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Alternately, the Gotlanders may have chosen to engage in battle with the Danish army outside the walls, hoping to win. The airport in Visby is located only five minutes' drive from Visby city centre. It has been an annual event since 1984 and offers loads of seminars, guided tours, shows, a huge market and all sorts of things focused on the Middle Ages. Osteological analysis revealed that many of the warriors were juveniles or elderly, and most showed signs of sharp force trauma. The battle stood between Gotlands farmers and a battle hardened army from Denmark. According to Swedish law it is prohibited to use crossbows against humans, even when arrows are blunt. The basic attitude in these fights should be that the fighting should be SAFE and FUN, both for audience and fighters. Danish cavalry plus Gotlandian soldiers riding to the battlefield. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Quigley, C. (2001). Pollaxes should be of earliermodells. After the Gotlanders surrendered, the island became a part of the Danish kingdom for a short period of time, until the Swedish crown reclaimed it in the early 15th century. The overall battlefield commander must be notified as soon as possible. Image Credit: Xenophon on Wikipedia. All camp inhabitants must be registered before they arrive. Furthermore, you will probably be a bit more careful when engaging your opponents. Login is done with the contact persons Facebook account. June 30th. The Battle of Visby was a violent Medieval battle near the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland, fought between the inhabitants of Gotland and the Danes, with the latter emerging victorious. The unit commander must be informed about who is leaving, which type of injury has occurred, and whether the wounded is fit to walk. There are many stories and legends concerning the battles of 1361. Thomas Neijman, overall battlefield commander. The other unit will be more involved in the battle, by riding in high speed along secured lanes in the battlefield, to show the effect of cavalry charges. This category exists to show that everybody is effected in an armed conflict. Bone remains show the horrendous injuries inflicted during the medieval battle of Visby. Modern body adornments, haircuts and unorthodox hair colors must be covered. Firewood will be provided. The Battle of Visby was fought July 27th, 1361 near the town of Visby on the island of Gotland, Sweden, between the forces of the Danish king Valdemar IV and the Gutnish country yeomen. The opponents targeted must know that they are being fired upon, and when this happens. The 1905 excavation of the battle site uncovered a mass grave and is notable for the quantity of bodies (~2000) and equipment located therein. The whole body below the neck is considered a valid target area – again, except for neck or throat, hands, joints, groin and feet, which are off-limits. Never shout these words if there isn’t an actual injury. The two armies will be put together in May. The Battle of Wisby project aims to recreate the battles of Mästerby and Visby, and to give voice, across the centuries, to those who fell in these battles. Everyone participating as fighters in the battles shall dress as, and appear as, men. ... As every true woman had to have little black dress in her wardrobe, so every true reenactor/warrior has to have Visby brigandine.There is an armor must-have, rough but reliable classics of European armor of the middle – 2nd part of the XIV century. Aug 21, 2018 - July 1361, over 1300 poorly armed men were slaughtered defending the Swedish ruled city of Visby (Wisby) against an attack by King Waldemar of Denmark. One for fully armoured noblemen and one for men-at-arms. We need your application for the Battle of Wisby event as soon as possible! It fastens from the back. No person under the age of 18 may participate in battle. If you are interested in participating with a crossbow, please contact: Arrows must be fired at an angle of at least 45°. Today, Visby mass graves have given historians a detailed glimpse at medieval combat and armor. The battle left a lasting archaeological legacy; masses of slaughtered soldiers and citizens lay scattered across what was once a blood battle field. When you apply for the event, tell us which side you would rather fight on. Sunday 4/8 Medieval week in Wisby opens 11:00- 17:00 Camp opens for public, Sunday 11/8 Camp is closed for the public. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Showers can be found in a nearby school, ca. Both sides will present a mounted force. There are many stories and legends concerning the battles of 1361. Legs: Chainmail, splinted leg protection or plate legs. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. These men would have worn what was known as transitional armour, with iron or steel plates over vital areas and joints over a full suit of chain mail. All arrows must be inspected by an official inspector prior to the battle. We would like to point out that although the weapons used will be blunted, injuries are always a risk. If a fighter wears more armor, he will obtain more hit points. The cross was likely erected in relative conjunction with the events that took place. Left: The memorial stone for Battle of Wisby 1361. A lot of people will have open helmets, and if all visors are up, visibility will improve greatly. The Danish forces may have already been in place, blocking the path of the Gotlanders, and forcing them to fight outside the walls. Nobles should display reasonably upscale furniture in their tents, while simpler people should, of course, have simpler furniture. You may not take hold of an opponent’s weapon if it doesn’t have a wooden shaft. This was a blessing to the archaeologist and historian, for the graves of Visby contained many very interesting pieces of armour and mail. Their exhibition Medieval Massacre focuses on the events of 1361. The clashes began and they culminated on July 27 just outside the city walls. Your group leader needs to know exactly where you are to avoid injuries. (2008). The sooner you send us your pics, the better; then you will have more time to make any necessary adjustments to your gear. The exact amount of hit points will be notified later, but the maximum will range from 3-5 points. Please enclose the photos to your application. It is absolutely forbidden to consume alcohol the same day as a fight or a practice fight (from 00:00 o’clock until the fight is finished). We want your equipment to fit into the context of the Baltic sea region during the mid-14th century. Bone remains show the horrendous injuries inflicted during the medieval battle of Visby. 