Living History Stuff

[Ian]

Ian - while I fully understand the importance of accuracy/portrayal display in LH, personally I lean toward inclusiveness if the ultimate goal of said undertaking is not to only carry on tradition and tradecraft, but also to teach and interest those outside our "niche" - especially the next generation    BTW, where do you participate in LH?  It's an area I'd like to learn more about.

As far as inclusion vs. accuracy, it really just varies by individual group and individual event.  Pick the events that work for you!  Days of Knights draws participants from different groups that vary in their level of accuracy, making the event very inclusive, but at the same time has a very acceptably high standard.  It's truly a unique event, especially for the US where Civil and Rev war LH is much more popular.

My participation in living history only goes back to the first Days of Knights a little over a year ago.  The research into my harness and impression began several years ago though and has been a very long process of refinement and replacement as my knowledge and skill grew.  I hope to possibly participate in the Military Through the Ages timeline event in Jamestown Settlement this March, but it is by invitation only, so here's to hoping

The premiere LH organization of my time period of interest in the US is the DC-area centric group called 'La Belle Compagnie.'  They have incredibly stringent standards, but they put on the most authentic presentation you can hope to see on the late 14th century this side of 1399.

[SirNathanQ]

So far I've only done DOK for living history, but I'd love to do more events. Right now I only have one kit up to LH snuff, my 1310 Teutonic Knight kit. I'm trying to put together a LH caliber (at least appearance-wise) fighting kit, and after that expand onto the encampment side of things.

[Sir Douglas]

So what are the minimum requirements on gear for DoK? Obviously period-appropriate clothing, but is there anything else that you'd need, or at the very least be highly recommended to have. I assume I wouldn't need an entire encampment with furniture just to be able to participate, right?

[Sir Wolf]

as far as i can see (never been there) you could just walk on and be there (after you registered before hand) and not even have a camp.

[Ian]

So what are the minimum requirements on gear for DoK? Obviously period-appropriate clothing, but is there anything else that you'd need, or at the very least be highly recommended to have. I assume I wouldn't need an entire encampment with furniture just to be able to participate, right?

All you really need is yourself and period clothing.  There is absolutely no requirement for an encampment or anything beyond you.  Some folks who don't have period tents stay in local accommodations / lodgings, bum space of someone else, or stay in modern tents separate from the encampment proper.  Both DoKs so far have had areas for non-period tents.

[Sir Wolf]

nothing beats laying out under the stars in a trench with 1 wool blanket. lol

[Sir Nate]

what is living history exactly?

[Sir Edward]

what is living history exactly?

It's an attempt to make everything as historically accurate as possible, including clothing, accessories, camp supplies, and so on... right down to the types of stitching, fabric, buttons, and so on.

[Ian]

what is living history exactly?

It's just re-enactment of any era, where the general goal is education not theater with an emphasis on detailed historical accuracy.  So we strive to be as historically accurate as we can possibly be in dress, armor, camping equipment, mundane equipment etc. and we do this in order to provide an educational platform for the public to try to get across what our chosen time period would have really been like and what type of equipment they would have really used.  This would be in contrast to a Renaissance Fair, where it's more a theatrical presentation with historically 'themed' fantasy elements.

Days of Knights is an event some of the members of the Order of the Marshal attend, and it's a living history event.  It's held in Kentucky in October each year.  We camp in period appropriate tents and dress, eat, don armor, and do demonstrations accurate to various points in time during the medieval era.

[Sir James A]

In addition to what Sir Edward and Sir Ian have said, another important aspect is that it is an attempt to keep OUT things that are blatantly fantasy; no elves, no dragons, no fairies, etc.

[Sir Douglas]

[...]no elves, no dragons, no fairies, etc.

Well darn...so much for my Elven Fairywyrm kit, complete with studded leather bracers and monster, anime buster sword. Back to the drawing board.


On a more serious note, I just started on a soft kit that I want to at least be living history-grade regardless of whether or not I'm actually able to attend DoK this year. So far I have braies (which I might have to redo since they're technically cotton, not linen), a pair of woolen hose, some shoes, and a linen coif. I'm planning to finish it off with a linen undershirt, a woolen cote, and maybe a surcote and liripipe hood. I'm shooting for late 13th/early 14th C. Am I pretty close?

And does anybody know when cloth buttons came in to fasten cote sleeves? I know sleeves started getting more fitted during the 13th century and have heard that, for a time, they were sewn shut on the wearer each time they were worn. I'm lazy and kind of don't want to do that. But I've seen some reproductions that have a few cloth buttons along the wrist. Can't find any period examples, though. Would I be better off just going with loose sleeves?

[Sir Wolf]

so no nuts no butts no coconuts?

[Sir James A]

Soft kit takes too much work and is too tedious. Just roll around in armor all day.

[Sir Wolf]

/\ i think i just threw up a lil in my mouth

[Sir Nate]

Soft kit takes too much work and is too tedious. Just roll around in armor all day.

Perhaps once I'm older and have more templar accurate maille, I'll do it.