What is the Historical Basis for Makurian Knights?

[Abul'Khair]

Is there any historical basis for Makurian knights? Or are they there for game play balance? What about armor? They did have armor right? But not as much as most other factions?

[Dago Red]

According to the unit card they are no less armored then the average Crusader knight... perhaps less so than the later knights wearing a coat-of-plates or aketon with reinforced plates riveted in beneath their mail but otherwise they are wearing the same heavy mail, with a combination of Middle Eastern cloths and shields.

"The society of Makuria and much of Christian Nubia is highly stratified, with the very limited rich exceptionally rich and the very abundant poor exceptionally poor. Little exists of a middle class, leaving the wealth that would go to those middle-of-the-road citizens in the hands of the Nobility. Their financial presence has afforded them access to the best that can be found. From their Christian Brethren in Outremer come Frankish Heavy Mail, Long hauberks that cover the whole of the body and whose glisten and glimmer of finely-crafted mail links seem to reflect the immense wealth of the wielder. Beneath which lies thick aketons of leather and cloth, a further defense against any attack to pass by their strong kite-shields. Though the history of Makuria and the Islamic Powers of Egypt is rife with conflict, up until the arrival of Saladin there was much trade exchanged between the Nubians and the latest kingdom to prop up in northern Africa. From the Muslims come the ornate and strong shields worn by these Warriors, as well as the brilliant silks and cottons which further display their regal presence. Yet the weapons they trust in are not Frankish nor Saracen but firmly Nubian and Abyssinian, the extensions of their martial pride and spirit suited only to be born of the lands of the warriors who shall wield them."

[Abul'Khair]

Thanks but that really doesn't answer my question.

[Prince of Judah]

I got a book off of amazon about the Medieval Nubian area. if I find something relevant I'll post it, but I doubt I will.

[matmohair1]

most of the physical information regarding Makurian Knights has been gathered from late east & west African sources & archeology - here are a few examples

19th century armor from Sudan

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

west African cavalry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

a good source on the subject is the book "AFRICAN KNIGHTS" by Conrad Cairns
- it mostly deals with west African cavalry

http://www.amazon.com/AFRICAN-KNIGHT.../dp/1901543080

[Abul'Khair]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Alejandro Sanchez]

Is there any historical basis for Makurian knights? Or are they there for game play balance? What about armor? They did have armor right? But not as much as most other factions?

As you can see, they are nothing more than a hypothetical image.
In fact, no archaeological or written, or pictorial medieval sources could not confirm the existence of these BC knights in medieval Nubia. But also to refute. In short, there is very little information about the medieval Nubian army in general

[Alejandro Sanchez]

Quotes from Medieval Kingdoms of Nubia by Derek A. Welsby about early Nubian conflicts and Nubian army with some relevant pics from world museums

[Prince of Judah]

is that a scan of that book? I just got it on amazon and was planning to send wudang_clown important exceprts.

[Alejandro Sanchez]

is that a scan of that book?

Yes

[Favor Daver]

Love the Samuel L. Jackson general icon. lol.

[matmohair1]

a plate from the recent Osprey title "armies of the Adowa campaign"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Silesian_Noble]

WOW, the cavalryman looks like from a different world...

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Sub-saharan Africa is very different indeed. Sending horsemen in quilted jackets to battle enemies with machine guns?

[Harith]

haha the guy has a full mail but with no shoes, sandals or what so ever foot protection.... what if he takes a spear in his foot.... or gets slashed... or even stepped on??

[Shasqua]

Sub-saharan Africa is very different indeed. Sending horsemen in quilted jackets to battle enemies with machine guns?

The combination of armor, horses, lances, swords, and muskets was very effective against the average tribesman. For a lot of reasons (namely disease, dry land, and isolation), most of Africa has always been very poor.

However, it's interesting to note that even during WWI, all the major powers used cavalry in battle, typically in combat against one another with lances, sabers, and yes, even armor.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Against machine guns, cavalry die, but then again, so did the infantry in WWI. Even then, though, the Aussies launched a successful cavalry charge at Beersheba against entrenched infantry, machine guns, and artillery with bayonets in hand. Ottoman machine guns were a problem but were knocked out by horse artillery. The cavalry (actually light horse) charged in waves too spread out for the artillery to be effective, and closed with the enenmy so quickly that the defenders couldn't adjust their sights enough and ended up overshooting their targets. Once the horsemen reached them, the Ottomans quickly surrendered. Obviously, had the Ottomans been better trained and disciplined, and had they held their fire until the enemy was near, they would have won, but this whole episode goes to show that cavalry wasn't always as hilariously outdated as some claim. That said, it was decidedly outclassed by infantry most of the time and was rather expensive.


Skip to 5 minutes in if you want to cut to the action. Well, the whole thing's action, really.

Hell, the Italians mounted a successful cavalry charge against the Soviets in 1942, and the most recent successful cavalry charge (albeit heavily supported by airstrikes) was in 2001, with the Afghan Northern Alliance and US special forces doing pretty well against the Taliban.

[nein]

>haha the guy has a full mail but with no shoes, sandals or what so ever foot protection.... what if he takes a spear in his foot

I used to be a knight just like you, until I took a spear in the foot

[nurhak]

>haha the guy has a full mail but with no shoes, sandals or what so ever foot protection.... what if he takes a spear in his foot

I used to be a knight just like you, until I took a spear in the foot

[Harith]

yea I didnt understand that joke.. until I saw ur vid