I think what's more draining on me is the 'equipping' rather than the charting out. I'll still be able to help with equipping I think, but odds are it'll be more of a "Here's a whole bunch of resources/images/concepts" rather than going through with a fine tooth come and determining what colors, what designs, and so on would be used. But if time and passion permits for me to do that (considering modding is a hobby, it probably will), then I'll be able to do that too.
Should have the Iberians done soon. I'll hold off on Portugual to see if we get any info. Cèsar de Quart suggested Navarre have the same roster as Castille, you'd just need to change the units with a Castillian title.
Cèsar de Quart gave me permission to utilize the research he compiled for 1257, adjusting it where necessary to fit a 12th century framework: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,116542.msg3481007.html#msg3481007
Again, I'm kind of iffy on giving them the designated melee infantry. If we give them it, we'll give their counterpart to the Andalusian Muwahhidun. If we don't, Andalusian Muwahhidun lose them. The reason I'm iffy on it is that on the one hand most people attribute their melee infantry to just being spearmen. Then again, this also happens in Europe, and most of the time spearmen have some sort of sidearm.
What'd be awesome? Script something a'la Othr/1257's script for horsemen wielding a lance until it's broken, then spears. In this case, make spearmen always carry a spear and always carry a sidearm. Have the spear always used in field battles (never in sieges), perhaps link the spear being used to if the unit is in formation or for them to carry a spear if cavalry is within X proximity.
I think I'd be okay with giving them these two tier 3 and 4 melee infantry. It makes them hypothetically rarer and it's no less accurate or inaccurate than having no such troops at all. But what would be best is to make some sort of script whereby spearmen wield spears in formation, melee weapons like axes and swords when out of it.
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Aragonese Local
Vilano(s) d'Aragó: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Infants de Mainada: "Infantry of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal Footmen serving a nobleman. Soft armor (Gambesons/leather), shield, sidearm.
Sergent Infants de Mainada: "Sergeants of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal sergeants serving a nobleman. Metal armor (mail), shield, sidearm.
Arquer de l'Host: Archer levies
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Bow and sidearm, no shield.
Llancer de l'Host: Unarmored Spearmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'.
Llancer de Sagramental: Lightly armored Spearmen
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor.
Sergent Llancer de Mainada: "Noble's Sergeant Spearmen"
"The Mainada was an earlier, pre-feudal practice of a nobleman or king having a personal retinue as was common in the dark ages. In other words, this is a sergeant of a knight's retinue."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be top tier, with mail shirts.
Ballester de l'Host: Levy Crossbowmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Crossbow and sidearm.
Ballester de Sagramental: Lightly armored Crossbows
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor. Crossbow and sidearm, I doubt any shields.
Ric-home/Rics-homes: Non-Noble Urban cavalrymen
Aragonese version of the "Miles Pro Commune". Gambesons/leather and some mail shirts, available as a kind of "Extra" cavalryman independent of the cavalry.
Alforrat: Mounted Sergeants
Light horsemen from the village's bourgeois. No armor, spear, sword, round shield.
Armat: Men-at-Arms
Light-medium horsemen, armored in gambesons and leather with spear, sword, round shield.
Escuder d'Aragó: Squires of Aragon
Mail shirts and outdated hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
Cavaller d'Aragó: Aragonese Knights
Mail hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Castillian Local
Vilano(s) de Castilla: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Peón(es) de Mesnada: Footmen of the noble's retinue
Hired hand, little more than a thug really. Soft armor, melee weapon and shield.
Sargento de Mesnada: Sergeant of the noble's retinue
Professional feudal footsoldier in the noble's army. Mail armor, melee weapon, shield.
Lancero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Spearmen"
The Apellido was the obligation of municipalities to provide a rapidly raised emergency defensive force if their locality or general region was attacked. So these guys are naturally then the Arriere-Ban of Castile! Unarmored spearmen! Might give them javelins, so they can serve as light infantry too.
Lancero Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Spearmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be light spearmen with gambesons and such.
