weapons. Illustrations are a must. I would like it if they could describe how the weapons were used, though I understand that written manuals for weapons other than swords were virtually nonexistent. Educated speculation is acceptable as long as it is stated as such. I realize that it was a long period with a lot of regional variation, so there probably isn’t one book that will give me everything I need. I’d appreciate any titles you dopers could recommend, because I only know enough to know that there’s a lot I don’t know\* and it’s hard for me to separate the wheat from the chaff. \*If that’s a confusing statement, try this: The little knowledge I have serves only to illuminate my vast ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/2 "2017-07-20T02:56:35Z")
I’d recommend looking at; [http://www.kultofathena.com/books.asp](http://www.kultofathena.com/books.asp) [http://www.kultofathena.com/books-weapons.asp](http://www.kultofathena.com/books-weapons.asp) ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/3 "2017-07-20T05:04:35Z")
I’m not sure if this is what you’re looking for or not but how about: Medieval Armies and Weapons in Western Europe: An Illustrated History by Lepage. Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-Century Manual of Sword-fighting and Close-Quarter Combat by Fahoffer. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/4 "2017-07-20T05:37:12Z")
I’m not an expert on the field at all but DK has illustrated guides that are visually interesting and give a historical background > **[DK | Publishers of Award Winning Information](https://www.dk.com/uk/book/9780241257807-weapon/)** > > DK is a top publisher of general reference and illustrated non-fiction books. Shop from a range of bestselling titles to improve your knowledge at DK.com. This one is for younger readers > **[Arms and Armour](https://www.dk.com/uk/book/9781405346603-arms-and-armour/)** > > DK Eyewitness Arms and Armour is an original and exciting look at the history of weapons and armour through the ages. Stunning real-life photographs reveal the design, construction, and workings or armour, offering a unique "eyewitness" view of how... ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/5 "2017-07-20T11:10:03Z")
Osprey Books\* Men at Arms\* series is a large range of fairly slim, heavily illustrated books covering armour, weapons and uniforms throughout history. I’ve browsed several of them and they usually show the correct or accepted uniforms but then also show various variations and how they changed over the time period they’ve chosen to illustrate. [This is one of their titles](https://ospreypublishing.com/store/military-history/series-books/men-at-arms/the-landsknechts-pb) and others are shown below it, but which ones would be of most use I couldn’t say. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/6 "2017-07-20T12:27:42Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Illustrations are a must. Osprey’s what you want, like **Meurglys** said. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/7 "2017-07-20T13:05:09Z")
Or to be more specific, a title like [this one](https://ospreypublishing.com/french-armies-of-the-hundred-years-war-pb)on French armies of the 100 Years War (Landsknechts are a little late for what you want). Any of the 100 Years War books covering the earlier part (which can be as specific as books on [one battle](https://ospreypublishing.com/poitiers-1356-pb)) should have some of what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/8 "2017-07-20T13:15:19Z")
Just want to add - it’s not true that period manuals only cover swordfighting. [Quite a lot](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Category:Pole_Weapons)of the _fechtbucher_, like [Talhoffer](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Talhoffer_Fechtbuch_(Cod.icon._394a)#/media/File:Cod.icon._394a_43r.jpg) or [Kal](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Kal#Poleaxe), cover [Poleaxe](http://myarmoury.com/feature_spot_poleaxe.html) too. The actual books are mostly later period, but the techniques likely are consistent with earlier training. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/9 "2017-07-20T18:45:54Z")
This is a great how-to book about being a medieval knight, including info on armor and weaponry: [https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Medieval-Warriors-Unofficial-Manual/dp/0500251606/ref=pd\_bxgy\_14\_img\_3?\_encoding=UTF8&pd\_rd\_i=0500251606&pd\_rd\_r=5SMS22A222CJN21KDP4K&pd\_rd\_w=GJP4q&pd\_rd\_wg=k5H85&psc=1&refRID=5SMS22A222CJN21KDP4K](https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Medieval-Warriors-Unofficial-Manual/dp/0500251606/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0500251606&pd_rd_r=5SMS22A222CJN21KDP4K&pd_rd_w=GJP4q&pd_rd_wg=k5H85&psc=1&refRID=5SMS22A222CJN21KDP4K) ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/10 "2017-07-21T14:49:52Z")
Thanks **Meurglys** and **MrDibble** those look like exactly what I want! > [@MrDibble](#): > > Just want to add - it’s not true that period manuals only cover swordfighting. [Quite a lot](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Category:Pole_Weapons)of the _fechtbucher_, like [Talhoffer](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Talhoffer_Fechtbuch_(Cod.icon._394a)#/media/File:Cod.icon._394a_43r.jpg) or [Kal](http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Kal#Poleaxe), cover [Poleaxe](http://myarmoury.com/feature_spot_poleaxe.html) too. The actual books are mostly later period, but the techniques likely are consistent with earlier training. That’s what I was talking about in the OP. I heard somewhere that nearly all extant period manuals were for sword fighting and the guy seemed to know what he has talking about, so I believed him. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-arms-and-armor-looking-for-books/791694/11 "2017-07-21T15:36:20Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Thanks **Meurglys** and **MrDibble** those look like exactly what I want! You’re welcome > [@](#): > > That’s what I was talking about in the OP. I heard somewhere that nearly all extant period manuals were for sword fighting and the guy seemed to know what he has talking about, so I believed him. Naah, they often covered all sorts of combat, also including knives and grappling. That site has digitized a bunch of them, browse around. Poleaxes were probably much more common than you’d expect, they’re depicted a lot in art, were often preferred for judicial duelling in Germany, and a lot of skull injuries in e.g. Battle of Visby seem to be more consistent with poleaxe than sword. It’s a mistake to think of them as some peasant weapon, they were as much a part of a man-at-arms’ arsenal as a sword.