This FAQ pertains mostly to questions about our presentations and educational services.
For a FAQ that addresses our training, please visit Veritas Swordplay Academy.

• What is "Veritas?" What is the significance of the name?

Veritas is Latin for truth, and that is what we bring to our presentations. We present the facts, to the best of our current understanding, about arms, armour, combat, and knighthood of the medieval and renaissance periods.

• Are you affiliated with any other organizations?

No. We are our own non-profit educational charity, intentionally independent of other groups or societies. We are not reenactors presenting an idealized version of the Middle Ages nor interpreting historical swordsmanship through modern requirements. By not having to adhere to the rules and regulations of another organization, we have the ability to present material that other groups cannot or will not cover. Because this allows us to stick as closely as possible to the facts, a number of our clients have expressed relief that we are not hindered by anachronistic practices.

• Are you reenactors? Do you put on plays?

No. Our presentations are neither reenactments nor recreations of historical events, nor do we spend our spare time assuming fictitious identities and holding costumed events. We consider ourselves living historians, speaking in a factual but modern manner on the subject of medieval arms, armour, combat, and knighthood.

• What are your presentations like?

Our presentations are geared towards presenting factual information about medieval arms, armour, combat, and knighthood. We do this by demonstrating historically correct combat techniques with the sword, both in and out of armour; calling on audience members for select hands-on experiences; allowing the audience the chance to hold the weaponry and try on armour; and offering informative question/answer/discussion infused with facts and humor. Our goal is to disspell myths and compel the audience to reconsider their beliefs on the subject. We have many testimonials from happy clients and will gladly give references upon request. A sampling can be found on our Gallery page.

• How does the Code of Chivalry play into this?

We believe that the Code of Chivalry from history has applications to everyday modern life. By practicing chivalric values, we may not only improve ourselves, but improve the lives of others and connect to that which is noble within each of us. The Code of Chivalry as we practice it is neither religious nor denominational, but sets a good example for all people regardless of their faith or background. In context to our presentations, the historical Code of Chivalry is important in understanding the social climate knights experienced in the middle ages, and this allows us to discuss the Code of Chivalry as it may be practiced today.

• How do I join?

If you are local, Veritas Swordplay Academy is open to most people who are interested in studying with us. We are very selective about who we bring onto our presentation team, however, and those opportunities are limited at best. We do not offer franchises at this time.

• What is Western Martial Arts? Does it involve cowboys?

No cowboys here. Western Martial Arts, or WMA for short, are the historical combat traditions of Western cultures, namely Europe. This is a matter of distinction from Eastern Martial Arts, popularly known in the form of such traditions as Karate, Kung Fu, etc., originating from Eastern cultures. Unfortunately, when people think "martial arts," the tendency is to immediately think of Eastern forms to the exclusion of all else. The fact is that there are dozens of surviving manuals from the middle ages and renaissance that are instructional in the combat forms popular in their day. Despite the abundance of such documentation, it is only in the last 10 years or so that Western Martial Arts have begun experiencing a renaissance of their own, with avid historians and practical-minded fighters attempting to re-create the historical combat arts of Europe.

• Are Western Martial Arts similar to Eastern Martial Arts?

In some ways, yes. The end result of any martial art grounded in effectiveness is to dispatch a foe quickly and simply, and those Eastern Martial Arts that retain these traits also share them with Western Martial Arts. The human body only has so many ways it can move, and those who were determined to hurt one another were very skilled at finding the very best ways of doing so, no matter what continent they came from. Possibly the largest difference may be that, since some Eastern Martial Arts have been passed down over so many generations, in some cases they have become a sport or fitness activity rather than a way of fighting effectively. Since Western Martial Arts is relatively untouched ground, those involved in interpreting them have the benefit of seeing them through fresh eyes rather than through traditional filters. Ultimately, what has been revealed is that the combat traditions of the European medieval and renaissance periods is easily on par with those of the East. Effective fighting is universal.

• Are Western Martial Arts similar to the fencing I've seen on the Olympics?

Only in a very limited way. Olympic style fencing is a modern sport that came about as a result of 19th Century duellists needing a safe way to train for duels. At that time, known as the "Classical" era of fencing, it was still about actually using the weapon for one's defense in a real encounter, and for that reason Classical fencing is considered a genuine martial art. Since modern fencing derived from Classical fencing, it has inherited a connection to an actual practical combat art. However, like some Eastern Martial Arts, modern fencing is not about defending one's life in a real fight with a real sword, but rather a sport concerned with technical form and scoring points during a bout. It's connection to an effective fighting art isn't all that far back in it's past, but it is a very long, broken line to try to trace modern fencing back to anything actually resembling authentic medieval or even renaissance combat.

• Are Western Martial Arts similar to what we see in movies?

Very little of what is seen in movies bears any resemblance to actual historical combat. It must be remembered at all times that movies, television, games, and other forms of entertainment are just that- entertainment. Most moves seen in stage or theatrical combat would get a person killed quickly if defending their life against someone skilled in historical combat arts. This is a distinction that we emphasize to both the theatrical and historical students who study at Veritas Swordplay Academy.