Hermandad Lancero: "Brotherhood" Spearmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with mail armor.
Arquero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Archers"
Ballestero(s) Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Crossbowmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be unarmored crossbowmen.
Hermandad Ballestero(s): "Brotherhood" Crossbowmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with quilted armor in this case. Might be willing to give them mail armor, and the Fonsadero Crossbowmen quilted armor.
Caballero Villano (pl. Caballeros VIllanos): Light-Medium urban cavalry
There was a strong expectation that if you could afford a horse, you would serve as a horseman. I've read that if you failed to buy a horse when you had the money to, authorities in your district could seize enough of your property to sell it off & buy you a horse! I'm mixed on how armored they would be. I'm inclined towards being clad in light mail shirts.
Sargento Montado de Castilla (pl. Sargentos Montado de Castilla): Mounted Sergeants
Like with the Sicilians, I'm inclined to make them represent the poorest, unarmored cavalryman found in Spain in this period. No armor, probably some helmets but maybe not guaranteed, shield, spear, sword.
Infanzone(s) de Castilla: Lower class Knights
As I understand it they were the low nobility of which El Cid was a part. So they would be dressed in older hauberks and mail shirts. Round shield, spear, sword.
Caballero(s) Fidalgo de Castilla / Cavalleria(e) de Castilla: Knights!
Mail hauberks, round shield, spear, sword.
Aside of Portugal's up in the air situation, what I'd do next is return to the Middle East to fix the Crusaders & Fatimids.
Cèsar de Quart gave me permission to utilize the research he compiled for 1257, adjusting it where necessary to fit a 12th century framework: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,116542.msg3481007.html#msg3481007
Again, I'm kind of iffy on giving them the designated melee infantry. If we give them it, we'll give their counterpart to the Andalusian Muwahhidun. If we don't, Andalusian Muwahhidun lose them. The reason I'm iffy on it is that on the one hand most people attribute their melee infantry to just being spearmen. Then again, this also happens in Europe, and most of the time spearmen have some sort of sidearm.
What'd be awesome? Script something a'la Othr/1257's script for horsemen wielding a lance until it's broken, then spears. In this case, make spearmen always carry a spear and always carry a sidearm. Have the spear always used in field battles (never in sieges), perhaps link the spear being used to if the unit is in formation or for them to carry a spear if cavalry is within X proximity.
I think I'd be okay with giving them these two tier 3 and 4 melee infantry. It makes them hypothetically rarer and it's no less accurate or inaccurate than having no such troops at all. But what would be best is to make some sort of script whereby spearmen wield spears in formation, melee weapons like axes and swords when out of it.
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Aragonese Local
Vilano(s) d'Aragó: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Infants de Mainada: "Infantry of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal Footmen serving a nobleman. Soft armor (Gambesons/leather), shield, sidearm.
Sergent Infants de Mainada: "Sergeants of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal sergeants serving a nobleman. Metal armor (mail), shield, sidearm.
Arquer de l'Host: Archer levies
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Bow and sidearm, no shield.
Llancer de l'Host: Unarmored Spearmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'.
Llancer de Sagramental: Lightly armored Spearmen
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor.
Sergent Llancer de Mainada: "Noble's Sergeant Spearmen"
"The Mainada was an earlier, pre-feudal practice of a nobleman or king having a personal retinue as was common in the dark ages. In other words, this is a sergeant of a knight's retinue."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be top tier, with mail shirts.
Ballester de l'Host: Levy Crossbowmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Crossbow and sidearm.
Ballester de Sagramental: Lightly armored Crossbows
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor. Crossbow and sidearm, I doubt any shields.
Ric-home/Rics-homes: Non-Noble Urban cavalrymen
Aragonese version of the "Miles Pro Commune". Gambesons/leather and some mail shirts, available as a kind of "Extra" cavalryman independent of the cavalry.
Alforrat: Mounted Sergeants
Light horsemen from the village's bourgeois. No armor, spear, sword, round shield.