300m from camp. They must be in good condition, and all notches on point and edge must be filed down. The first source to specifically name Mästerby is: Strelow’s account is written long after the events of 1361, but it is possible that he had access to older sources, which were destroyed at a fire in a vicarage, 1735. The Danish won a decisive victory. When you leave your camp site, it must be clean and approved by the Battle of Wisby crew. One of them says that the burghers of Wisby kept the city gates closed, refusing to let the army of local peasants in. You may hit harder only when your opponent wears plate or the like. It is important that you read through the provided information and guides presented on this webpage before applying. When you apply for the event, tell us which side you would rather be on. The Danish force was victorious. Never look up at falling arrows! The main battle was fought within 300 meters of the city of Visby’s fortifications. Info about the workshops can be found here, https://www.medeltidsveckan.se/sv/battle-of-wisby/workshops. Exceptions for weapon specifications (read more under fighter) are only allowed if approved at muster. Skull of a Gutnish soldier found wearing medieval chainmail. You are not allowed to use your axe to grapple clothing, armor or body. This body protection is based on the plates found at the site of the Battle of Visby. Do not fall on anybody else's upper body or head. The wings/edges of a mace must be at least 3 mm thick. As a member of this group, you will make the battle seem more realistic by adding more people to the battlefield. He had now landed on the island with a … A legion of Swedish peasants tried to repel the Danish invasion near the city of Visby, but the inexperienced Gotlanders were no match for the Danish soldiers and many of them were slaughtered during the battle. In July of 1361 the Danish king Valdemar IV decided to invade the island of Gotland, Sweden because it had a diverse population that included Danes, was populated with wealthy inhabitants, and was strategically located in the Baltic Sea. The arrows of a bowman must be marked with a personal mark – otherwise it will be impossible to tell which arrow belongs to which shooter when the battle is over. Their corpses are thrown into mass graves. He was intent on subjugating Gotland after conquering parts of Skåne and Öland. Fighters should wear woolen hose, some kind of kyrtle/tunic/doublet made from wool OR a gambeson. Participants are required to submit photos of their tents (if planning to stay in the camp) as well as their clothing (this goes for everyone). Three days later the besieged city capitulated and the defenders were finally able to come out to quickly bury the putrifying bodies in pits dug into a peat bog. Due to the heat, the dead had to be disposed of quickly, and many were buried in their armor. Amongst these sources are: These sources do not mention the location of these battles, except the one outside of the city of Visby. We recommend that you take a tour around the countryside when you visit the island. 2014-jun-22 - European coat of plates and coifs from a mass grave, battle of Visby, fought in July 1361 on the Swedish Baltic island of Gotland, between invading Danish troops and the local, Gutnish, forces. We do not know if this is true. When the wounded is moved off the field, a comrade must always accompany him. If you have “died” or if you are “severely wounded”, you will remain on the battlefield until the battle is over, unless someone carries you off the field or you get a order to be "alive" again. Pollaxes with holes in the axeblade and straight axeblades are not allowed. Among these are: Many findings have been made, particularly during recent years, as archaeological expeditions have investigated the area. Gotlandsflyg departs daily from Stockholm/Bromma. Participants could be women, men and children. Unusual resources and care were mobilized to investigate the burial pit from the Battle of Wisby, and the writing, the diagrams, and the photos were all first rate. Archaeologists Bengt Thordeman and Poul Nørlund recovered more bodies during additional excavations from two mass graves between 1912 and 1928, bringing the total bodies recovered to 1185. If the arrow is damaged it must be broken or put away. or "Skadad!/Wounded!". All helmets must protect the upper part of the head, including the temples. Read more about this in the equipment rules. The battles will be “semi-coordinated”. One contact person per group apply for participation. If somebody shouts STOPP or HOLD, all fighting in the concerned units must stop. An accidental hit at these areas will not count as a hit. Strelow, 1633, Parts of armor, such as lamellas, buckles and fittings. The Franciscans of Wisby mention that some 1 800 peasants were killed in the battle. No sharp weapons of any kind are allowed on the battlefield. Blade length: Max 30 cm. This means that troop movement and arrow shooting is coordinated, but the actual battle between the units will be “free”. Thrusts against neck or throat, hands, joints, groin and feet are forbidden. If you plan to keep a fire in your camp, you will need a fire extinguisher. We would like you to send us a photo of yourself in your Medieval outfit, and a picture of your tent if you are planning to stay in the camp. (en) The Tournaments will be official and with audience. There will be a number of different categories of people on the battlefield. 1, Text, Kungl. The Danish won a decisive victory. All arrows must be inspected by an official inspector prior to the battle. This soldier died at the Battle of Visby in 1361. The flight takes about 35-45 minutes. This is done because we would like to know how many participants are attending in the end, that they have got all information they need, that their equipment is approved and that all participants could participate and use their weapons in a safe manner. We do not know if this is true. This group of participants will never be in any kind of fight. One of them says that the burghers of Wisby kept the city gates closed, refusing to let the army of local peasants in. SOURCES DISCUSSING THE FIGHTING AT MÄSTERBY, 1361. The Visby skeletal collection at the Fornsalen Museum contains the remains of 1185 people who died at the Battle of Visby in 1361 and is the largest battlefield skeletal collection in Europe. Early on the morning of Thursday July 22, the enemy fleet was clearly seen. Right: They landed on the coast of Eksta Parish, Gotland and the Danish troops moved towards Visby. 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