By Jacquie Rogers
When I wrote "Faery Much In Love," a short story in FAERY SPECIAL ROMANCES, I knew very little about 12th Century Europe, let alone about the specifics of armor. To lend authenticity, I had a lot of work to do. Here's what I learned about the nuances regarding armor and defense of this century.
Misconceptions
When most of us think of armor, we think of the full plate armor of the 16th Century, which soon became obsolete with the introduction of firearms. But armor took many hundreds of years before it finally evolved into such finely tuned equipment. One of the first things I learned was that my knight needed a bit more armor than was actually used in 1199 A.D., so my 12th Century knight wears late-13th Century armor. So far, no one has noticed (and now you know my secret). :)
But back to the 12th Century . . .
Before we get into the specifics, we need to know the weapons in use. Swords were the weapon of choice but very expensive. A warrior carried his sword in a sword belt worn around his waist, and sported a diamond-shaped shield held by a shoulder strap on his back. Crossbows came into popularity along about this time, as well as the Welsh longbows. Infantrymen used spears and whatever else they could afford and/or carry; and the cavalry, which became vitally important in this century, carried heavy maces as well as swords, and sometime battleaxes.
Well, then, what did they wear?
So the armor had to defend primarily against swords, arrows, spears, and maces. Let's take a look at some of the individual pieces of equipment.
Mail
Warriors used mail since the 4th or 5th Century, so it was nothing new. Skilled armorers created complicated hauberks, chausses, and even gauntlets out of mail. Under the mail, they wore heavy quilted garments to protect their skin from the rough mail, and also to cushion the blows from their enemies' weapons. Mail protected against slashing, but not piercing, nor did it protect against bone-crushing strikes.
We'll talk a little about most of the parts of armor.
Helm
In the picture to the right, we see he's wearing a steel helm (or bascinet) with mail to protect his throat and neck, with no facial protection other than a bar over his nose.
Hauberk
A hauberk is a mail shirt, usually long-sleeved and knee-length, with a slit up the front and back so the warrior could ride a horse. It's made of iron wire, was very expensive, required a lot of maintenance, and was quite heavy. (Remember, your knight will be wearing a heavy quilted shirt underneath the mail hauberk.)
Gauntlets
Gauntlets were worn over the hands. Gloves, if you will. They were sometimes made of mail but leather gauntlets were more common in the 12th Century.
Chausses
Chausses were leg protection made of mail, and very similar, although more form-fitting, to cowboy's chaps of today.
Sabaton
To protect their feet, warriors wore sabatons. These chain mail foot coverings extended past the toes and ended in a point. This grew longer and longer over the years, and toward the end of the armor era, some classes could wear sabatons with toes two and a half feet long!
Plate armor
Nope, not in the 12th Century. Sometimes plates of heavy leather were sown together and worn over the mail hauberk, and in the 13th Century, they started wearing plates of steel armor attached in much the same way, but the mail hauberk was still the main piece of equipment.
Pros and Cons
The advantage of 12th Century armor over later armor is that these knights were much more agile and mobile. The disadvantage is that they weren't nearly as well protected as the 15th and 16th Century warriors. In any century up until modern times, warriors had to buy their own armor, and a good suit cost more money than most common men would see in a lifetime.
Sources
European Historical Overview by David Kuijt
12th Century Arms and Armour
Jacquie
Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta) * Jacquie Rogers * 1st Turning Point * Myspace * Twitter * Facebook * Faery Special Romances Book Video * Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through research.
We have a winner for Michelle Willingham's TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR guest blog. A free copy goes to:
QUILT LADY!
Contact Carrie to provide your mailing address. The book must be claimed by next Sunday or another winner will be drawn. Please stop back later to let us know what you thought! Congratulations!