Armat: Men-at-Arms
Light-medium horsemen, armored in gambesons and leather with spear, sword, round shield.
Escuder d'Aragó: Squires of Aragon
Mail shirts and outdated hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
Cavaller d'Aragó: Aragonese Knights
Mail hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Castillian Local
Vilano(s) de Castilla: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Peón(es) de Mesnada: Footmen of the noble's retinue
Hired hand, little more than a thug really. Soft armor, melee weapon and shield.
Sargento de Mesnada: Sergeant of the noble's retinue
Professional feudal footsoldier in the noble's army. Mail armor, melee weapon, shield.
Lancero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Spearmen"
The Apellido was the obligation of municipalities to provide a rapidly raised emergency defensive force if their locality or general region was attacked. So these guys are naturally then the Arriere-Ban of Castile! Unarmored spearmen! Might give them javelins, so they can serve as light infantry too.
Lancero Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Spearmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be light spearmen with gambesons and such.
Hermandad Lancero: "Brotherhood" Spearmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with mail armor.
Arquero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Archers"
Ballestero(s) Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Crossbowmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be unarmored crossbowmen.
Hermandad Ballestero(s): "Brotherhood" Crossbowmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with quilted armor in this case. Might be willing to give them mail armor, and the Fonsadero Crossbowmen quilted armor.
Caballero Villano (pl. Caballeros VIllanos): Light-Medium urban cavalry
There was a strong expectation that if you could afford a horse, you would serve as a horseman. I've read that if you failed to buy a horse when you had the money to, authorities in your district could seize enough of your property to sell it off & buy you a horse! I'm mixed on how armored they would be. I'm inclined towards being clad in light mail shirts.
Sargento Montado de Castilla (pl. Sargentos Montado de Castilla): Mounted Sergeants
Like with the Sicilians, I'm inclined to make them represent the poorest, unarmored cavalryman found in Spain in this period. No armor, probably some helmets but maybe not guaranteed, shield, spear, sword.
Infanzone(s) de Castilla: Lower class Knights
As I understand it they were the low nobility of which El Cid was a part. So they would be dressed in older hauberks and mail shirts. Round shield, spear, sword.
Caballero(s) Fidalgo de Castilla / Cavalleria(e) de Castilla: Knights!
Mail hauberks, round shield, spear, sword.
Aside of Portugal's up in the air situation, what I'd do next is return to the Middle East to fix the Crusaders & Fatimids.
Ludlow Castle over looking the scenic River Teme in the beautiful Shropshire countryside was first mentioned in records dating back to 1138. The castle was built using limestone from its own quarry and was one of several Norman castles built along the Welsh border to help pacify their unruly neighbours. In 1139 King Stephen lay siege to the castle and whilst doing so, committed a great act of bravery rescuing his ally, a young Prince Henry of Scotland.
Windsor Castle was originally built by William the Conqueror in the decade after the Norman conquest of 1066.[68] William established a defensive ring of motte and bailey castles around London; each was a day's march – about 20 miles (32 km) – from the city and from the next castle, allowing for easy reinforcements in a crisis.[68] Windsor Castle, one of this ring of fortifications, was strategically important because of its proximity to both the River Thames, a key medieval route into London, and Windsor Forest, a royal hunting preserve previously used by the Saxon kings.[69] The nearby settlement of Clivore, or Clewer, was an old Saxon residence. The initial wooden castle consisted of a keep on the top of a man-made motte, or mound, protected by a small bailey wall, occupying a chalk inlier, or bluff, rising 100 ft (30 m) above the river.[70] A second wooden bailey was constructed to the east of the keep, forming the later Upper Ward.[71] By the end of the century, another bailey had been constructed to the west, creating the basic shape of the modern castle.[71][nb 5] In design, Windsor most closely resembled Arundel Castle, another powerful early Norman fortification, but the double bailey design was also found at Rockingham and Alnwick Castle.[73]
