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housecarl
Housecarls (Danish: Huskarl) were household troops, personal warriors and equivalent to a royal bodyguard to Scandinavian kings. The anglicized term comes from the Old Norse term huskarl or huscarl (literally, 'house man', i.e., armed man in the service of a specific house.) They were also called hirth ('household') that referred to household troops. The term later came to cover armed soldiers of the household. They were often the only professional soldiers in the kingdom, the rest of the army being made up of militia, peasant levy, and occasionally mercenaries. They were usually armed with long Danish axe. A kingdom would have fewer than 2000 Housecarls.
The term entered the English language when Canute the Great conquered and occupied Anglo-Saxon England.
In England there may have been as many as 3000 royal housecarls, and a special tax was levied to provide pay in coin. They were housed and fed at the king's expense. They formed a standing army of professional soldiers and also had some administrative duties in peacetime as the King's representatives. The term was often used in contrast to the non-professional fyrd. These Housecarls used a tactic called the shieldwall. In this tactic the Housecarls formed a line with their shields locked blocking the invaders or enemies from penetrating their lines. The Saxons were an aggressive force, and did not like defending. Thus, this battle tactic was not used for a long time.
Certainly the vast majority of English housecarls died at The Battle of Hastings. Survivors, along with King Harold's thegns, crossed to Continental Europe as mercenary troops. Some of these reached Byzantium and along with other Saxons joined the Varangian Guard. By the 12th century, the Varangian Guard contained so many Saxons that the entire unit was sometimes called "the English Guard."
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What are the housecarls?
They were Scandinavian men who served as servants to high ranking nobles and kings, but they were not slaves. Typically they were warriors who acted as bodyguards. The Saxon kingdoms of England also had "huscarls" which were basically the same thing.
Why was the battle of great bridge important?
Yes for two reasons. It ended the Viking threat to Britain in general. After Hardrada was killed Danish and Norgwegian kings were justifably disinclined to invade Britain. On the other hand the battle weakened the huscarl contingent of the English army enough to expose Harold to extra dangers in the later battle at Hastings. Harold probably lost Hastings because his bodyguard of Huscarls could not keep him safe from Normans aiming to cut him down as he stood under his personal banned "TheFighting Man." with 50 extra Huscarls it's likely Harold would have survived the day and then bolstered by arriving reinforcements, driven William back to Normandy.
What are Elite vikings warriors?
Elite Viking warriors, often referred to as "Huscarls," were highly skilled and well-equipped fighters who served as bodyguards or elite troops for chieftains and kings during the Viking Age. These warriors were known for their exceptional combat abilities, loyalty, and discipline, often fighting in tightly organized formations. They typically wielded axes, swords, and shields, and were trained in various combat techniques, making them formidable opponents in battle. Their reputation contributed significantly to the fearsome image of the Vikings in medieval Europe.
Why was the English defeated at fort?
Normans were better armed and better trained.Normans warfare was more strategic whereas Saxons "Paid little heed to tactical dispositions".The Saxons had just finished fighting the Vikings led by Harald Hadrada and immediately had to head south to fight the Normans. The battle against the Danish Vikings cost them a lot of lives.Besides the Nobles and Huscarls most of the Saxons were peasants, the entire Norman army was of professional soldiers.The Normans had Cavalry and archers, the Saxons had only infantry armed with either spear, sword or axes.Read more: What was the most important reason why William won the battle of hastings
What was the most important reason why William won the battle of hastings?
William won because of a number of reasons:Normans were better armed and better trained.Normans warfare was more strategic whereas Saxons "Paid little heed to tactical dispositions".The Saxons had just finished fighting the Vikings led by Harald Hadrada and immediately had to head south to fight the Normans. The battle against the Danish Vikings cost them a lot of lives.Besides the Nobles and Huscarls most of the Saxons were peasants, the entire Norman army was of professional soldiers.The Normans had Cavalry and archers, the Saxons had only infantry armed with either spear, sword or axes.In the end two things were the deciding factors:The technological superiority of the Normans.The previous battle against the Vikings.it is not Huscarls, it is Housecarls. and William won because the right flank of Harold's army, the fyrd, went chasing after the left flank of Williams men when they fled down the hill.The skills William had as a soldier
What are the housecarls?