This week on Unusual Historicals we're welcoming Harlequin author Michelle Willingham! She's the author of five books and two novellas, which have been translated into seven languages. Her first novella, "The Viking's Forbidden Love-Slave," was the number one bestselling e-book on eHarlequin.com. Today she's stopped by to celebrate the release of TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR, set in 12th century Ireland. Here's the blurb:
When did Ewan MacEgan grow to be so overwhelmingly strong and disarmingly sexy? He intends to wed Honora St. Leger's demure sister--but why should that matter to
her? Honora would rather wield a sword than a mending needle and, as a widow, she knows there is little pleasure in the marriage bed...
Ewan MacEgan has set his sights on a wealthy bride but, tantalizingly, he finds himself drawn to the forbidden Honora! One touch and he is longing to awaken her sensuality, for he suspects she will be as passionate in bed as she is on the battlefield!
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What made you decide to write books set in medieval Ireland?
When I visited Ireland on a trip in 1993, I sensed an unexpected connection to the country. From the moment I set foot upon the green fields, I felt like I was coming home. And when I stood on the parapets of a castle, I knew that I had to set a book in medieval Ireland.
I returned in 2006, just before I sold my first book. The research trip helped my Irish warriors truly come to life. As I walked through the different stone chambers, I could imagine the men training, their swords echoing within the inner bailey. I took endless photographs of artifacts and architecture, and my husband thought I was insane for photographing brooms, pallets, and even peat fires!
Tell us about your newest releases.
TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR is the fourth book in my MacEgan Brothers series. It tells the story of Ewan MacEgan, the youngest brother. Readers might remember him as an awkward teenager in my earlier books, but he has definitely grown up as one of my favorite heroes...not to mention how sexy and strong he is now! I gave him a heroine, Honora St. Leger, who is an incredible swordfighter herself, and that caused some fun competition and tension between them.
When I was writing TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR, I was asked to do a connecting story for Harlequin Historical Undone! "The Warrior's Forbidden Virgin" shows a lot of the off-scene moments from Taming, and tells the story of the secondary characters, Lady Katherine and Sir Ademar. Both stories stand on their own, however, and you don't have to read one to understand the other.
Still, it gave me the chance to write a bigger book, and to try some new things. The character of Sir Ademar is a virgin hero, which I'd never done before. He's the strong, silent type who has trouble speaking to women, and I absolutely adored writing him. I only wish I could have put the two stories together to do a full-length medieval book!
Which authors influenced you the most?
LaVyrle Spencer was, and still is, my favorite historical author. Her amazing characterization skills captivated me when I was growing up, and she was a true inspiration. I also adored historical books by Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey, Julie Garwood, and Judith McNaught.
What's next?
I've written a free online daily read at eHarlequin, starting November 9th. "Voyage of an Irish Warrior" is tied into my MacEgan Brothers series and features a few cameo characters from TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR and HER WARRIOR KING.
I also have a short story in The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance called "A Wish to Build a Dream On," available in the UK on October 29th and in December for the U.S. It's about a woman who time travels from the 21st century and is swept away by an Irish warrior who holds the cursed power of knowing the exact moment his loved ones will die.
Then in January, I have a Victorian trilogy coming out from Harlequin. "An Accidental Seduction" is another Harlequin Historical Undone! short story, and this time it's a direct prequel (with the same hero and heroine) for my February U.S. book THE ACCIDENTAL COUNTESS, which releases next month in the UK as a hardback library edition, and in January for the paperback edition.
Why did you switch from Irish medieval romances to Victorian romance in 2010?
I think it helps to keep your writing fresh when you challenge yourself to write in different time periods. I had been watching the movie The Bourne Identity when it occurred to me...wouldn't it have been fun if Jason Bourne discovered he were married? And if you were his wife and your husband went missing for three months and had no memory of you, how would you feel? The story idea seemed to fit the Victorian era best because THE ACCIDENTAL COUNTESS is basically Cinderella meets The Bourne Identity.
Another fun element was that the heroine loves cooking, so I had the chance to research Victorian recipes, which was great fun. (No such thing as low-fat!) It was the most intense mystery-romance I've ever written, uncovering what happened to the earl during the missing three months and who was trying to kill him. Quite honestly, I had no idea "whodunit" until the very end of the book--and the answer truly surprised me!
