RomanArmyTalk

from http://news.bbc.co.uk
Medieval battle records go online

The detailed service records of 250,000 medieval soldiers - including archers who served with Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt - have gone online.
The database of those who fought in the Hundred Years War reveals salaries, sickness records and who was knighted.
The full profiles of soldiers from 1369 to 1453 will allow researchers to piece together details of their lives.



The link is here: http://www.icmacentre.ac.uk/soldier/database/

No Vernolds

Wooha! hock:

I hope that soon simmilar documents will be made avalaible soon!

Here I Spain one linguist "discovered" the "letras de batalla" (battle letters) which are letters to demand a duel, agreeing the ofensive and defensive weapons, place, names of both duelist and the judge. Most are from 1350-1500´s. There is a curious drawing in the Pierpont Morgan Library showing the combat (dismounted) between two knights: the Valencian Felip Boyl and John Astley, in Smithfield, the 30th of January of 1442, in the presence of Henry VI. Those guys travelled across Europe more than we thought seeking fame and victory (and usually giving a kick to another knight for other reasons not all times explained).

Wow, this is great news!
And I'm leaving for Azincourt this very moment

I thought this was just fascinating. It is one thing to read primary or contemporary reports of campaigns or wars, but it is quite another to be able to look through the records of individuals. What did this person see? What did he think? Why was he there? It really makes one view the history in a whole different light.