They were Scandinavian men who served as servants to high ranking nobles and kings, but they were not slaves. Typically they were warriors who acted as bodyguards. The Saxon kingdoms of England also had "huscarls" which were basically the same thing.
Why was the battle of great bridge important?
Yes for two reasons. It ended the Viking threat to Britain in general. After Hardrada was killed Danish and Norgwegian kings were justifably disinclined to invade Britain. On the other hand the battle weakened the huscarl contingent of the English army enough to expose Harold to extra dangers in the later battle at Hastings. Harold probably lost Hastings because his bodyguard of Huscarls could not keep him safe from Normans aiming to cut him down as he stood under his personal banned "TheFighting Man." with 50 extra Huscarls it's likely Harold would have survived the day and then bolstered by arriving reinforcements, driven William back to Normandy.
Why did the Norman knights find it so hard to break through the shield wall formed by the English huscarls?
The shieldwall was an excellent defensive formation. It vaguely resembles the Greek phalanx, in that the men work together with their shields to block enemy attacks. Additionally, the English were on the top of a low hill. So the Normans had to go up the hill just to get to the English, which is a difficult task.
What are Elite vikings warriors?
Elite Viking warriors, often referred to as "Huscarls," were highly skilled and well-equipped fighters who served as bodyguards or elite troops for chieftains and kings during the Viking Age. These warriors were known for their exceptional combat abilities, loyalty, and discipline, often fighting in tightly organized formations. They typically wielded axes, swords, and shields, and were trained in various combat techniques, making them formidable opponents in battle. Their reputation contributed significantly to the fearsome image of the Vikings in medieval Europe.
How do you become a huscarl?
To become a huscarl, historically, one would need to demonstrate loyalty and skill in combat, often serving a noble or king in a warrior capacity. Typically, this involved training in martial skills, such as swordsmanship and horseback riding, as well as proving oneself in battle. Additionally, huscarls were often selected for their bravery and physical prowess, forming an elite guard for their leader. In modern contexts, the term might refer to roles in historical reenactments or gaming, where one would participate in training and community activities related to that era.
Why was the English defeated at fort?
Normans were better armed and better trained.Normans warfare was more strategic whereas Saxons "Paid little heed to tactical dispositions".The Saxons had just finished fighting the Vikings led by Harald Hadrada and immediately had to head south to fight the Normans. The battle against the Danish Vikings cost them a lot of lives.Besides the Nobles and Huscarls most of the Saxons were peasants, the entire Norman army was of professional soldiers.The Normans had Cavalry and archers, the Saxons had only infantry armed with either spear, sword or axes.Read more: What was the most important reason why William won the battle of hastings
What was the most important reason why William won the battle of hastings?
William won because of a number of reasons:Normans were better armed and better trained.Normans warfare was more strategic whereas Saxons "Paid little heed to tactical dispositions".The Saxons had just finished fighting the Vikings led by Harald Hadrada and immediately had to head south to fight the Normans. The battle against the Danish Vikings cost them a lot of lives.Besides the Nobles and Huscarls most of the Saxons were peasants, the entire Norman army was of professional soldiers.The Normans had Cavalry and archers, the Saxons had only infantry armed with either spear, sword or axes.In the end two things were the deciding factors:The technological superiority of the Normans.The previous battle against the Vikings.it is not Huscarls, it is Housecarls. and William won because the right flank of Harold's army, the fyrd, went chasing after the left flank of Williams men when they fled down the hill.The skills William had as a soldier
What types of soldiers did Harold godwinson have?
