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Jeszcze włócznia, czy już kopia? Rozważania w kontekście dzieł sztuki europejskiej

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Sierosławski A., Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne w Warszawie

Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Archaeologica

2013

vol. 29

The lance is an instantly recognizable medieval weapon. It’s the primary weapon of a medieval knights, the primary he uses in battle. But it’s still not clear when the lance appeared. In most publications its appearance is dated to the 12th c. There are no preserved artifacts and the written sources are not clear on this subject. New informations can be drawn from works of medieval art, especially illustrated manuscripts and architectural decorations. For this deliberation I used iconography dated between the 8th and 14th c. There are three characteristics with which we can distinguish the spear and the lance. The first is the construction of the shaft end. The difference between spear shaft and lance shaft is that the lance shaft had a vamplate, a small circular plate. In many publications it can be read, that this plate was made for protecting the hand. This is of course a misunderstanding. It allowed a firmer grip of the shaft upon impact. There was no need to protect the hand during the duel, because knights were trying to hit the head or the torso of their opponents, not the hand. The second way to recognize the kind of weapon is to analyse how the horsemen uses them. The spears were manipulated with one hand. Horsemen were very often attacking by rising the spear over the head and then striking their opponents from above. Lances were used in a quite different way. Horsemen during the attack had the lances under their arms and struck their enemies facing them. These two polearm techniques can be found on medieval representations. The third characteristic is the shape of the spearhead. In many illustrations it is shown very schematically, therefore very often we can’t identify the type of weapon basing on the presentation of the tip. The only exception is the spearhead of type VI (by Nadolski). The characteristic crosspiece attached to (or slightly below) the bush is quite often marked on the illustrations. In these situations we can be sure, that this weapon is a spear. During the 8th–10th c. mounted units undoubtedly utilized spears, there is no argue about that. On every illustration made at that time which shows a mounted warrior armed with a pole weapon, this weapon is a spear. Around the middle of the 11th c. a very important change in the use of polearms occurred. The Bayeux Tapestry which was made around 1068 depicts horsemen using spears in a manner typical for the lance. One of knights represented in the battle scene holds his spear under his arm and hits his opponent in the face. This is an unquestionable evidence that the evolution of the lance started in the 11th, not the 12th c. Of course I don’t suggest, that the army of William the Conqueror was armed with lances, but that the mentioned work of early medieval art is the oldest evidence of the first step in the evolution of polearms. In this context we should look closer at some types of early medieval spearheads, especially of Nadolski’s type IX, which is relatively short, but massive. Could it be a type of an early lance head? In the 12th and 13th c. the shaft of the lance was developed, the weapon became longer and heavier. Knights represented in art from that time always use their polearms by holding them under their arms. Hunting scenes are the only exceptions. In these cases the horsemen uses their weapons holding them I one hand, above their heads. That proves that they’re using spears. Another important source for this discussion is the Manesse Codex, which was written in the first half of the 14th c. A few illustrations depict duel scenes and “portraits” of knights, who were the main characters of poems contented in the Codex. Some of those illustrations are very accurate, with important details clearly visible. Some of the lances represented here have an additional constructional element, a vamplate. As it was written in the beginning, its presence is one of the essential differences separating the lance from the spear. Is it possible to point the exact time when the lance appeared? Medieval iconography can bring us closer to the truth, but it only allows to identify the ante quem dating. Surely, the first step of the evolution of medieval polearms took place before 1066, before the battle of Hastings that is. But to say exactly how long before the battle took place mounted warriors had already been accustomed to the use of spears in a way specific for the lance – this cannot be determined.

Influence of the Polish martial art onto European armies in the 18th and 19th centuries – an outline

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Sawicki Z.

Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology

2014

vol. 14

issue 4

3-13

The paper is an attempt to present the influence of the Polish martial art onto European armies of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a specific paradox that Poland, non-existant as a state on the map of Europe, made greater impact with its military training in armies of Europe than during the period of being great and victorious. When Poland lost its independence, Polish army was incorporated into the annexation armies: Russian, Austrian and Prussian where in many cases was a source of training and knowledge on sabre and lance usage. A part of the army non-compliant with annexation joined the Napoleon’s army and countries fighting for independence and so called “Your and our freedom” where fighting valiantly was an example for other. The attitude, bravery and combat skills as well as look and gear of the Polish soldier made many western armies adopt the style, armour and martial art. Unfortunately, lack of our own state left us with no possibility of full recognition and verification of our martial art. Hence even the name “Polish martial art” could not be widely mentioned as there was no country bearing the name “Poland”. There were but Poles mentioned as soldiers of prowess. We were presented as an example, but not preserved as a Polish one which it deserved. The Hungarians possessed their state, their place on the map of Europe therefore their fencing survived, having conditions for development and preservation. Nowadays Polish traditions of martial art are promoted in periodicals and scientific conferences because their content and subject meet the definition of the martial art as perceived in the humanistic theory of martial arts as well as in the broad definition adopted by the American theory of culture [Cynarski 2013]. The above paper’s aim is to drag attention to that fact and encourage further researches into the subject.

Artykuł jest próbą ukazania wpływów polskiej sztuki walki na armie europejskie XVIII i XIX w. Swoistym paradoksem jest to, że Polska, która znikła z mapy Europy jako państwo, swoim wyszkoleniem wojskowym wywarła większy wpływ na armie europejskie niż gdy była wielka i zwycięska. Gdy Polska utraciła niepodległość, wojsko polskie zostało wcielone do armii zaborczych: Rosji, Austrii i Prus, gdzie w wielu przypadkach było wzorem wyszkolenia i źródłem wiedzy do walki szablą i lancą. To wojsko zaś, które nie pogodziło się z utratą niepodległości weszło, w skład armii napoleońskiej i krajów walczących o niepodległość oraz tzw. „za waszą i naszą wolność", gdzie bijąc się bohatersko dawały przykład innym. Postawa ta, dzielność i umiejętność walki, a także wyjątkowy wygląd i ubiór żołnierza polskiego sprawiły, że wiele armii zachodnich przejęło polski wzór ubioru, uzbrojenia i sztuki walki. Niestety, brak własnego kraju pozbawił nas możliwości pełnej identyfikacji i weryfikacji polskiej sztuki walki. Nie mogła się więc przebić szerzej nazwa polska sztuka walki, bo nie było kraju o takiej nazwie. Mówiło się, że Polacy to świetni żołnierze, ale nic poza tym. Brano z nas wzór, ale nie utrwalano go jako polski, jak na to zasługiwał i co było prawdą. Węgrzy mieli swoje państwo, mieli swoje miejsce na mapie Europy, więc ich szermierka przetrwała, bo w przeciwieństwie do naszej miała warunki do rozwoju i utrwalania. Obecnie polskie tradycje sztuki walki promowane są w czasopismach i na konferencjach naukowych ponieważ ich treść i tematyka pasuje do definicji sztuk walki przyjętych w humanistycznej teorii sztuk walki, a także do szerokiej definicji przyjętej w amerykańskiej antropologii kultury [Cynarski 2013]. Powyższy artykuł ma więc zwrócić uwagę na ten fakt i zachęcić do dalszych badań w tym zakresie.

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1 Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Archaeologica

1 Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology

1 Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne w Warszawie

1 Sawicki Z.

1 Sierosławski A.

1 2014

1 2013

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Jeszcze włócznia, czy już kopia? Rozważania w kontekście dzieł sztuki europejskiej

Influence of the Polish martial art onto European armies in the 18th and 19th centuries – an outline