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Battle Of Arbedo
The Battle of Arbedo was fought on 30 June 1422 between the Duchy of Milan and the Swiss Confederation, and ended with a Milanese victory. In 1419, the Swiss cantons of Uri and Unterwalden bought the fortified town of Bellinzona from the House of Sax but were unable to defend it adequately. When they rejected a Milanese proposal to purchase Bellinzona in 1422, a Milanese force under the command of the condottiero Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola attacked and defeated the Swiss garrison and occupied the town. A Swiss attempt to recapture Bellinzona with the support of other cantons including Lucerne and Zug led to the battle at the village of Arbedo, north of the town. The Swiss were mainly equipped with halberds and were initially successful in repelling two Milanese cavalry charges. Carmagnola then brought up his crossbowmen on the Swiss flanks and ordered his men-at-arms to dismount and fight on foot with their lances, which outreached the halberds. The Milanese forced t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tschachtlanchronik
The Tschachtlanchronik of 1470 is the oldest of the still existing Swiss illustrated chronicles, compiled by Bendicht Tschachtlan and Heinrich Dittlinger of Bern. The chronicle is now kept in Zentralbibliothek Zürich ''Zentralbibliothek Zürich'' (Zürich Central Library) is a library in Zürich, Switzerland. It is the main library of both the city and the University of Zurich, housed in the ''Predigerkirche Zürich, Predigerkloster'', the former Black Fria ..., where a facsimile can be viewed. It consists of a paper manuscript including some 230 coloured illustrations, most of them full page. Two hundred of the illustrations show war scenes; the remaining show everyday life, both rural and in towns, and also scenes in the royal court. In the epilogue, the two authors declare that the work was finished in 1470. External links Digitised copy of the manuscriptEntry in Geschichtsquellen des deutschen Mittelalters Swiss illustrated chronicles {{Manuscript-art-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luzerner Schilling
The ''Luzerner Schilling'' (or ''Luzernerchronik'', Lucerne chronicle) is an illuminated manuscript of 1513, containing the chronicle of the history of Switzerland written by Diebold Schilling the Younger of Lucerne. The chronicle is an impressive volume containing 443 colourful full-page miniature illustrations and 237 text pages, which cover the whole history of the Confederation, but with more space given to events of the previous forty years. Diebold, through his father and his uncle Diebold Schilling the Elder, came into contact with the art of chronicle book illustration as it had evolved in Alsace under the influence of Burgundy, in works like the Froissart of Louis of Gruuthuse (BnF Fr 2643-6). Both the illustrations and the accompanying narratives are remarkably lively and realistic. Two painters can be distinguished, one keeping in the more traditional gothic style of manuscript illumination—this is believed to be Schilling himself—while the other develops a new, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pikemen
A pike is a long thrusting spear formerly used in European warfare from the Late Middle Ages and most of the early modern period, and wielded by foot soldiers deployed in pike square formation, until it was largely replaced by bayonet-equipped muskets. The pike was particularly well known as the primary weapon of Spanish tercios, Swiss mercenary, German Landsknecht units and French sans-culottes. A similar weapon, the sarissa, had been used in antiquity by Alexander the Great's Macedonian phalanx infantry. Design The pike was a long weapon, varying considerably in size, from long. Generally, a spear becomes a pike when it is too long to be wielded with one hand in combat. It was approximately in weight, with the 16th-century military writer Sir John Smythe recommending lighter rather than heavier pikes. It had a wooden shaft with an iron or steel spearhead affixed. The shaft near the head was often reinforced with metal strips called "cheeks" or langets. When the troo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino. Located halfway between Lake Orta and Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore extends for about between Locarno and Arona. The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with many gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Borromean and Brissago Islands, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia Botanical Garden above Stresa. Lake Maggiore is drained by the river Ticino, a main tributary of the Po. Its basin also collects the waters of several large lakes, notably Lake Lugano (through the Tresa), Lake Orta (through the Toce) and Lake Varese (through the Bardello). Geograp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Val D'Ossola
The Ossola (; ), also Valle Ossola or Val d'Ossola (; ), is an area of Northwest Italy situated to the north of Lago Maggiore. It lies within the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Its principal river is the Toce, and its most important town Domodossola. Etymology There are many etymological claims as to the origins of the name ''Ossola'', the most likely being Celtic for "high lands". The German and Walser names for the valley translate to "valley of the ash trees". Geography Ossola is composed of one main valley (the Ossola proper) and seven side valleys: Anzasca, Antrona, Bognanco, Divedro, Antigorio, Formazza, Isorno and Vigezzo. It is surrounded by the Pennine Alps on the western side and by the Lepontine Alps on the northern and eastern sides. The main towns are Domodossola, Villadossola, Crevoladossola, Ornavasso and Mergozzo. Ossola’s highest elevation is the Nordend, a peak of the Monte Rosa Massif, which is also the highest peak of Piedmont. Excluding t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lance
