Could a Peasant Defeat a Knight in Battle?

Re:Could a Peasant Defeat a Knight in Battle? by fogihujy on Tuesday November 10, 2020 @03:13AM (#25043755)

I'm certain there were some great fighters amongst the Vikings; after all, they have an entire age named after them and their raids. Viking was an activity, not a people though, and the Vikings were mostly Norse peasants trained to fight with shields and basic weapons like spears and axes. There was an elite class and a small class of professional warriors too, but they weren't really a majority.

Apples and oranges and all that.

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Re:Could a Peasant Defeat a Knight in Battle? by C1sc0cat on Tuesday November 10, 2020 @04:59AM (#25044268)

There's more than one type of "Viking" warrior the Elite Huscarls where effectively professionals and are considered one of the best heavy shock infantry period - this is what they are referring to as Vikings.

Though this is prior to the switch to mounted knights

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Re:Could a Peasant Defeat a Knight in Battle? by fogihujy on Tuesday November 10, 2020 @05:09AM (#25044309)

> Elite Huscarls where effectively professionals

Yes, definitely. It's just that the raiding parties weren't just consisting of professional warriors. Many were simply farmers with axes, bows and spears, seeking plunder and glory like the others.

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Re:Could a Peasant Defeat a Knight in Battle? by arethuza on Tuesday November 10, 2020 @05:28AM (#25044416)

Also the Varangian Guards of the Byzantine Empire:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangian_Guard

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