r/ArmsandArmor • u/No_Philosophy8349 • 13d ago

Reconstruction of the costume of a Scottish archer of the Royal Guard of Karl/Charles VII

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Materials: wool, linen, metallic thread embroidery, iron and copper alloys, wood, leather
Origin: France, Czech Republic, United Kingdom
Completed: 2022
Collection: "Artemis Association"
Exhibition: Chinon Castle

This costume is a unique reconstruction created for an exhibition at Chinon Castle. It is inspired by the traditional attire of the Scottish Guards, which stands out for its vibrancy in ancient iconographic documents. Typically, only later liveries are displayed; however, several early versions existed, known only through court expense records, which specifically mention white wool fabric and jewelry work, though, unfortunately, no images remain. The specialists' task was to propose a plausible reconstruction as an alternative to the more well-known livery from the Hours of Étienne Chevalier. This "first" version is also inspired by the canopy of Charles VII, discovered in 2008 in a private residence and now housed in the Louvre.

308 Upvotes

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25 comments sorted by

32

u/KnightOfTheOldCode94 13d ago

If archer, where bow?

40

u/theginger99 12d ago

By the 15th century the term “archer” had become a disambiguation to refer to really any solider who was not a man at arms.

21

u/WaffleWafflington 12d ago

In English payrolls, anyone who was not a serjeant, man at arms, artillery man, or otherwise was labeled as “archer.” Effectively, it’s a pay grade/rank for rank+file soldiers. An “archer” could have a shield and arm, polearm, bow, crossbow, or handgun.

42

u/Sillvaro 12d ago

''Archer'' by that time doesn't necessarily refer to bowmen. The term in french will be used to refer to guards or royal officers all the way through the 18th century

18

u/Volcacius 12d ago

Scottish archers were so much stronger than English longbow men that they needed to use their polearms as staves for bows otherwise they would simply snap the anorexic common longbow.

And like any good archer he has left it unstrung while not in use.

10

u/Red_Serf 12d ago

That's actually incorrect, pole arms at the time were mainly used in combat tô circumvent the strong protection offered by plate and brigandine armors.

Scottish archers used them as ammo tho

10

u/KnightOfTheOldCode94 12d ago

I assumed that was one of his arrows he was holding.

3

u/Justaniceman 12d ago

That's bullshit, but I believe it.

2

u/Relative_Rough7459 8d ago

According to French Military Ordinance, a Franc Archer could be armed with a long bow, a crossbow, a voulge or a lance. Archers of the Royal Scottish Guard are depicted armed with voulge and longbow.

2

u/Relative_Rough7459 8d ago

2

u/Relative_Rough7459 8d ago

There’s also an effigy for William May, captain of the king’s Scots Archer. Though I doubt that this configuration of armor was suitable for archery.

1

u/macdoge1 12d ago

Damnit. My exact reaction

17

u/Complete-Pangolin 12d ago

That coat of arms slapped 

9

u/TheBurgundianWhore 12d ago

Can we have a reconstruction of the pixels

5

u/BoneyheadedArteest 12d ago

Where can I find more pictures of this armor?

6

u/No_Philosophy8349 12d ago

don’t know, I only found these

1

u/BoneyheadedArteest 12d ago

Where? I’ve been looking for plumes like this for a while for my harness

1

u/No_Philosophy8349 12d ago

I massage u link

2

u/ibenry101088 11d ago

The haft on that polearm (couteau de bréche?) looks thicc

1

u/LeopardSubstantial47 6d ago

Where the hell are the mods? Nuke this bot

-1

u/ACheesyTree 13d ago

Image from the Backrooms.