Re: archers and fingers

[Heather Swann <heather@pop.net>]

Poster: Heather Swann <heather@pop.net>

Actually, it would make more sense as an intimidation tactic to me to
just cut off the fingers....

Miri

> One of the Rutlands posted the story about the French knights
> threatening to
> cut the fingers off of the Agincourt archers.  I've seen this story
> before in
> a number of books on medieval history but I have a hard time believing
> it is nothing
> more than legend.  There is the medieval custom that a dead noble is
> worth as much as a dead peasant
> which is nothing.  Meaning that those who weren't rich like the knights
> and other
> assorted baronage and men-at-arms wearing expensive armor weren't
> ransomed or captured-
> they were killed.  Likewise, woe to the lowly soldier who captured a
> noble and tried
> to hold him for ransom in order to get some cash.  The knights would
> have taken that honor away from that person
> who had no right to hold capture a knight.  Those who stepped over that
> line had a
> decent chance of being executed.
> 
> Perhaps the French knights toyed around with the notion of mutilating
> the archers
> before killing them?   That might make more sense.
> 
> Lyanna
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