Kite shield

A kite shield is a large, almond-shaped shield rounded at the top and curving down to a point or rounded point at the bottom. The term "kite shield" is a reference to the shield's unique shape, and is derived from its supposed similarity to a flying kite, although "leaf-shaped shield" and "almond shield" have also been used in recent literature.^[2] Since the most prominent examples of this shield have appeared on the Bayeux Tapestry, the kite shield has become closely associated with Norman warfare.^[3]

History

It is often speculated that the shield was developed for mounted cavalry, and that its dimensions correlate to the approximate space between a horse's neck and its rider's thigh.^[4] The narrow bottom is seen to be protecting the rider's left leg, and the pronounced upper curve, the rider's shoulder and torso.^[3] This is seen as an improvement over more common circular shields, such as bucklers, which afforded poor protection to the horseman's left flank, especially when charging with a lance.^[4]

Kite shields gained popularity throughout Western Europe during the 1000s.^[4]^[5] In the Bayeux Tapestry, most of the English are depicted on foot with kite shields, while a minority still use round shields.^[4] Aside from Normandy, they also appeared early on in parts of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. It is unclear from which of these three regions the design originated.^[2] A theory is that the kite shield was inherited by the Normans from their Viking predecessors.^[2] However, no documentation or remains of kite shields from the Viking era have been discovered, and they were not ideally suited to the Vikings' highly mobile light infantry.^[2] Kite shields were depicted primarily on eleventh century illustrations, largely in Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire, but also in the Caucasus, the Fatimid Caliphate, and among the Kievan Rus'.^[2] For example, an eleventh century silver engraving of Saint George recovered from Bochorma, Georgia, depicts a kite shield, as do other isolated pieces of Georgian art dating to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.^[2] Kite shields also appear on the Bab al-Nasr in Cairo, which was constructed around 1087. Arab historians usually described them as tariqa or januwiyya.^[2]

Kite shields were introduced in large numbers to the Middle East by the First Crusade, when Arab and Byzantine soldiers first observed the type being carried by Norman crusaders; these left such a favourable impression on Byzantium that they had entirely superseded round shields in the Komnenian army by the mid twelfth century.^[2]

Around the mid to late twelfth century, traditional kite shields were largely replaced by a variant in which the top was flat, rather than rounded. This change made it easier for a soldier to hold the shield upright without limiting his field of vision.^[5] Flat-topped kite shields were later phased out by most Western European armies in favour of much smaller, more compact heater shields.^[5] However, they were still being carried by Byzantine infantry well into the thirteenth century.^[3]

Construction

To compensate for their awkward nature, kite shields were equipped with enarmes, which gripped the shield tight to the arm and facilitated keeping it in place even when a knight relaxed his arm; this was a significant departure from most earlier circular shields as they possessed only a single handle.^[5] Some examples were apparently also fitted with an additional guige strap that allowed the shield to be slung over one shoulder when not in use.^[5] Byzantine soldiers frequently carried kite shields on their backs, sometimes upside down.^[3] At the time of the First Crusade, most kite shields were still fitted with a domed metal centrepiece (shield boss), although the use of enarmes would have rendered them unnecessary.^[2] The shields may have been fitted with both enarmes and an auxiliary hand grip.^[5]

A typical kite shield was at least three to five feet high, being constructed of laminated wood, stretched animal hide, and iron components.^[3] Records from Byzantium in the 1200s suggests the shield frame accounted for most of the wood and iron; its body was constructed out of hide, parchment, or hardened leather, similar to the material used on drum faces.^[3]

Gallery

Kite shield on the Bayeux tapestry
Kite shields as depicted on the Temple Pyx
A 15th century depiction of the Archangel Michael with a kiteshield
Reenactors with kite shields

References

^ Drawing from Wendelin Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (1890), p. 172, after a miniature from the Second Bible of St Martial Abbey (early 12th century).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Grotowski, Piotr (2009). Arms and Armour of the Warrior Saints: Tradition and Innovation in Byzantine Iconography (843–1261). Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV. pp. 231–234. ISBN 978-9004185487.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bartusis, Mark (1997). The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 1204-1453. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 322–342. ISBN 978-0812216202.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Oakeshott, Ewart (1997) [1960]. The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry. Mineola: Dover Publications. pp. 176–177. ISBN 978-0812216202.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Newman, Paul (2001). Daily Life in the Middle Ages. Jefferson: McFarland and Company Incorporated, Publishers. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-0786408979.

Grazebrook, George (1890). The Dates of Variously-shaped Shields With Coincident Dates and Examples.

External links

[1] Drawing from Wendelin Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (1890), p. 172, after a miniature from the Second Bible of St Martial Abbey (early 12th century).

[Grotowski-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Grotowski, Piotr (2009). Arms and Armour of the Warrior Saints: Tradition and Innovation in Byzantine Iconography (843–1261). Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV. pp. 231–234. ISBN 978-9004185487.

[Bartusis-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bartusis, Mark (1997). The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 1204-1453. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 322–342. ISBN 978-0812216202.

[Oakeshott-4] Oakeshott, Ewart (1997) [1960]. The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry. Mineola: Dover Publications. pp. 176–177. ISBN 978-0812216202.

[Newman-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Newman, Paul (2001). Daily Life in the Middle Ages. Jefferson: McFarland and Company Incorporated, Publishers. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-0786408979.

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