Re: [HIST] Japanese Culture shock

On 24-Jun-02 at 21:42, Control Robot (cqin@ee.ualberta.ca) wrote:

> I'm just curious though, where did you read the commentary about the
> "duel"? It seems strange to me that a knight and a peasant would be
> fighting a duel, especially one with a sword and the other with a
knife.
> (how did they come to be in that situation?)

Unfortunately I don't remember where I read it.  The way they came
into the situation was the peasant (may have been a thief)
requested trial by combat and the knight saw it as a quick way
out to just kill him.

>  What time period is it?  I
> assume the knight had full Gothic or Milanese type plate, given the
"full
> armour" description, and the "greatsword", which would be later in
time
> period than the High Medieval longsword and arming sword.

I may be wrong on the greatsword, it could have been a lighter weapon,
but I don't think so.  Also, it was not Jousting armour, the joints,
particularly the back of the knee, was often open.

>  How did he get
> hamstrung by a knife in full plate?  And how did the peasant,
presumably
> less well-trained in combat, move so quickly behind the knight in the
face
> of a longer ranged weapon? 

It could well have been back of the knee.  All I would testify to in
court is the knight agreed to it,  the peasant/thief used his mobility
advantage to get behind the knight and stab him somewhere in the
lower leg, and the knight was finished with a dagger through the
visor.	The rest of the story I wouldn't swear to.

I know this should be obvious, but a weapon and armour configuration
designed for mass combat could well not be optimal for one-on-one.