A kite shield is a large, almond-shaped shield rounded at the top and curving down to a point or rounded point at the bottom. The term "kite shield" is a reference to the shield's unique shape, and is derived from its supposed similarity to a flying kite, although "leaf-shaped shield" and "almond shield" have also been used in recent literature.[2] Since the most prominent examples of this shield have appeared on the Bayeux Tapestry, the kite shield has become closely associated with Norman warfare.[3]
^Drawing from
Wendelin Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (1890), p. 172, after a miniature from the Second Bible of St Martial Abbey (early 12th century).
^Grotowski, Piotr (2009). Arms and Armour of the Warrior Saints: Tradition and Innovation in Byzantine Iconography (843–1261). Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV. pp. 231–234. ISBN 978-9004185487.
^Bartusis, Mark (1997). The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 1204-1453. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 322–342. ISBN 978-0812216202.
A kiteshield is a large, almond-shaped shield rounded at the top and curving down to a point or rounded point at the bottom. The term "kiteshield" is...
The heater shield or heater-shaped shield is a form of European medieval shield, developing from the early medieval kiteshield in the late 12th century...
medieval era kiteshield favoured by the Normans was introduced to Europe by the Vikings. However, no documentation or remains of kiteshields from the Viking...
Although offering less protection, especially to the legs than the kiteshield, the round shield was sometimes used as an offensive weapon. The word "swashbuckler"...
shields due to the differences in technique; with a round shield, one makes a punching motion towards an oncoming blow, while with a heater or kite shield...
Fighter kites are kites used for the sport of kite fighting. Traditionally, most are small, unstable single-line flat kites where line tension alone is...
the Innocents, c. 1250. Painting of a fighter with sword, helmet and kiteshield, fresco in Gothem Church, c. 1300. Illustration mock combat in a tournament...
10th century, oval shields were lengthened to cover the left knee of the mounted warrior, called the kiteshield. The heater shield was used during the...
the early stages of the Reconquista were equipped with mail hauberk, kiteshield, a long sword (designed to fight from the horse), javelins, spears and...
competitors. The display of heraldic emblems on shields is an innovation of the 12th century. The kiteshields shown in the Bayeux Tapestry (c. 1070) sometimes...
50–80 cm circular shield and the 90–100 cm oblong kiteshield (sometimes called a thyreos) shortly before 900 AD. The rectangular shield, in use since classical...
connected through straps, large round shields (the largest of them called "kite-shields") and long teardrop shields, armoured horses are depicted. The weapons...
of Aragon. The shield at this time still has the "kite" shape. Shield of Seedorf (late 12th century), the oldest extant medieval shield, showing a lion...
The pictured piece, likely a warder, is armed with sword, helmet, and kiteshield. The chronology within the Chronicle of Mann is notoriously suspect in...
Perninae, which are: "Kites mainly found in the tropics and specializing on insects and bee or wasp larvae, all lack the bony eye shield found in the Elaninae"...
long gambesons with belts and are carrying spears and long, narrow kite-shaped shields. When they carry swords they are hung from a baldric over the shoulder...
soldiers all wield swords and spears, conical nasal helms, teardrop kiteshields with center boss, shin length maille hauberks, shoulder to foot tunics...
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