Osprey - General Military - Knight - The Warrior and ... - Brego-weard

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day of the battle. Even senior commanders were not immune to this kind of martial
ardour. As Louis IX's army landed at Damietta, the king saw his banner reach the
beach ahead of him. Picking up his shield he leapt into the surf and waded ashore and,
on reaching it, enquired who the men on the horizon were. When he was told that
they were Saracens he lunged forward desperate to attack them, and had to be
restrained by more level heads, who suggested he wait lor the rest of the army to form
up first.
For all these reasons battle plans were generally kept very simple. Reserves were
held under the direct control of the senior commander so that he might choose the
time to commit them but also so that he was kept out of the immediate fight and could
keep a broader perspective on the engagement. Any flank marches or delayed attacks,
such as that by the second unit of French cavalry against the English baggage at
Agincourt, had their timing and direction factored in before the engagement began.
How did the knight feel in the midst of battle? What went through his mind? These
are perhaps the most fascinating of questions we can ask about medieval battle,
but they are also the most difficult to answer. The medieval knight was not noted for
his introspection and contemplation. Very few accounts of battle are written by men
with martial experience, and those which are can disappoint. William of Poitiers,
for example, who writes a highly partial history of the deeds of William the Conqueror,
had been a knight in the duke's household at some point, but his narrative is heavily
based upon classical texts and has almost nothing to say about the way the warrior felt,
being more concerned with praising Duke William as a leader and William of Poitiers
CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE -J*
Walter d'Espec addresses
the royal army before the
battle of Lincoln, 1141.
Standing before him is
King Stephen who was not
a loud enough speaker to
give the harangue himself.
(Topfoto)
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