What happened to bodies after medieval battles?

Bodies were stripped of any valuables, clothes included, and were either burned ( most often), or buried in mass graves, or sometimes just left for nature to reclaim. Depended on the combatants, the seasons, and location of the battle.

How did medieval armies surrender?

Medieval surrender must be understood as a social interaction between two persons or two parties: the person or party who was surrendering and the person or party who was accepting the surrender. The victor accepted the offer to surrender only if the reward was sufficient.

Did medieval soldiers get paid?

They were paid by whoever employed them for the duration of their contract. To stay provided for, they usually moved from contract to contract and, when these could not be come by, they resorted to brigandage.

What happened to captured medieval soldiers?

Prisoners usually remained in captivity until their relatives could gather the ransom. Occasionally they were freed temporarily to raise the payment themselves, as happened with some of the prisoners after the Siege of Carrickfergus in 1210.

How much did medieval mercenaries get paid?

The monthly pay of a simple mercenary was about four gulden, which was more than the average craftsman earned, and almost double the wage of a farm hand.

How much would a medieval army cost?

If you wanted a more rounded army, with say 750 footmen, 500 archers, 500 men-at-arms and 250 knights, that costs around 18000 pence, 252 000 USD, or 2520 g per day. Knight and men-at-arms are very expensive, but they are trained to fight and that cost may be worth it.

What was the ratio of archers to soldiers in medieval warfare?

In English armies the ratio of archers to men-at-arms increased to about three to one. It was rare for a large medieval army to be without mercenaries or stipendiaries. Paid soldiers were employed in princely and noble military households. `Allies’ might also be paid, as were the hired troops in late medieval companies.

Why are medieval armies so difficult to estimate?

Medieval armies varied considerably in size and composition. One of the major problems is to find trustworthy sources. Chroniclers were notoriously unreliable on numbers-for a single battle one can have very different estimates. Even administrative sources are not necessarily accurate, usually incomplete and often pose problems of interpretation.

What was a military household in medieval times?

Military households descended from the war-bands of barbarian kings or chieftains. Members owed allegiance to their lord, often reinforced by oaths. In return the lord gave shelter and sustenance. Practically all medieval rulers had military households, often expanded in war.

What were the divisions of a medieval army called?

The major divisions were often called `battles’- three, four, or more, to an army. Men often fought in regional groups-Bretons on the left, Normans on the right. There were smaller units, such as conrois, consisting of 10 or 20 men.