Windsor was not initially used as a royal residence; the early Norman kings preferred to use the former palace of Edward the Confessor in the village of Old Windsor.[74] The first king to use Windsor Castle as a residence was Henry I, who celebrated Whitsuntide at the castle in 1110 during a period of heightened insecurity.[75] Henry's marriage to Adela, the daughter of Godfrey of Louvain, took place in the castle in 1121. During this period the keep suffered a substantial collapse – archaeological evidence shows that the southern side of the motte subsided by over 6 ft (2 m).[76] Timber piles were driven in to support the motte and the old wooden keep was replaced with a new stone shell keep, with a probable gateway to the north-east and a new stone well.[77] A chemise, or low protective wall, was subsequently added to the keep.[77]
Henry II came to the throne in 1154 and built extensively at Windsor between 1165 and 1179.[71] Henry replaced the wooden palisade surrounding the upper ward with a stone wall interspersed with square towers and built the first King's Gate.[71] The first stone keep was suffering from subsidence, and cracks were beginning to appear in the stonework of the south side.[77] Henry replaced the keep with another stone, shell keep and chemise wall, but moved the walls in from the edge of the motte to relieve the pressure on the mound, and added massive foundations along the south side to provide additional support.[77] Inside the castle Henry remodelled the royal accommodation.[71] Bagshot Heath stone was used for most of the work, and stone from Bedfordshire for the internal buildings.[78]
Almourol Castle, Portugal, was once a Templar Knights stronghold during the Reconquista, and is situated on a small rocky island in the middle of the Tagus River. The occupation of the site extend to the Roman period but in 1129, when Portuguese troops conquered the surrounding area, the castle was already in existence and was known as Almoralan.
Almourol was given to the Templar Knights, who then became responsible for the defence of the ancient capital, Coimbra. The knights went about settling the area and rebuilding the castle, many of its original architectural characteristics are still visible today
Cèsar de Quart gave me permission to utilize the research he compiled for 1257, adjusting it where necessary to fit a 12th century framework: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,116542.msg3481007.html#msg3481007
Again, I'm kind of iffy on giving them the designated melee infantry. If we give them it, we'll give their counterpart to the Andalusian Muwahhidun. If we don't, Andalusian Muwahhidun lose them. The reason I'm iffy on it is that on the one hand most people attribute their melee infantry to just being spearmen. Then again, this also happens in Europe, and most of the time spearmen have some sort of sidearm.
What'd be awesome? Script something a'la Othr/1257's script for horsemen wielding a lance until it's broken, then spears. In this case, make spearmen always carry a spear and always carry a sidearm. Have the spear always used in field battles (never in sieges), perhaps link the spear being used to if the unit is in formation or for them to carry a spear if cavalry is within X proximity.
I think I'd be okay with giving them these two tier 3 and 4 melee infantry. It makes them hypothetically rarer and it's no less accurate or inaccurate than having no such troops at all. But what would be best is to make some sort of script whereby spearmen wield spears in formation, melee weapons like axes and swords when out of it.
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Aragonese Local
Vilano(s) d'Aragó: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Infants de Mainada: "Infantry of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal Footmen serving a nobleman. Soft armor (Gambesons/leather), shield, sidearm.
Sergent Infants de Mainada: "Sergeants of the Noble's Retinue"
Feudal sergeants serving a nobleman. Metal armor (mail), shield, sidearm.
Arquer de l'Host: Archer levies
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Bow and sidearm, no shield.
Llancer de l'Host: Unarmored Spearmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'.
Llancer de Sagramental: Lightly armored Spearmen
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor.
Sergent Llancer de Mainada: "Noble's Sergeant Spearmen"
"The Mainada was an earlier, pre-feudal practice of a nobleman or king having a personal retinue as was common in the dark ages. In other words, this is a sergeant of a knight's retinue."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be top tier, with mail shirts.
Ballester de l'Host: Levy Crossbowmen
"The Host was the obligation of every citizen or subject on municipalities to form a military unit and fight for their liege, usually the King. At first, it worked for every kind of need, but in the end (end XIIIth Century) it was only used inside Catalonia and for defensive wars."
Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that the Host would be the lowest quality, wearing tunics or 'double tunics'. Crossbow and sidearm.
Ballester de Sagramental: Lightly armored Crossbows
"The Sagramental was the predecessor of the Sometent organization in which, when the enemy came along, villagers gathered and raised in arms against their enemy. In the late XIIIth it became a police force of sorts."
Essentially the Castillian Hermandad, but in this case from Aragon of course. Cèsar de Quart and I came to the conclusion that they would be mid tier, with gambesons and leather armor. Crossbow and sidearm, I doubt any shields.
Ric-home/Rics-homes: Non-Noble Urban cavalrymen
Aragonese version of the "Miles Pro Commune". Gambesons/leather and some mail shirts, available as a kind of "Extra" cavalryman independent of the cavalry.
Alforrat: Mounted Sergeants
Light horsemen from the village's bourgeois. No armor, spear, sword, round shield.
Armat: Men-at-Arms
Light-medium horsemen, armored in gambesons and leather with spear, sword, round shield.
Escuder d'Aragó: Squires of Aragon
Mail shirts and outdated hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
Cavaller d'Aragó: Aragonese Knights
Mail hauberks, round shield, lance, sword
CHRISTIAN IBERIAN KINGDOMS - Castillian Local
Vilano(s) de Castilla: Levy Serf
Unarmored, hastily raised dudes with little more than what they brought from their home. Scythes, spears, hunting bows, clubs, hatchets, knives.
Peón(es) de Mesnada: Footmen of the noble's retinue
Hired hand, little more than a thug really. Soft armor, melee weapon and shield.
Sargento de Mesnada: Sergeant of the noble's retinue
Professional feudal footsoldier in the noble's army. Mail armor, melee weapon, shield.
Lancero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Spearmen"
The Apellido was the obligation of municipalities to provide a rapidly raised emergency defensive force if their locality or general region was attacked. So these guys are naturally then the Arriere-Ban of Castile! Unarmored spearmen! Might give them javelins, so they can serve as light infantry too.
Lancero Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Spearmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be light spearmen with gambesons and such.
Hermandad Lancero: "Brotherhood" Spearmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with mail armor.
Arquero de Apellido: "Arriere-Ban Archers"
Ballestero(s) Fonsadero: "Conscripted" Militia Crossbowmen
Fonsadero was the Fonsado, the obligation of municipalities to provide troops for offensive service to the King or one of his representatives. They'll be unarmored crossbowmen.
Hermandad Ballestero(s): "Brotherhood" Crossbowmen
The Hermandads were brotherhood militarys and leagues for mutual defense of municipalities against Muslims, bandits, and knights. They seem to be more of the bourgeois' thing, so I'm classifying them as the senior militiamen with quilted armor in this case. Might be willing to give them mail armor, and the Fonsadero Crossbowmen quilted armor.
Caballero Villano (pl. Caballeros VIllanos): Light-Medium urban cavalry
There was a strong expectation that if you could afford a horse, you would serve as a horseman. I've read that if you failed to buy a horse when you had the money to, authorities in your district could seize enough of your property to sell it off & buy you a horse! I'm mixed on how armored they would be. I'm inclined towards being clad in light mail shirts.
Sargento Montado de Castilla (pl. Sargentos Montado de Castilla): Mounted Sergeants
Like with the Sicilians, I'm inclined to make them represent the poorest, unarmored cavalryman found in Spain in this period. No armor, probably some helmets but maybe not guaranteed, shield, spear, sword.
Infanzone(s) de Castilla: Lower class Knights
As I understand it they were the low nobility of which El Cid was a part. So they would be dressed in older hauberks and mail shirts. Round shield, spear, sword.
Caballero(s) Fidalgo de Castilla / Cavalleria(e) de Castilla: Knights!
Mail hauberks, round shield, spear, sword.
Aside of Portugal's up in the air situation, what I'd do next is return to the Middle East to fix the Crusaders & Fatimids.