Harold Godwinson had a variety of dark-age soldiers at his disposal, they include: - Conscript peasant spearmen, mostly farmers given some training in spearfighting and taught the shield-wall and boar's snout formations. - Archers, these were hunters with bows suited to hunting 'draw weights' (draw weights being comparable to modern daygun calibres) that could cause significant injuries, but were not specialist war weapons like those used by the Norman archers. The Anglo-Saxon archers likely used the same barbed arrows they hunted with. - Huscarls, respected members of society with some status. Some in the form of sword/axe fighters with shields, trained in close combat (parries, strikes, ripostes, grapples, disarms, takedowns, etc) with chainmail armour and shields. The others in the form or chainmail armoured men wielding great axes, whichwere continually swung around the wielder to cause great havoc and give no space to opponents.
What factors helped the Viking invade Europe successfully?
Surprise the longboat could be used in rivers that other ship type couldn't go. The Feudal society only a few men at arms were actuality professional soldiers and it took time to muster a force. Vikings were stealthy they looked for easy targets for example churches took what they could and went away again. They used psychological warfare farmers that had resisted had their arms or legs cut off so that people would know the consequence for resisting the Vikings. The Vikings were an infantry force much better than the continent that mainly relied on cavalry to win battles. Vikings knew that horses would not charge into a solid mass of men and they formed a shield wall throwing javelins at the horses along with other weapons that could do damage. They were also loyal the bodyguard the Huscarls would not leave the field if their chieftain had been killed they would keep fighting and join him in the afterlife. The landscape of Scandinavia was tough and cold only the strong would survive the hard life that was ahead of them they did not fear death. Being killed in battle would take you to Valhalla were all your ancestors had gone before you.
What allowed the vikings to navigate the most treacherous waters on earth?
Surprise the longboat could be used in rivers that other ship type couldn't go. The Feudal society only a few men at arms were actuality professional soldiers and it took time to muster a force. Vikings were stealthy they looked for easy targets for example churches took what they could and went away again. They used psychological warfare farmers that had resisted had their arms or legs cut off so that people would know the consequence for resisting the Vikings. The Vikings were an infantry force much better than the continent that mainly relied on cavalry to win battles. Vikings knew that horses would not charge into a solid mass of men and they formed a shield wall throwing javelins at the horses along with other weapons that could do damage. They were also loyal the bodyguard the Huscarls would not leave the field if their chieftain had been killed they would keep fighting and join him in the afterlife. The landscape of Scandinavia was tough and cold only the strong would survive the hard life that was ahead of them they did not fear death. Being killed in battle would take you to Valhalla were all your ancestors had gone before you.
Did King Alfred have Lords and Earls and such?
The Engllish system of land tenure was much simpler than the French style Feudalism imposed by William the Conqueror. If I remember correctly the basic rank of nobility was "thane". Anybody who possessed, again if I remember right, 400 hides of land was, at least technically, a thane. I don't remember how much a hide actually was. Above the thanes were eorls or eorldermen. I forget how much land you had to have to be an eorl but it was quite a lot, there were very few of them. That was about it, thane, eorl, king. Michael MontagneAnotherThe order of nobility in England today is a hybrid of English, Norse and Latin traditions. The Old English had a title called "Thane" which was essentially a knight or baron with sworn loyalty to the king. There were variou degrees of Thane's some ranking above others. The Thane would employ "Huscarls" - professional warriors - who would raise armies for the Thane when the need arose. The land was administered in Wessex through the shire model. The shires were governed by a "Eorlderman". Eorldermen were often from an established royal dynasty that no longer enjoyed the status of "king". The Eorldermen ruled the shire through a "Shire Reeve", a sort of chief executive from which we get the word "Sheriff" and a "Shire Moot" - a sort of assembly. The shire's were divided into hundreds (like a district) which were themselves administered by a "Hundred Reeve" and a "Hundred Moot".Above all of this were royalty who were afforded the title "Ætheling" - basically meaning "royal son". The Witan - a sort of parliament of leading nobles and clergy - chose or confirmed the next king from among the Æthelings.The Norse Vikings introduced the term "Earl" which comes from "Yarl" and means "lord". The Norman French introduced, or re-introduced, latin terms such as Duke (from Dux), Baron and Marquess etc.
How did boys become a knight medieval times?
