What type of shield did knights use with lances?

by ratliege_throwaway

I'm trying to write something involving a lance and a shield, however I want to be more specific with the type of shield used. I'm unsure if it differs by country or era - it probably does, but I'm not that knowledgable - but I'm thinking of the typical medieval England knights for this. Google didn't seem to give me a straight answer, only that shields Were used.

wotan_weevil

I'm thinking of the typical medieval England knights for this.

In the case, the answer is fairly simple. Our "typical English knight" appears with the Norman conquest, using a kite shield:

Note that infantry are using similar shields. When infantry and cavalry used shields of the same shape, the infantry version was often a "centre grip" shield, held in the hand by a handle in the middle of the shield, and the cavalry version worn using a forearm strap and a handle near the edge of the shield. Some shields could be used either way, with a central pair of straps that could be used as either a centre grip or a forearm strap, and a strap near the edge for use when forearm strapped. Depending on the shape of the shield and the position of the straps, the handle-strap might be away from the edge of the shield:

A kite shield used by a cavalryman would probably be worn with a forearm strap, but forearms straps are also shown used by infantry.

In the late 12th century, the kite shield was replaced by the heater shield (the classic "shield-shaped" shield). Again, these were used by both infantry and cavalry.

On the battlefield, the heater shield was the last major type used by cavalry in Western Europe, largely disappearing during the 14th century. During the 15th century, they remained in use in jousting, and evolved into specialised jousting shields:

Knight with lances didn't yet disappear from the battlefield (they went when the pistol replaced the lance as the main weapon for armoured cavalry beginning about the middle of the 16th century), but they fought without shields:

We also find knights jousting without shields, similar to battlefield practice:

The above is not only the general picture for England, but more generally for Western Europe. However, starting with the Norman Conquest, we missed earlier styles of shields used by armoured lancers. Early Carolingian cavalry are typically shown with domed round shields:

which were also used by infantry:

probably already using forearm-strapped and centre-grip versions as the preferred versions for cavalry and infantry.

Later Carolingian cavalry (say, 10th and 11th century) are often shown with flat round shields or oval shields:

The oval shield shield might be a step in the evolution of the kite shield from the round shield. During the 11th century, the kite shield became widely used, and we are back to where we started with the Norman Conquest and English knights.

Three further points are worth mentioning. While the above described the typical shields used over time, a variety of shield types could be seen at any one time. For example, here we have a round shield being used during the "kite shield era":

The other two points relate to straps and handles. Shoulder straps (a "guige") were often used to help carry shields. They could be used as shoulder/chest straps to wear the shield on the back, keeping both hands free. Art shows shields being used in battle with the guige over the neck, which might allow better control of the shield:

The last point to note is that the handles on forearm-strapped shields were sometimes used as wrist straps, leaving the fingers free. The sacrifices some control over the shield, and simultaneous use of the guige might be to compensate for that.

Finally, a picture of a knight fighting a monkey. Note that the knight's heater shield is held by two straps acting as a centre-grip:

The monkey's kite shield might be to show the monkey's equipment as old-fashioned.