The brutal reality of medieval warfare: A glimpse into the chaos of a Middle Ages battle

On any given medieval battlefield, there were a number of different kinds of warriors. 

Kings and generals tried to have a variety of people with a range of different skills that they could use to win any potential fight.

Here are the most common types:

In the complicated mix of medieval warfare, knights were often the most visible and celebrated figures.  

Clad in heavy plate armor and on warhorses, these top fighters were usually of noble birth and trained from a young age in both the arts of war and the codes of chivalry.  

They led charges, engaged in single combat with enemy knights, and were key in breaking enemy lines.  

The knight's role was supported by men-at-arms, who were professional soldiers serving a lord or king.

Well-trained and equipped with quality armour and weapons, men-at-arms formed the backbone of the infantry, holding the line in battle and engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

While knights and men-at-arms were often at the forefront, archers provided crucial support from a distance.

Trained to use different bows, longbows, crossbows or shortbows depending on the region. Archers were usually positioned behind the infantry or on elevated ground to make the most of their range and power.

Their arrows could attack and weaken enemy formations or target high-value enemies like knights or commanders.

The role of archers was especially important in countering the heavy cavalry charges led by knights, which offered medieval armies more tactical options.  

Pikemen, armed with long pikes effective against cavalry, often stood at the front lines.

Their long weapons stopped enemy knights and cavalry from breaking through, providing a first line of defence for the archers and men-at-arms behind them. 

Light infantry were less heavily armed and armoured than knights and men-at-arms and performed a variety of roles: they skirmished and harassed enemy lines and acted as scouts or messengers.  

Their speed and quickness made them suitable for hit-and-run tactics, and they often filled gaps in the army where needed.

Siege engineers, though more commonly associated with sieges than open-field battles, had a specialized role in operating heavy machinery like trebuchets and catapults.

These machines could hurl large stones or fireballs, which caused great damage and disorder among enemy ranks.

Siege engineers were crucial in breaking through defences and could turn the tide of battle when used effectively.

Peasant soldiers, often referred to as levies, were the untrained group of people that frequently made up the bulk of medieval armies.

Unlike knights or men-at-arms, who were professional soldiers with training and quality equipment, peasant soldiers were usually farmers, labourers, or craftsmen drafted into service.

They were often poorly armed, sometimes with nothing more than farming tools like scythes or pitchforks, and their armour was basic at best, often consisting of padded clothing or leather rather than metal.

Despite their lack of training and equipment, their numbers made them a force to be reckoned with, especially when used effectively in combination with more skilled troops.

However, their inexperience also made them vulnerable, and they suffered high casualties, especially when pitted against well-trained or heavily armoured opponents.

Peasant soldiers were the main part of many medieval armies, providing the manpower that was often crucial for large-scale operations or sieges.  

Finally, mercenaries, soldiers fighting for pay rather than loyalty, added an unpredictable element.

Their skills and equipment varied widely, and they could perform roles similar to men-at-arms or archers, depending on their expertise.

Before the battle even begins, preparations are thorough. Soldiers spend days, sometimes weeks, when they sharpen weapons, repair armour, and practice formations.

Archers prepare their arrows, while knights and squires maintain their horses. The air is thick with tension as both sides know that the coming battle could mean life or death, victory or defeat.

As dawn breaks on the day of the battle, both armies line up facing each other, often separated by a field or a hill.

The commanders give rousing speeches, invoking God, king, and country to motivate their troops.

Then, a complete silence falls over the battlefield, which was broken only by the distant cries of crows and the rustling of banners in the wind.

Suddenly, a trumpet sounds, or a commander gives the signal, and the battle begins.

Cavalry charges are often the first to break the silence, as their warhorses gallop at full speed towards the enemy lines.

The ground shakes under the weight of the charge, and the first clash is usually devastating, with lances breaking and men falling to the ground, wounded or dead.

After the initial charge, the battle devolves into a confusing fight. Soldiers engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat, using swords, axes, and maces to break through enemy lines.

Archers release volleys of arrows with the aim of taking down as many foes as possible.

The noise is very loud: the clash of steel, the screams of the wounded, and the battle cries of those still fighting.  

As the day wears on, exhaustion sets in. Armour becomes unbearably heavy, weapons feel cumbersome, and the dead and wounded litter the battlefield.

The smell of blood, sweat, and death is overpowering. Many soldiers fight on purely on adrenaline, their bodies pushed past the point of endurance.

When one side finally breaks and retreats, the victors often give chase, aiming to capture or kill as many of the fleeing enemies as possible.

The battlefield is then a gloomy sight, filled with the dead and dying, the ground muddy and trampled, littered with broken weapons and pieces of armour.

Being in a medieval battle was a brutal, terrifying experience. It was a place where the concepts of honour and chivalry were often overshadowed by the harsh realities of war: death, injury, and the ever-present fear of defeat.

While idealised in tales and songs, the truth of medieval warfare is much more complicated and much less glamorous.

It was a life-changing event that few would ever forget, shaping the course of history one battle at a time.