The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear or javelin employed by both infantry">spear or javelin">spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear or javelin employed by both infantry and cavalry, with English initially keeping these generic meanings. It developed later into a term for spear-like weapons specially designed and modified to be part of a "weapon system" for use couched under the arm during a charge, being equipped with special features such as grappers to engage with lance rests attached to breastplates, and vamplates, small circular plates designed to prevent the hand sliding up the shaft upon impact. These specific features were in use by the beginning of the late 14th century. Though best known as a military and sporting ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Man-at-arms
A man-at-arms was a soldier of the High Medieval to Renaissance periods who was typically well-versed in the use of arms and served as a fully-armoured heavy cavalryman. A man-at-arms could be a knight, or other nobleman, a member of a knight's or nobleman's retinue, or a mercenary in a company serving under a captain. Such men could serve for pay or through a feudal obligation. The terms ''knight'' and ''man-at-arms'' are often used interchangeably, but while all knights equipped for war were men-at-arms, not all men-at-arms were knights. Terminology Though in English the term man-at-arms is a fairly straightforward rendering of the French ''homme d'armes'', in the Middle Ages, there were numerous terms for this type of soldier, referring to the type of arms he would be expected to provide: In France, he might be known as a ''lance'' or '' glaive'', while in Germany, ''Spieß'', '' Helm'' or ''Gleve'', and in various places, a '' bascinet''. In Italy, the term '' barbut ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossbowmen
An arbalist, also spelled arbelist, is one who shoots a crossbow. Background An extensive list of archaic words for medieval crossbowmen is given by Payne-Gallwey. Richardson, in his 1839 dictionary, did not make specific reference to the crossbow in his definition of arbalist: "One who casts or shoots from a bow." Hansard (1841) used the word ''arbalister'' for a cross-bowman (sic), the same usage as Webster and Johnson who reserved the word arbalist for the crossbow itself. Smith uses arbalist to describe a ''maker'' of crossbows. Equipment and competition Modern arbalists shoot crossbows markedly different from medieval artillerymen. Current-day target crossbows must conform to various limitations according to the governing body under which the shoot or tournament is taking place. Firstly, GNAS requires that arbalists shoot at targets separate from archers. Both the World Crossbow Shooting Association (WCSA) and GNAS require that the draw weight maximum be 95 lbs and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Halberds
A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge), is a two-handed polearm that was in prominent use from the 13th to 16th centuries. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft. It may have a hook or thorn on the back of the axe blade for grappling mounted combatants and protecting allied soldiers, typically musketeers. The halberd was usually long. The word ''halberd'' is cognate with the German word ''Hellebarde'', deriving from Middle High German ''halm'' (handle) and ''barte'' (battleaxe) joined to form ''helmbarte''. Troops that used the weapon were called halberdiers or halbardiers. The word has also been used to describe a weapon of the early Bronze Age in Western Europe. This consisted of a blade mounted on a pole at a right angle. History The halberd is first mentioned (as ) in a work by 13th-century German poet Konrad von Würzburg. John of Winterthur described it as a new weapon used by the Swiss at the Battle of Mor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Condottiero
Condottieri (; singular: ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian military leaders active during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The term originally referred specifically to commanders of mercenary companies, derived from the Italian word ''condotta''—the contract under which they served a Italian city-states, city-state or lord. The word ''condottiero'' thus meant 'contractor'. Over time, however, in Italian usage, ''condottiero'' came to mean any 'commander' or 'military leader'. Mercenary captains Background In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Italian city-states of Republic of Venice, Venice, Republic of Florence, Florence, and republic of Genoa, Genoa were very rich from their trade with the Levant, yet possessed woefully small armies. In the event that foreign powers and envious neighbours attacked, the ruling nobles hired foreign mercenaries to fight for them. The military-service terms and conditions were stipulated in a (contract) between the city ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
House Of Sax
The noble family von Sax or Saxe (originally in Italian language, Italian ''de Sacco'') was a medieval noble family in eastern Switzerland. They owned estates and castles on both sides of the Swiss Alps, Alps in the modern cantons of Canton of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Graubünden and Ticino. The origin of the family is unknown, but they probably stem from Churrätien nobility and were related to the da Torre family. The family divided into two main lines; the Grafen (counts) von Sax-Misox and the Freiherren (barons) von Hohensax. Origins The earliest mention of a member of the family is in 1137/39 with Eberhard de Sacco. In 1168, they were granted a fief over the Misox valley, probably as a reward for their support of the Hohenstaufen family. The founder of the line was Albrecht of Sax who first appears in a record in 1188. His brother, Heinrich reorganized the administration of the Abbey of St. Gall and brought it under their authority. Albrecht's sons, Ulrich (first mentio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
