Wearing one spur after a friend dies in battle - anyone know if it's true?

[Sir James A]

Came across this and have never heard of the "single spur" thing before - modern or medieval. Doesn't make sense in medieval context to only have one, but I'm no equestrian either. Anyone know if it's true or not?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_meaning_of_giving_a_single_spur_to_the_survivor_at_a_funeral_of_a_biker

[SirNathanQ]

Iv'e never heard of anything in any context for this. Mayhap a silly reenactorism started a tradition?

[Sir Edward]

Could be a theory someone came up with after looking at some effigies or something. There was a similar theory about effigies with crossed legs indicating that the person served in crusade, but there's little evidence to support it. It reminds me of that.

[Lord Dane]

Could be a theory someone came up with after looking at some effigies or something. There was a similar theory about effigies with crossed legs indicating that the person served in crusade, but there's little evidence to support it. It reminds me of that.

The crossed legs (in effigies) was supposedly a traditional means of preparing a Christian knight who may have died or at least served in the Crusades to reflect a symbolic gesture of the Crucifixion of Christ. Just a theory though.

[Sir William]

Nope, never heard of it.

[Sir Wolf]

1  spur= horse that goes in circles lol

i ahve heard there are different meanings to the way the effigies are done. crossed legs, animals on under or by the knights, drawn sword, hand position etc.

[Sir James A]

1  spur= horse that goes in circles lol

That's exactly what I pictured in my head when I read about the single-spur knights ... I mean pirates, yeah, wooden leg and all, but they're not on horses....

[Sir Brian]

A knight wearing a single spur historically meant they have lost the other spur during a duel of honor in which the deadly sharpened spur was the weapon of choice. 

[Lord Dane]

A knight wearing a single spur historically meant they have lost the other spur during a duel of honor in which the deadly sharpened spur was the weapon of choice. 

Incorrect. A knight with a single spur meant he doesn't know how to armor up properly & is too cheap to afford a good squire/page OR he is only HALF the knight he claims to be (hence one spur)

[Sir Brian]

A knight wearing a single spur historically meant they have lost the other spur during a duel of honor in which the deadly sharpened spur was the weapon of choice. 

Incorrect. A knight with a single spur meant he doesn't know how to armor up properly & is too cheap to afford a good squire/page OR he is only HALF the knight he claims to be (hence one spur)

This photographic evidence renders your argument invalid! 

[Sir William]

Looks like you might've taken a wound to the lead foot there, Sir Brian. 

[Sir James A]

+1 internets to Sir Brian for photographic proof!

[Sir William]

LOL @ +1 internets; that's the second time I've seen that.

[Sir Brian]

Looks like you might've taken a wound to the lead foot there, Sir Brian. 

Yes Sir Edward was wearing those aluminum chausses while my steel splinted armor was at a serious weight disadvantage! - That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

[Corvus]

The single spur thing reminds me of a missing-man formation and other such symbols. I can't imagine it as being practical though. Yet indeed until recently I had not known that modern Knights were awarded spurs either - so what do I know?