The English KnightThe word knight derives from Old English cniht, meaning page boy, or servant. Possibly evolving partly from the Anglo-Saxon Huscarls. Like the fiersome English Huscarls they were truly a formidable warrior, combining an ethos of loyalty to the country with hardened physical and military skills. Years of training began at around 14 years of age and would finish at 18 to 21 years of age. The English name Phillip is associated with the Knights. They could fight mounted or dismounted. Charging 'at full tilt'on horseback, an armoured English Knight on horse with lance was lethal. But, (unlike many continental counterparts,) the English Knight could also fight on foot in support of the famed English Archers. Known as 'men at arms'. Together, they would form a combination that would see many battles won for England, such as Agincourt and Crecy. To give an idea of how skilfull they were, it has been argued by martial artists (although not prove,) that a Samurai would last only a short time against such physically powerful, well armoured professionals.At Agincourt the English King Henry V cut is way through 12 French knights to get to his brother who was down, but not dead. The physical fitness to do this is beyond modern people.(I'm a Brit)Originally, men became knights if they were particularly hard. The were hand picked soldiers, reputedly tougher and braver than other warriors, who were chosen to lead the armies and advise the king/queen. I suppose they were the earliest generals.People are still made knights in Britain. The official name is a 'knight of the realm.' Someone who is knighted (yes, the queen really does touch the shoulders with a sword) has a Sir before their name.These days knighthoods are awarded for outstanding achievement in a certain area, for example Sir Paul McCartney for his contribution to music, Sir Richard Branson for his contribution to business, and Sir Richard Attenborough, for his contribution to cinema.(I am also a Brit)Yes men would become knight through outstanding achievements in battle, however the position of knight was more likely to be given to a person of noble standing, their offspring or friends. For example, The Black Prince was a reputable knight in the middle ages but rose to that position of power through being a relative to the king.Returning to the issue of knights gaining the title through achievements in battle. This would also likely be the nobility. This is because the nobility would be at the back of the battle and thus less likely to die. Also nobility could afford better protection such as armour and weaponry when peasants were dressed in simple clothes and armed with pitchforks of wood axes. The nobility would also undergo training as part of their growing up. These were factors that were likely to make a man a knight.To sum up, knights were generally given their title due to connections to nobility, but even knightsthat gained the title because of achievements were normally noble in birth.Back in the Middle Ages, there were many stages men had to pass in order to become knights.First and foremost, you had to be from a noble family. Nobility was to be in your blood.If you weren't of noble blood, you could not be knight. These men were called surfs. Second, no women was ever a knight. Knights didn't even ride on mares because they believed that battlefields were no place for any women.If your father had been a knight it was said not to worry on what you were to be. For you couldn't think of anything else to be. Your destiny was already chosen.To earn your knighthood, you did the following.At the early age of 7 , a young boy would be named a page. You would use wooden swords to learn about the many skills and ways to beome an excellent fighter.7 years later, ( at the age of 14) you would be from a page to a squire. You would accompaned a skilled knight during his journeys towards battles.You would also assist that knight. For example, you would polish his armor and do any kind of chore given to you by him.At long last at the age of 21, you would become a knight. That is if only you were an excellent and sucessfull squire. Quote: There's a pattern in this.(7 years x 2 = 14 years. 14 years x 3 = 21 years.)This is how men were to become knights.There were women knights. description from Ashmole, The Institution, laws and ceremonies from the Most Noble Order of the Garter, written 1672, Ch. 3, sect.3: THE ORDER OF THE HATCHET The example is the Noble Women of Tortosa in Aragon, and recorded by Josef Micheli Marques, who plainly calls them Cavalleros or (Cavalleras) Knights... Don Raymond, the last Earl of Barcellona united that principality to the Kingdom of Aragon, having in the year 1149, gained the city of Tortosa from the Moors, they on the 31 of December following, laid a siege to that place, for the recovery of it out of the Earls hands. The inhabitants being at length reduced to great streights, desired relief from the Earl, but he, being not in any condition to give them any, they entertained some thought of making some surrender. Which the women hearing of, to prevent the disaster threatning their city, themselves, and children, put 0n mens clothes, and by a resolute sally, fored the Moors to raise the siege. The