In a medieval battle, mistaking friend for foe could have deadly consequences. Medieval armies used different identifying marks, depending on the time and place, to distinguish individual fighters, groups within an army, and entire armies in the heat of battle. In this video, we’ll take a look at them.
SandRhoman History explores the visual and organisational strategies medieval armies employed to maintain cohesion and prevent friendly fire. The analysis covers the significance of group formations, standardised heraldry, unique battle cries, and specific field insignia used to distinguish allies from adversaries in the heat of combat.
Bibliography
Barber, Richard, The Reign of Chivalry. Newton Abbot 1980.
Bradbury, Jim, The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare. London/New York 2004.
Edge, David, and Paddock, John Miles, Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History of Weaponry in the Middle Ages, Greenwich 1991.
Groebner, Valentin, Defaced: The Visual Culture of Violence in the Late Middle Ages, New York 2004 [Source description].
Keen, Maurice (ed.), Medieval Warfare. A History, Oxford 1999.
Prietzel, Malte, Warfare in the Middle Ages: Actions, Memories, Meanings, Paderborn 2006.
Rogers, Clifford J., Soldiers’ Lives Through History: The Middle Ages, Westport 2007.
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