413 replies to this topic

[Gin-Wulf]

there is mention of Aquilonian mail and steal being better than even Nemedian counterparts. not in those exact words, i don't have any books in front of me right now to find it, i believe it is HOTD . and can't recall if it is in HOTD or CD but i believe when giving a narrative overview of the kingdoms it even states the lands of Aquilonia were more rich in resources.
not that Nemedia was that far behind, but that the scales were always swung just a little in favor of Auqilonia,

[Ironhand]

there is mention of Aquilonian mail and steal being better than even Nemedian counterparts. not in those exact words, i don't have any books in front of me right now to find it, i believe it is HOTD . and can't recall if it is in HOTD or CD but i believe when giving a narrative overview of the kingdoms it even states the lands of Aquilonia were more rich in resources.
not that Nemedia was that far behind, but that the scales were always swung just a little in favor of Auqilonia,

Well, that explains why Nemedia wouldn't attack Aquilonia unless they had an "edge", like an Aquilonian dynastic squabble, or treachery, or a friendly wizard. But in HotD, Nemedia also has armored knights.

Edited by Ironhand, 27 June 2012 - 05:17 AM.

[Gin-Wulf]

yes I'm not meaning that Nemedia was far behind Aquilonia but just enough to never have a level playing field

[deuce]

The really big twohanders, with blades in excess of 4' and with 2' handles, actually date from the Renaissance-Reformation period, not the Middle Ages. They were never intended for use man-to-man, but were instruments used by specialists to smash pikes and make holes in the dense pike formations that could be exploited by other soldiers. Notice that in every period picture of a soldier with a twohander, he's also wearing a shortsword. When the press got too dense, he just dropped the big sword and drew the short one. The twohander began to decline when the Spaniards demonstrated that stationing files sword-and-buckler men between the pike files was the best way to deal with enemy pikemen. There exist ordnances from the Swiss cantons "to suppress the halberds and two-hand swords" and arm entirely with pike, sword-and-buckler and musket. The Scots seem to have retained their two-hand claymores long after that, but they were an extremely conservative people and stuck with their broadswords and targes long after everyone else had adopted the musket and bayonet for warfare.

Interesting as always, Mr. Roberts.

[Gin-Wulf]

from a letter to TC smith 1931 august ( copied from the Crusader thread)

"Now I've got to get hold of something on the Big Tatar (Tamerlane) and try to pound out a novelet; I've been thinking of writing a tale about him for a long time. And Babar the Tiger who established Mogul rule in India -- and the imperial phase in the life of Baibars the Panther, the subject of my last story -- and the rise of the Ottomans -- and the conquest of Constantinople by the Fifth Crusade -- and the subjugation of the Turks by the Arabs in the days of Abu Bekr -- and the gradual supplanting of the Arab masters by their Turkish slaves which culminated in the conquest of Asia Minor and Palestine by the Seljuks -- and the rise of Saladin --and the final destruction of Christian Outremer by Al Kalawun -- and the first Crusade -- Godfrey of Bouillon, Baldwin of Boulogne, Bohemund -- Sigurd the Jorsala-farer -- Barbarossa -- Coeur de Lion. Ye gods, I could write a century and still have only tapped the reservoir of dramatic possibilities. I wish to Hell I had a dozen markets for historical fiction -- I'd never write anything else."

so were is the roman/ classic stuff? REH,s letter was written 6 months before the first conan story and he was looking forward to writing all of these crusader/ medieval tales. not even "dark ages' crusader tales. it doesn't matter what he said to HPL , it is obvious that his heart was in the middle ages, he was willing to write medieval stories for a hundred years.

[deuce]

"The inherent problem with prequels is that they're not open ended. Certain things inevitably have to happen in order for the story to fit nicely into the continuity that was established"

---"Anonymous Poster"

That commentor was alluding to the Wolverine movie, but the same could be said of the self-imposed/historical restraints Robert E. Howard dealt with when writing about the end of the Hyborian Age. The Hyborian Age was the "prequel" to the "Historical Age".

[Albannach]

Really thought of the time as everything in a blender, Prehistoric, Ancient, Classical, Dark Age and Middle Age all at their most romantic essense.

[Tex]

Oh wait, don't you know? Just read back earlier through this thread, and you'll see that every single story is about Roman civilization versus barbarians.

Tex
( )

[Albannach]

Oh wait, don't you know? Just read back earlier through this thread, and you'll see that every single story is about Roman civilization versus barbarians.

Tex
( )

I thought while reading 'Beyond the Black River' and a few other involving the other frontiersmen on the Pictish border stories that they had elements of colonial North America. Quite often the Picts seem very similar to Native Americans.

Then again the basis of the story and the basis of the setting can be two different things which is what make Hyboria so interesting.

[Andradir]

The Hyborian Age is the age of adventures. An age where medieval knights exist as do cosacks, pirates, western frontier settler and red indians, an age where stone age and 19th century adventure coexist.
Kind of Peter Pan's Neverland for adults.

[docpod]

The discussion of seraglios. The Normans in Sicily had them in the Middle Ages. Roger de Hauteville had one when he conquered Sicily in the 11th Century. Almost a century later, the Sicilian Normans raided Greece and sacked the city of Thessalonika. Among the plunder were a group of Jewish girls were silk weavers. The girls continued as silk weavers in Sicily and double duty in the seraglio.

 

Morgan

[constantine]

In a similar manner, the court of the 11th c. Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos was reportedly a haven of debauchery. The suggestion is about the women's quarter, so something close to a seraglio might be implied.

 

In fact, not all seraglios need be organized in the same manner.

[deuce]

The discussion of seraglios. The Normans in Sicily had them in the Middle Ages. Roger de Hauteville had one when he conquered Sicily in the 11th Century. Almost a century later, the Sicilian Normans raided Greece and sacked the city of Thessalonika. Among the plunder were a group of Jewish girls were silk weavers. The girls continued as silk weavers in Sicily and double duty in the seraglio.

 

Morgan

 

Exactly. Some seem to view the Middle Ages as being women in convents and men sworn to chastity. Robert E. Howard saw the Middle Ages as a "bloody, drunken, bawdy" chaos of a playground in which he could set any tale he saw fit. Far different from Howard's view of "classical" antiquity.

 

It brings to mind a book I read a few months ago. Ringdal's Love For Sale documents how the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance period (in Europe) was overrun by whorehouses/prostitution. Howard's "bawdiness" indeed.  

[deuce]

In case there was any doubt as to Robert E. Howard's views regarding the Middle Ages and the "Renaissance", here is a list compiled by Robert E. Howard (straight from Patrice Louinet) ca. May, 1931 (ie, about half a year before Howard started writing Conan yarns):

 

.10. Red Shadows Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval France and Africa
.11. Skulls in the Stars Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval England
.12. Rattle of the Bones Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval Germany
.15. The Hills of the Dead Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval Africa
.16. The Moon of Skulls Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval Africa
.18. Wings in the Night Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval Africa
.19. The Footfalls Within Solomon Kane the Englishman medieval Africa

 

Yeah, Solomon Kane (circa 1580-1600AD) was considered to be "medieval" by his creator. That would be one Robert Ervin Howard (1906-1936). 

 

Howard never mentioned the term "Renaissance" in any story, poem or letter. Obviously, Robert E. Howard didn't hold to "standard" divisions of historical epochs.