Earl, finding himself obliged by the gallentry of the action, thought fit to make his acknowledgement thereof, by granting them several Privileges and Immunities, and to perpetuate the memory of so signal an attempt, instituted an Order, somewhat like a military Order, into which were admitted only those Brave Women, deriving the honor to their descendants, and assigned them for a Darge, a thing like a Fryars Capouche, sharp at the top, after the form of a torch, and of a crimson colour, to be worn upon their head-clothes. He also ordained, that at all Publick meetings, the women should have precedence of the Men. That they should be exampted from all Taxes, and that all Apparel and Jewels, though of never so great value, left by their dead Husbands, should be their own.Also see THE ORDER OF GLORIOUS SAINT MARY in 1233 approved by Pope Alexander IV. Suppressed by Pope Sixtus V in 1558.KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER In England 68 ladies were appointed between 1358 and 1488, women of royal blood or wives of Knights of the Garter. They wore the garter on their left arm and some are shown on their tombstones.And there are more. See History of Orders of Chivalry: a surveyIn the early Middle Ages, knighthood was essentially a professional organization, and ANYONE who had the financial means to procure the necessary equipment and training could become a knight. This included nobles, who owned much land, small land owners, free men and craftsmen. Noble birth was not a requirement or the norm until roughly the end of the 12th century, when knighthood became more and more an entitlement of nobility.Even then, some nobles and royals continued to look down on knighthood as a mere "profession". Before becoming King of France, the young Louis VI was knighted without his father's knowledge for this very reason!During the Crusades, many knights of the German Order came from Burgher families who had made money through trade and commerce. German princes also granted rights of hereditary knighthood to certain families. This meant that sons were entitled to be knighted without the usual training, though the general populace had more admiration for those knights who earned their title.The OLDEST continuing Order of chivallry, are the Knights Of St John, of Jeruselem, otherwise know as the St John Ambulance Society. These were the medical orderlies, a group of knights, who gave medical aid to the wounded, during the Crusades in the middle east.In the current British system of honours, the medals and awards/ribbons of the order of St John are worn AHEAD of all other military awards, excepting the Victoria Cross, which is the ultimate British and Commonwealth award for "Valour" in the face of the enemy. This is to indicate that the order of St John is the OLDEST order of knights in existence, today.-----------------------------------When England was conquered by the Normans in 1066. William simply replaced the entire Saxon ruling class with the warrior adventurers who had supported hiis cause. This new noblity were granted lands thoughout his new kingdom and the people living on those lands were expected work under the new order. The lowest rank of this nobity was the Lord of the Manor. He could rent out his land, tax the people and work them as he saw fit. He didn't have to pay rent to the Crown, he had to provide military support. so from the local people he chose those who were suitable as soldiers and created a class of Yeomen to be his swordsmen and archers, the people who were not able to fight were used as casual labour in the fields and villages. A serf might have to work 4 days for his Lord and have 3 days to raise his own crops in the common filed.The Manorial Lords were the backbone of the King's army and the custodians of countryside. Above them were the Barons, Earls and Dukes that had stronger connections to the Royal family.The simplest way to becaome a Knight was to wait for your father to die and inherit his title. If you were not the oldest son, you might become a monk or priest instead or you might be given the job of running the Manorial estate.The cost of maintaining the equipment, horses and servants needed to go into battle was enormous, so a younger son needed to be very skilled in battle before his family could risk such an investment. Because the payoff came, not so much through an overall victory in war and gaining the approval of the King, but in capturing an enemy noble and ransoming him back to his family. In this way a younger son could earn enough money to buy his own land and set himself on the way to gaining his own Manor. Such endevours would come to the notice of the Local Baron and eventually, the King. Owning his own land would mean he could raise his own soldiers and then by providing support to the King he might be granted the freedom not to pay taxes on the land he had and at this point he would be considered eligable for a Knighthood.If he was killed or failed to capture an enemy, his family would have nothing to show for their investment. Even worse, if he was captured himself his family would have to sell land to get him back and in all likelyhood, he would end up living in a monestry. It was a case of the survival of the fittest right down the line.
