Everyone Is Armed: Difference between revisions

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**In Medieval Europe a surprising proportion of society had access to weapons and took part in warfare fairly often and sometimes [[Underestimating Badassery| more effectively]] then one might expect from their station in society. There was of course the traditional warrior class. But even peasants often had arms especially in rough country-though they were often only adapted farm tools. Burghers of course had their money as a "weapon", but they also had warships and walls and war machines, later including cannon which the noble class often could not pay for. As well as crossbows which were a favorite Italian specialty. Jews were ''usually'' disarmed but there were even exceptions to that in odd corners here or there-enough for cases involving weaponry to enter into the Talmud. Even clergy a number of times became noted warriors.

***It's somewhat a myth in some circles that the population was disarmed. In fact often they were just forbidden ''swords''. Or in other words it was a sumptuary law not an arms control one, and like all such laws not all that effective as a rich man could get a hold of a sword and a man who could prove noble ancestry(which was sometimes calculated rather ambiguously anyway to the effect of "daddy always said we were lords") in some places had a right to one even if he lived like a peasant. In any event, knives, polearms, bows, whatever were in the hands of everyone.

***There was often not even a prohibition of swords to commoners; that sort of thing depended on a multitude of regional ideosyncracies(the sociology and politics of the Middle Ages was so labyrinthine that any time you say one thing someone else can always say, "What about..."). However swords were expensive as they required the highest bladesmithing technology available to handle the stress. While a sax or a falchion did it's job good enough to defend against bandits or fight local vendettas and no one would want to buy a sword unless they are going to soldier for a living or are just [[The Dandy| vain.]]

***There was often not even a prohibition of swords to commoners; that sort of thing depended on a multitude of regional ideosyncracies(the sociology and politics of the Middle Ages was so labyrinthine that any time you say one thing someone else can always say, "What about..."). However swords were expensive as they required the highest bladesmithing technology available to handle the stress. While a sax or a falchion did it's job good enough to defend against bandits or [[Feuding Families| fight local vendettas]] and no one would want to buy a sword unless they are going to soldier for a living or are just [[The Dandy| vain.]]

***In England the Cinque Ports(naval militia from a chosen number of royally favored ports, originally five of which Cinque is a Latin corruption)had a corporate noble status and the Warden could enter the House of Lords. Freeholders of course usually practiced archery indeed were often required to. In Scotland which had fewer knights they depended on the wild country and it's wild clansmen who usually had arms for cattle thieving and feuding. Switzerland had it's famous pikes. And Venice had it's galleys which were usually rowed by freemen perfectly capable of handling a blade.

***In England the Cinque Ports(naval militia from a chosen number of royally favored ports, originally five of which Cinque is a Latin corruption)had a corporate noble status and the Warden could enter the House of Lords. Freeholders of course usually practiced archery indeed were often required to. In Scotland which had fewer knights they depended on the wild country and it's wild clansmen who usually had arms for cattle thieving and feuding as well as sturdy lowlanders who could handle a pike pretty well. Switzerland had it's famous pikes. And Venice had it's galleys which were usually rowed by freemen perfectly capable of handling a blade.

* Early Medieval Scandinavians even of fairly low status tended to have a sax(utility chopping knife), an ax(also useful for wood in the more mundane and less specialized form and thus something farmers might have), hunting weapons, the ever popular spear, and improvised equipment if nothing else suits. Some even had swords although those were rather expensive and you would probably only buy one if you thought there was a good chance you might use it. They would have all kinds of reasons for fighting from local feuds, to going on a raid, to defending against a raid(for vikings went a-viking against each other)to hiring out with some noble when he is going to war, to simply defending oneself when one travels.

* Sikh men are required by religious law to carry a knife with them at all times. These days it's usually a small, ceremonial knife.