VN:F [1.8.4_1055]
VN:F [1.8.4_1055]
Tags: Gallowglass, Reenactment, Weaponry
Oct 26 2009
The siege on Teylingen castle
Last weekend I was re-enacting with my group at the ruin of Teylingen near Leiden. It was a fun weekend, and I even got to do some battle. I had to use a sword, since axes were prohibited.
And I do love my axe, as shown in the picure here. But since I am not completely useless with a sword, I borrowed one from one of my groupmates and that was that. It was my first re-enactment battle, and I fared quite well. Didn’t get to make many kills, but I managed to not die and even uninjured. Guess I am handy with deflecting blows with my targe (shield) as well. The pike-men did scare me a little bit, since I wasn’t wearing any leg-protection, and there were so many of them, but that didn’t deter me from marching past the pikes and getting in a few hits here and there. Since I combat in a spar, the way was clear for my spar-mates as well, and they got in a few hits as well. It was nice to see how combat in a spar works in practice. People reacted kinda weird at this mini-line of three men came marching at them, and anyone that dared to come at us had to combat something that is difficult to outflank. The hardest thing about working in a spar is keeping the spar together and working as one unit. Breaking off and going solo is very tempting, but also very dangerous. You need to stay together at all times, and protect your gallowglass at all costs, even your life. Fun fun fun 
We did the siege two times, one time early in the afternoon, and later in the afternoon. The second siege was more eventful, since more people got hurt. I was luckily not one of them, but I saw a lot of bad stuff happen. Guess one should not go into battle when one is tired. No lethalities though, but some chipped teeth, some sprained ankles and some bruises were not uncommon. But that’s a risk you take when you enter the battlefield, you might get hurt. If you don’t accept that, you should not enter.
But the whole experience was fun. I learned quite a bit from my fellow combatants, and the whole siege thing was well executed by the organizers, “De Companie van Cranenburgh”. Many kudos to them for taking good care of us out there.
Oct 23 2009
Reenactment is cool.
There you are, minding your own business while sharpening your axe. Suddenly someone runs into your village and proclaims the Sassenach are coming. You stop sharpening your axe and you report directly to your Gallowglass master. He is busy getting dressed in his chain mail and doublet, while some other Cairn is fetching his weapons. After some more Cairns show up, we set off, armed to the teeth. I, Seamus, grip my axe tight. Willing to die for my master.
Of course this is fictional. But this weekend I’m playing a 14th century wayward Irishman, that ended up with Angus Og in the Scottish Isles as part of a dowry, since his wife is Irish. Fun fun fun.