There isn't really much difference for them weapon/equipment wise. Maybe some Iberian Knights would use kite shields, but most would use round shields. Throw in axes for the melee infantry maybe
Here is what I got of Portuguese Troops of that time:
[I've made this timeline in you case you wanna add it to the one you already have, since this really is of big importance in Portugal History] Time and Settings:
1139 A.D.
The Kingdom of Portugal is estabilished.
1143 A.D.
Portugal is finally recognized as an independent Kingdom.
Well since Portugal was an independent country just 15 years old the army isnt much of the heavy type but still
the were the mercenaries who then joined under our crown and being renamed by then as the (Heavy)Portuguese Knights like the ones I'll show you.
This image shows the armor of our King by 1139(Independence) which looks much as the standard armor for portuguese (heavy)infantry soldiers
of the mid century.
TROOPS
-Dismounted Portuguese Knights[I am not sure if these troops are from that epoch]
Heavy Melee Infantry
-Portuguese Knights
Heavy Cavalry (They are in the image close to the King)
-Portuguese Almughavars
Regular Skirmish Infantry (Bad armour but well trained)
-Portuguese Jinetes
Skirmish Cavalry (Light)
-Lusitanian Javelimen
Heavy Skirmish Infantry
-Swordsmen Militia
Light Melee Infantry
-Portuguese Swordsmen
Regular Melee Infantry(The Footman soldiers holding the first white flags in the image)
-Portuguese Spearmen
Regular Melee Infantry(You can also see them in the image in the left corner behind the Knights)
-Portuguese Light Spearmen(The ones in white)
-Portuguese Heavy Infantry
Heavy Melee Infantry (The footman in the right corner)
-Portuguese Nobles(The Heavy Cavalry shown in the image)
-Portuguese Standard Infantry
Regular Melee Infantry
Tell me what you think! (I'm still posting some pictures)
Thrak, most of the castles you posted didn't exist or were different by the mid 12th century. Please look at their period before posting them
Examples of accurate castles/military buildings for the mod: Norman castle of Rochester, England (the keep was finished in 1127):
Norman castle of Gisors, Normandy:
William the conqueror's castle in Falaise, Normandy (the round tower is from the 13th century. The square part was actually built by Henri Beauclerc, one of William's sons):
Umayyad castle of Baños de la Encina, Andalusia, built in the 10th century (however, according to some source, the keep was built by Christians during the 15th century):
Keep of Loches, France, early 12th century:
Khayran's wall, Andalusia, 11th century:
Of course, there were still a lot of Roman defences.
You're talking about the ones(animations) that look from a game? Those are some portuguese units from Medieval 2 Total War of which I selected the ones were actually real...you can look for them at wikipedia(dont search for "portuguese jinates"[example, you can search for the other animations too] but search only for "jinetes" and in any page you can read that Portugal had this kind of troops about this time) and you'll see they are real. Though I found nothing about dismounted portuguese knights but some images that actually look much like them but in anyways I don't think they were real.
The paintings are actually from the Battle of São Mamede and Battle of Ourique(1139) and Siege of Lisbon(1147)...
I've tried to find some archers/crossbowmen but I didn't had any luck, not even in my history books. Although I remember a painting showing portuguese crossbowmen during the siege of Lisbon but there wasnt exactly a good reference since their display wasnt much help.
Well about the armour I posted the best images in which you can distinguish them well(thats why I also used M2TW pictures).
I've put that Statue of Our King(First King of Portugal and the king of that time, Afonso Henriques) because you can easily see the armour structure which the portuguese heavy infantry actually used.
P.S. Don't forget that Portuguese crosses in the armour were not red like the crusaders but actually blue (from our monarchic flag)
Problem with the paintings is most of them are contemporary re-tellings of a previous battle using the arms and armor of the painter's period. Same reason why the Maciejowskie Bible, of 13th century Northern France, has David dressed like a French peasant and Goliath dressed like a European Sergeant. So those paintings are a great insight to Portuguese arms and armor of the period the painting was done in. It's the same reason why you have paintings of the Trojan War or of Carthage vs Rome from the Renaissance, and they are dressed like Renaissance soldiers.
