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Small note:
The Fyrd Of Lewes no longer accepts new recruits or clan battle invites. You will only get to see the glorious Fyrd in action via events.
voip.arrakis-net.com
Not actively recruiting
Originally the clan was run by Leofwine, who seemed to me at least, to know a great deal on the history of Lewes and he always strived to make the clan as historically accurate as possible.
The Town of Lewes
Shortly after the death of King Alfred the Great, a document was written listing twenty-five strongholds across the country. Eight of these were on the Southern borders of the Kingdom; Hastings, Chichester, Porchester, Southampton, Wareham, Bridport, Exeter & Lewes.
Lewes was a Seaxon town straddling the River Ouse, roughly 10 miles North of the coast of Suth Seaxa (Sūþsēaxe or 'South Saxons') in a valley admist the South Downs, a range of hills running the length of modern day Sussex. From it's position it had dominance over the local area both in terms of economical strength & military power. With it's control over the local area it is not surprising that Alfred ordered it made a burgh.
The most prosperous town in Suth Seaxa of the time , it's wealth and importance were displayed in that it was where market days were held, two Royal mints were 'in residence' in the town. Large swaths of flat land, irrigated by the river made the fields fertile, whilst the River ouse brought masses of trade to the town. In the martial sense, the position of the town & burgh gave great fields of view to the South & North. The proximity of the Iron Age fort 'Caburn', atop Mount Caburn to the East of Lewes, showed how key the valley and river were in Suth Seaxa.
Following the Norman Conquest the town of Lewes was granted to William de Warenne a cousin of William the Bastard and one of his most dedicated generals. Whilst he held other swathes of land across the country, de Warenne appears to have preferred living in Lewes where, under his orders, the foundations for the first castle to be built in Lewes. de Warenne was also responsible for the building of Lewes Priory, where he was buried.
The Fyrd of Lewes
In times of war when the Eorl of Suth Seaxa raised his banner the þegn would rally their tenants to their Lord, the coerls compelled to fight for their master in the 'fyrd'. Villages & towns would empty of able bodied men, armed & armoured with whatever they had to hand, could afford or beg/steal. For some this might amount to an old war axe or battered sword passed from father to son for generations. To others it would mean a sharpening wood axes, scythes & other equipment of their trade. Armour would be limited to a mans daily clothing, very few being able to afford any maille armour. Some villages or towns would equip their fyrdmen with long spears ending in sharpened steel, supplementing the poor equipment of the commoners with a deadly battlefield weapon.
With their motley assortment of arms & armaments they would march to battle where the þegn would form the backbone, the fyrd the numbers and the Eorl's húscarls the armoured first.
Fyrdmen were sometimes divided into 'Battles', forming long shield walls that would alternate whilst fighting, the engaged Battle retreating through the reserve who would then engage whilst the first Battle reorganised & rested for a moment.
It is almost certain that the fyrd of Suth Seaxa would have been present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 as Battle, the village where the two armies fought, was within the boundaries of Suth Seaxa and as such the men of Lewes would have been present at the decisive battle of the Saxon dynasty.
The Town of Lewes
Shortly after the death of King Alfred the Great, a document was written listing twenty-five strongholds across the country. Eight of these were on the Southern borders of the Kingdom; Hastings, Chichester, Porchester, Southampton, Wareham, Bridport, Exeter & Lewes.
Lewes was a Seaxon town straddling the River Ouse, roughly 10 miles North of the coast of Suth Seaxa (Sūþsēaxe or 'South Saxons') in a valley admist the South Downs, a range of hills running the length of modern day Sussex. From it's position it had dominance over the local area both in terms of economical strength & military power. With it's control over the local area it is not surprising that Alfred ordered it made a burgh.
The most prosperous town in Suth Seaxa of the time , it's wealth and importance were displayed in that it was where market days were held, two Royal mints were 'in residence' in the town. Large swaths of flat land, irrigated by the river made the fields fertile, whilst the River ouse brought masses of trade to the town. In the martial sense, the position of the town & burgh gave great fields of view to the South & North. The proximity of the Iron Age fort 'Caburn', atop Mount Caburn to the East of Lewes, showed how key the valley and river were in Suth Seaxa.
Following the Norman Conquest the town of Lewes was granted to William de Warenne a cousin of William the Bastard and one of his most dedicated generals. Whilst he held other swathes of land across the country, de Warenne appears to have preferred living in Lewes where, under his orders, the foundations for the first castle to be built in Lewes. de Warenne was also responsible for the building of Lewes Priory, where he was buried.
The Fyrd of Lewes
In times of war when the Eorl of Suth Seaxa raised his banner the þegn would rally their tenants to their Lord, the coerls compelled to fight for their master in the 'fyrd'. Villages & towns would empty of able bodied men, armed & armoured with whatever they had to hand, could afford or beg/steal. For some this might amount to an old war axe or battered sword passed from father to son for generations. To others it would mean a sharpening wood axes, scythes & other equipment of their trade. Armour would be limited to a mans daily clothing, very few being able to afford any maille armour. Some villages or towns would equip their fyrdmen with long spears ending in sharpened steel, supplementing the poor equipment of the commoners with a deadly battlefield weapon.
With their motley assortment of arms & armaments they would march to battle where the þegn would form the backbone, the fyrd the numbers and the Eorl's húscarls the armoured first.
Fyrdmen were sometimes divided into 'Battles', forming long shield walls that would alternate whilst fighting, the engaged Battle retreating through the reserve who would then engage whilst the first Battle reorganised & rested for a moment.
It is almost certain that the fyrd of Suth Seaxa would have been present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 as Battle, the village where the two armies fought, was within the boundaries of Suth Seaxa and as such the men of Lewes would have been present at the decisive battle of the Saxon dynasty.
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