In March, the hero's sister gets her book. THE ACCIDENTAL PRINCESS is a secret royalty story, inspired by The Prince and the Pauper. Two men look exactly alike--but who is the prince and who is the illegitimate son?
Thanks so much for letting me visit, today! I'm offering up a free download of "The Warrior's Forbidden Virgin" and a signed copy of TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR to two lucky commenters! Just tell me what's your favorite historical time period to read? What's your least favorite and why?
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You heard the nice lady! Leave your comment or ask Michelle a question and you'll be entered in a drawing for free goodies! Void where prohibited. I'll select the winner at random next Sunday. Best of luck! And thanks to Michelle for stopping by!
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved ®and T are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.
This is also the last weekend you can sign up for Carrie Lofty's upcoming online workshop with CORW RWA. Entitled "Snakebite Scenes and Hollywood Plots," Carrie presented this workshop at Nationals this past July as a multi-author panel. Now it's interactive! Learn more about it here.
In addition, Carrie has been hard at work designing new bookmarks for her forthcoming January release, SCOUNDREL'S KISS. You can request free bookmarks of your own by emailing her. She also helped celebrate Florence Parry Heide Day in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the famous American children's author resides.
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The wonderful Michelle Styles has a new 3-in-1 collection of her novels to be released in Australia this month. You can get TAKEN BY THE VIKING, VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE, and IMPOVERISHED MISS, CONVENIENT WIFE all in one!
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Join us tomorrow when author Michelle Willingham will be here to chat about TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR, her latest Irish-set medieval from Harlequin Historicals!
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We'll also draw the winner of Michelle Beattie's newest pirate romance, ROMANCING THE PIRATE. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.
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And stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Kimberley Killion, JoAnn Smith Ainsworth, and Jennifer Linforth, and Anthea Lawson will be our guests. We hope you'll join us!
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Have a good weekend! If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved ®and T are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.
It's Thursday on Unusual Historicals, which means excerpts! This week we're featuring a little peak into Michelle Willingham's latest Irish-set medieval from Harlequin Historicals, TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR. Be sure to stop back on Sunday when Michelle will be answering our questions and giving away a copy of both TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR and "The Warrior's Forbidden Virgin," her latest Harlequin Historicals Undone short story (you can read an excerpt of it here).
When did Ewan MacEgan grow to be so overwhelmingly strong and disarmingly sexy? He intends to wed Honora St. Leger's demure sister--but why should that matter to
her? Honora would rather wield a sword than a mending needle and, as a widow, she knows there is little pleasure in the marriage bed...
Ewan MacEgan has set his sights on a wealthy bride but, tantalizingly, he finds himself drawn to the forbidden Honora! One touch and he is longing to awaken her sensuality, for he suspects she will be as passionate in bed as she is on the battlefield!
***
England, 1180
The thief was among the suitors who had come for her sister; Honora was certain of it. With so many strangers, it would be simple enough to avoid notice. She'd waited many hours until darkness shrouded the castle once more.
In the ebony cloak of night, she moved soundlessly. Past the guards, keeping to the shadows while they conversed and played games of dice.
Find the chest, find the thief. It was as simple as that. Already, she had searched the Hall, but there was no trace of it among the low born knights and retainers. All that remained were the private chambers, reserved for guests of noble birth.
Not a sound did she make when she entered the first chamber. After searching the men's belongings, she found nothing. She slid against the wall, moving towards the next chamber. Ahead, she spied the guard standing by the staircase. Honora held her breath, praying he wouldn't see her. Her father would murder her if he knew what she was doing.
When she reached the next chamber, she opened the door. Inside, silence permeated the space. She moved closer to a pile of belongings, staring at the shadows for a glimpse of the chest. Abruptly, someone grabbed her. His hand clamped over her mouth, the other arm gripping her waist as he spun her around.
Honora fought, kicking at his legs, but he lifted her up, pressing her back against the wall. A blade of moonlight slipped from behind the clouds, casting a beam upon his face.
