Medieval reenactment

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2003 reenactment of the Battle of Grunwald

Infantry of the Teutonic Order on the march during the 2006 recreation of the battle of Grunwald

Polish heavy infantry assaulting a single Teutonic bombard

Medieval reenactment is a form of historical reenactment that focuses on re-enacting European history in the period from the fall of Rome to about the end of the 15th Century. The second half of this period is often called the Middle Ages. This multiplicity of terms is compounded by the variety of other terms used for the period.

The first period is sometimes called the Migration Period or Dark Ages by Western European historians, and as Völkerwanderung ("wandering of the peoples") by German historians. This term is usually reserved for the 5th and 6th centuries. Re-enactors who re-create the next period of history - 7th to 11th Century - often refer to this as Early medieval. The 12th to 14th Centuries fall under the term High medieval, while the 15th century is often termed Late medieval.

With such a wide range of eras most medieval reenactment groups focus on a smaller time period, sometimes restricting their interest to a particular century, or even a specific decade or monarch, depending on how authentic the reenactment and encampment is intended to be.

1 Living History
2 Combat Reenactment
3 Reenactment in Europe
4 Notes
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Living History

Living history groups and Medieval Reenactors may focus on recreating civilian or military life in tie during the Middle Ages.

Medieval reenacting is often confused with the Renaissance Fair or participation in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). The goal of the reenactor and his group is to present an accurate impression of a person who did, or an interpretation of a person who credibly could exist at a specific place at a specific point in time. Renaissance Fair participants generally borrow from a range of history and often incorporate fantasy or Hollywood-inspired elements into a presentation for public entertainment while the activities of the SCA are somewhat in between renaissance fair and living history.

Authentic camping, cooking, practicing historical skills and trades, and playing historical musical instruments or board games are all examples of activities related to living history.

[edit] Combat Reenactment

Main article: Combat reenactment

There are many variations on the idea of reenacting medieval combat, ranging from training of historical dueling practices (usually with an appropriate period sword such as an arming sword or rapier and wrestling as a martial art), to reenactment of historical or legendary battles of the Middle Ages.

Some groups training historical combat as a martial art do not fit the traditional definition of a reenactment group and are more similar to fencing clubs, but some of them combine the sport with more traditional forms of reenactment, such as living history.

[edit] Reenactment in Europe

An official invitation to the Eglinton Tournament.

There have been many isolated examples of medieval reenactment in Europe, notably the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. In modern times, medieval reenactment has been popular in the United Kingdom, starting in the late 1960's and growing every year since, with groups from all over England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales participating in events. Many UK battles are reenacted at their original battle sites by enthusiasts with a high degree of authenticity, together with Medieval traders, musicians, caterers. UK reenactors are friendly and can be seen throughout the UK during the summer months at battles, fairs, carnivals, fetes, pubs and schools. Almost entirely throughout the UK, reenactors use blunted steel weapons for reenactments and rubber tipped arrows (blunts) for archers, or steel heads when target shooting. The largest early medieval event in the UK is the Battle of Hastings reenactment, which in 2006 had over 3600 registered participants and combined living history and combat reenactment. Most UK battles have at some point been reenacted such as the Battle of Lewes and the Battle of Evesham, many historical battles are reenacted annually such as the Battle of Bannockburn, and battles from the Wars of the Roses such as the Battle of Bosworth Field and the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Belgium has at least two dozen separate groups of medieval reenactors, including the Order of the Hagelanders and the Gentsche Ghesellen.^[1]

In France there is an annual reenactment of the Battle of Agincourt representing a battle of the Hundred Years War

In Germany medieval reenactment is usually associated with living history and renaissance faires, but in the past few years combat reenactment has gained some ground as well. A few groups are training historical combat such as longsword dueling and dussack fighting at universities, but the majority of combat reenactment groups are battlefield reenactment groups, some of which have become isolated to some degree because of a strong focus on authenticity (some groups refuse to fight groups representing different or wider periods, even if the combat practices would be entirely compatible otherwise).

Among many battlefield reenactors in Germany, the Codex Belli has become a de-facto standard.

Groups from Eastern Europe, especially Hungary, are rumored to practice much more dangerous forms of battlefield reenactment, sometimes with sharp edges and points as well as metal arrow heads and an overall higher acceptance of the risk of injury posed by these dangers. This more risky, although more realistic, form of reenactment is apparently also practiced in East Germany.

In Sweden there are many different "medieval markets". The largest is the one in Gotland.[1] In Szeklerland, Transylvania are many Hun, szekler knight, early Hungarian and hussar reenactment groups and camps. One of those is the Szekler knights (Lofos) reenactment group in Torboszlo. Eco community Transylvania Szekler Lofos