And so, to 12th Century Spain!

 

 

 

Who doesn't like a purple horse, or a green one? I'm much taken by the image above.  Let's take it line by line.

 

In the first line we have two archers, unarmoured and, judging by the tall pointed caps, Muslims. The cap being required of them by law. A trumpeter of sorts also un-armoured but he carries a sword and shield.  Then, a front rank of well armoured men.  Banners are flying, shields are mainly round with a couple of kite shapes.  Infantry or dismounted hidalgos?  In either case I'd say the archers are firing over the front rank.  We will keep that in mind. There are lots of arrows coming the other way too.

 

The second line next.  Has the lad on the lower left lost his cuddy or does he represent infantry ready to exploit a cavalry success? The hidalgos ride with a long stirrup and have quite high cantel saddles.  That's the sort of thing I associate with hard charging cavalry.  Note the over hand spear grip.  Good to thrust and to throw.  

 

 

That would be the old Visigoth tradition. Older still the Celts of the region liked to thrust and throw spears from horseback.  The British refugees to Asturias also came from that cavalry tradition.  Then we have accounts of Spanish hidalgos joining in the skirmishing between vying light cavalry.  Something to think about there.

 

 

It could be, in Billhooks terms, pre- game that the owning player must declare his hidalgos "knights" or "cavalry".  Or, a "special card" enabling him to reverse the choice, should that card appear. 

 

 

Two things more to consider.  Spanish hidalgos mostly had the close combat edge over their Muslim mounted and armoured opponents.  Likewise hidalgos took on Frankish knights on a seemingly equal basis.  On balance it looks like Knghts.

The last line seems to be a king doing king stuff.  Judicial  murder in this case.  There was a lot of that about.  The fetters indicate it is formal rather than informal homicide.

 

Now, to the point.  This is the first post of a new Spanish Project.  This one is tentatively called "Tell Cid".  As is becoming my practice it will feature two or more armies and a new set of rules. More on that as we go.

I have some new toys from Donnington New Era.  You have to drill hands and stick on shields.  I've broken 4 figures so far.  That said the results with the survivors are very nice.

Above we have the hidalgos of Asturias and Galicia.  The banners may not be historical but to me they speak to something of Green Spain.  I'll probably expand this into two units.

 

Here we have some Berber cavalry.  The flag is one currently favoured among some Berber people and I'm sticking with it.  

 

 

These lads could fight for or against the Arabs on their own part.  They also hired out to Christian armies betimes.  When not doing those things they raided Christian Spain and beyond.

 

I wish you a Happy New Year for '23.  More soon.