• Do you use real swords?

Absolutely. In our presentations, we use real steel replica swords that are similar in design, weight, and function to the historical originals. For more details of our training, please visit Veritas Swordplay Academy.

• Do you make your own swords?

No. Properly building a sword is a demanding art, involving not only making sure the weapon looks like an historical original, but also making sure it's weight, balance, center of percussion, harmonic balance, and other aspects are correct as well. Medieval knights didn't make their own swords- they, too, purchased them from people who knew their craft very well.

• Weren't medieval swords big, heavy, and awkward to use?

Not in the way that television and movies would have you believe. A longsword, which is approximately 48" in overall length, had a weight range of about 3 to 4 lbs. An average single-handed sword, with an overall length of about 38", weighed in at about 2 to 3 lbs. Even the largest swords ever meant for battlefield use, sometimes at a towering 72", averaged only 6 lbs., with 8 lbs. being considered the very top end of acceptable weight for that type. As with any tool, to appreciate the characteristics of a weapon, one must know how to effectively use it and train with it often. The result is that the weapon becomes an extension of your body, facilitating deliberate and efficient movements, rather than brutish chopping as most people are accustomed to thinking. (sword weights: Sword in Hand, Oakeshott, 2001; Wallace Collection Catalogs: Volume 2; museums worldwide.)

• Is your armour real?

Absolutely. Our replica armour is really made of steel, and is similar in design, weight, and function to the historical originals.

• Do you make your own armour?

A few pieces of the armour we use was made by Knights of Veritas Director Eric Slyter. Eric's own suit was made several years ago by craftsman Christian Fletcher of Nampa, Idaho. Crafting armour is a very specific sort of trade, and medieval knights didn't make their own armour. Usually, they sought the most "name brand" armourer they could, and would spend great sums of money to make sure that the armour not only fit correctly and functioned properly, but showed off their wealth and status as well.

• How much does a full suit of armour weigh?

Approximately 65 lbs., historically, for a suit of plate armour intended to be worn on the battlefield. The weight is well distributed across the body, and is far easier to wear on the body than carrying the same weight around in a sack. Some armour made for tournament jousting was built heavier and was more restrictive to movement, because it was essentially safety equipment only designed to protect the wearer while engaged in a specific, regulated, friendly activity. Battlefield armours required versatility, and could not be so heavy and restrictive or they would endanger the wearer. (armour weights: Heavy Metal: Focus on European Armour, Smith, 2004; among many others.)

• What if you fall down in the armour? Can you get back up?

Yes. Getting back up in full armour is not difficult. If wearing the armour actually endangered the wearer in the course of normal activities, it would not have seen such extensive use. The real question is if you can get up quickly enough when the person who knocked you down is still attacking you!

• Isn't the armour hot?

Yes, the heat is the worst thing about wearing the armour. As you move in the armour, your body temperature rises and the heat has nowhere to go. For this reason, and for the weight, the historical masters called out to armoured combatants to keep their movement conservative so as to not tire or overheat in their armour.

• What kind of horses did the knights ride?

Contrary to popular belief, knights in history neither preferred nor required large, heavy horses that would be comparable to modern draft breeds like Clydesdales. Typically, the horses were 13.5-15 hands high (54" - 60" at the shoulder) and built solid with dense bone structure, more like today's Andalusian or Lipizzaner horses. Historically, however, horses were bred for type and traits, not specific breeds at that time. Among the traits that were specifically called out as desirable by the masters of the time were speed and agility, which were traits that could get the knight in and out of a tight situation quickly and safely. Most prized of all, though, was gait, or the smoothness with which the horse moved. When we consider that fully armoured knights were killed on the battlefield with very precise injuries such as a lance to the well-protected throat or eyes, we realize just how important a smooth gait is to the knight's ability to hit his target accurately. Although there are individual exceptions, draft breeds generally possess a rough, jarring gait that would be unsuitable for such precise combat. (The Medieval Warhorse and Its Equipment, Museum of London, 1995; The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, Anglo, 2000.)

• Isn't it true that a knight had to be put on horseback with a crane?

No, this is a myth. It originated with Mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, wherein one of the illustrations of that book showed a knight being winched onto his horse. There is no documentation from any period source that indicates that this was necessary or ever done, and we know for a fact that battlefield armour was not so heavy and restrictive as to require this. Some sources even indicate that it was considered the mark of a good knight to be able to "leap" into his saddle fully armoured. In the case of heavier, more restricting tournament armours, they'd add some parts of the armour after the knight mounted his horse.

• Wasn't everyone short back then?

Just as today, there were short, tall, and in-between people back then. Skeletal evidence of commoners in the 15th Century place the average male at about 5' 8" and the average female at about 5' 2". There are examples, of course, of people from that era that were shorter than average as well as those taller than average, just like today. (The Cemetery of St Nicholas Shambles, White, 1988, pgs 30-31.)