She froze at the sight of Ewan MacEgan. By the Rood, she'd never thought to see him again. What was he doing here? His sculpted bare chest gleamed silver, his pectoral muscles rising and falling as he breathed. Her heartbeat pounded, her skin prickling with gooseflesh, despite the warm summer heat.
"Looking for something?" he accused. His muscles did not appear taxed in the least by her body weight. The last time she'd seen Ewan, he'd been a gangly boy of sixteen. Tall and thin, she remembered him as an awkward fighter, driven to succeed. He'd trained night and day, struggling to gain expertise.
The boy had become a man. A handsome one, at that. His dark blond hair was cut short, emphasising a lean face and a strong jaw line. Broad shoulders revealed a tight strength she hadn't remembered. Ridged muscles lined his abdomen, down to...
Oh, dear God above. He was naked.
With that, every coherent thought left her. She gaped at him, unable to stop herself from stealing a long look. Her husband had never looked like this. Like a savage Celt, Ewan had a wildness about him that made her uneasy.
He eased her down the wall, still holding her wrists trapped. She had stopped struggling, too disconcerted at being near him. He released one wrist and ripped her hood free.
"You're a woman."
She couldn't gather up her thoughts to answer.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
Her tongue caught in her throat. Didn't he remember her? After all the years she'd humiliated herself, tagging along and trying to defeat him in swordplay? But then, the darkness hid her features from him. He couldn't see her clearly.
"Katherine?" he asked gently.
Anger surged through her. No, she wasn't her beautiful, saintly sister. He ought to have figured that out, from her unexpected entrance into his chamber. Her sister wouldn't dream of entering a man's bedchamber, much less hunt a thief.
Before she could deny it, his mouth came down upon hers. A shocking sensation rushed through her skin, as though every part of her had caught fire. She forgot what she was seeking, forgot what was happening. The world around her crumbled, with nothing else, save his kiss.
She didn't know how to respond, and her lips remained frozen. Gentle and coaxing, Ewan slid his hands through her hair. His powerful thighs pressed up to her body, the hot length of him suddenly reminding her why it was unwise to awaken a sleeping man.
His hands caressed the hollow of her back, slipping beneath the man's tunic she wore. A light shiver rose up on her skin while his hands roamed her body, caressing her as though she were made of silk. The touch of his rough palms aroused her, and an aching warmth bloomed between her thighs.
The unfamiliar sensation caught her without warning. His rough palms stroked her spine, and she longed for his hands to move upwards. To fill up with her breasts, easing the heaviness and the shocking need. Never had a man touched her in this way. Especially not her husband.
The memory slashed through her, shattering the moment. She pushed him away, her lips swollen and her body restless. "I'm not Katherine."
"Honora."
She nodded, not trusting her voice. She reached for her dagger, but discovered it wasn't there.
Ewan raised the blade, the steel reflecting in the moonlight. "Looking for this?"
"I didn't come here to harm you."
"No. Only to rob me."
"I didn't even know you were here," she protested. "I came looking for--" She almost said a thief, but silenced herself. For all she knew, Ewan was the thief. Doubtful, but she could not rule it out.
"Looking for your husband?" he queried. Accusations filled up his voice, as though she were a little girl caught stealing sweets.
"My husband is dead." She pulled his hand off her other wrist and held out her palm. "Give me back my dagger."
"No." Ewan held it out of reach, and Honora lunged for it. With her full weight bearing on him, she took him down. Before she could grab the blade from his grasp, he rolled over, his body crushing hers.
Trapped, she felt every line of his body. And the dangerous glint in his eye made her aware that she had made a very bad decision.
"I'm not the boy I was, Honora." He kept her pinioned, and tossed the knife away. "You won't defeat me in a fight. Not any more."
From the book Taming Her Irish Warrior by Michelle Willingham. Copyright © 2009 by Michelle Willingham. The edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. All rights reserved ® and T are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Ltd and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.