Stuff like the statue is better however since I believe the Statue is done contemporary to the 12th century.
The portuguese guys in white I cannot tell what era it's meant to be depicting, but it 'seems' like it could be relevant to the 12th century.
Well the White dress with blue cross in the middle above the armour was the costum portuguese army "uniform" of this time...of that I have no doubts...
Also Portugal is a small country and although a country with much history our statues of that time are very limited...Only Kings...
If you are not taking the paintings as reference then I don't think anyone can help you but some old historian guy with much medieval era studies...and he will still take some refrences from the paintings...
Portuguese Information of that time is so much limited...and poetry/writtings data is also 0.
Well that was the best info about our troops I could gather...
@Sahran I've already awnsered you(PM) with the translations but I'm confused about some of your requests...
Well the White dress with blue cross in the middle above the armour was the costum portuguese army "uniform" of this time...of that I have no doubts...
I do. First uniforms were rather after the intended time-frame. Common badges may have been blue crosses on white, but even that wouldn't be very common. Your average peasant-soldier would be just as scabby and brownish as their colleagues in Spain, France, the HRE and the British Isles, I'm willing to wager.
Well the White dress with blue cross in the middle above the armour was the costum portuguese army "uniform" of this time...of that I have no doubts...
I do. First uniforms were rather after the intended time-frame. Common badges may have been blue crosses on white, but even that wouldn't be very common. Your average peasant-soldier would be just as scabby and brownish as their colleagues in Spain, France, the HRE and the British Isles, I'm willing to wager.
The Crosses in the uniform of many armies were actually something related to the crusades and although many people think the crusades were only in the east, there was actually the lusitania crusade aswel where portuguese troops with the help of some others (english, frankish and french crusaders) pushed the Moors Empire back to Africa[Portugal in one side, Leon in the other]. Of that time there was pretty much it, portuguese fought the Leon and Aragorn Crown and succeeded victorious sme years before but after that it was Moors fighting for hundreds of years.
They were not equal, the crosses format referred to the Church(and Jesus) and was then used in any fight against the unfaithful, but there was also the Coat of Arms and the Cross Color. The Cross Color depended on each faction's flag.
British had yellow and sometimes red crosses, The Holly Roman Empire had Black crosses, Spain had yellow aswel and Portugal and France had the blue cross(French had 4 smaller crosses just like their coat of arms). Portugal's Coat of Arms was actually this
(5 shields) and then later we had to add our moor conquists represented by castles until we get to the flag we wear today
Heraldry was just becoming popular during our period (on sur-coats who made their appearance during the first Crusade)
The 'uniform' you are talking about is more likely to be something relating to Order Knights as opposed to actual troops of a given faction. European peasantry and levies certainly did not have uniforms. They also certainly didn't wear crosses on their clothes.
Illustrations of my books concerning Islamic West.
From Osprey's The Moors, the Islamic West 7-15th century:
Notes: the iron cross on the crossbowman's shield is weird for a Muslim. Besides, his mail coif is only worn by Andalusian cavalrymen in the primary sources that I know. It is perhaps too heavy for a crossbowman like him.
A little bit too late, but still interesting.
From Osprey's The Cid and The Reconquista:
From Osprey Armies of the crusades:
From Ian Heath's Armies of Feudal Europe 1066-1300:
Note: The author's interpretation of the knight 80's source is maybe inaccurate. Most of the time, this kind of coif hasn't helmet, but only a mail coif and a little turban, like the Osprey's Andalusian crossbowman. Here a photo of this knight source:
It is hard to know if he has a helmet or not. However, even if he hasn't one, that doesn't mean that what Ian Heath drew didn't exist. Other primary sources show Andalusian with mail coif, conical helmet and turban around it.
Okay, all that is left is... France and Italy *BOMBOMBOMB!!* and then we can finally get started on models/scripts.
Thanks for everyone's help so far! I really appreciate it guys!
