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History buffs invade Kings Landing
Re-enactors play out Battle of Hastings
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
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Things weren't looking good for the Norman army at Kings Landing Park in Huntingtown last Saturday.
They were in poor position — downhill from the Saxon army — and without their king — William the Bastard, who was late to battle thanks to miscommunication and the previous day's rain.
Luckily, these Normans knew how the battle, a re-enactment of the 1066 A.D. Battle of Hastings, would end and the Saxons were willing to play along.
The 41st re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings was held for the first time at Kings Landing Park last weekend by members of The Longship Company and Markland Confederation. Markland is an umbrella nonprofit organization, of which Longship is a member, focused on educating the public about medieval life.
In addition to the re-enactments on Saturday and Sunday, demonstrations and displays gave park visitors a taste of the Middle Ages. Participants set up camp around the park's second pavilion.
A gaggle of history buffs dressed in medieval garb complemented an authentic feel and juxtaposed a row of 21st-century vehicles parked nearby. Lamb stew brewed in a cauldron atop a campfire, and a peek inside the string of white tents revealed chain mail, swords, scabbards and a 2-liter bottle of Dr Pepper.
On display were dozens of weapons, armor and the Gyrfalcon, a medieval ship reconstructed and maintained by The Longship Company.
But the main event was the battle reenactment. In 1066 A.D., Duke William of Normandy, whose moniker refers to his illegitimate birth, led his troops from France for what became the last successful invasion of England in history. The victory transformed the English government, language and also made classic tales like Robin Hood possible, said Bruce Blackistone, president of The Longship Company and founder of Markland.
While the reenactment's participants couldn't promise any global effects, they did give spectators a good show on Saturday. Lined up on a hill beside the park's main entrance, the Normans led three waves of attack against the defending Saxons. Each wave was preceded by a volley from two Norman archers.
"Do your worst!" one Saxon belted between the thuds of wooden axes and clangs of steel swords.
The Saxons successfully repelled the first wave of Normans, but after the second several warriors from both sides lay strewn about the battlefield. Even a fake, severed arm could be spotted peeking out above the grass.
According to legend, at some point during the real battle Harold Godwinson, the English king, was shot with an arrow through the eye. During the reenactment, a third volley of arrows ended with Harold taking a tumble, and another Saxon screaming "They shot Harold!"
After Harold's fall, three cavalrymen, including William, arrived to finish off the dispirited Saxons.
In 1066 A.D., William and the Norman cavalry arrived with the rest of the Norman army. But last week, when the two dozen or so infantry left camp for the re-enactment, cavalry were still trying to dry saddles that had been soaked by rain and arrived late. Nonetheless, Andy Mychalus of York, Pa., playing William, enjoyed his victory.
Following the battle, participants gave the crowd a demonstration of a cavalry charge against a "shield wall" defensive formation.
"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!" a Saxon warrior, channeling his inner-John Cleese, shouted at the Norman cavalry.
For many in the crowd, such a reenactment was a new and educating experience.
"Some of the folks are full of information. I've gotten a few history lessons out of it," Andy Rogers of Lusby said. "It's just fun to find out about different periods of time."
As some of the faux warriors left the battlefield for a trip on the Sae Hrafn, another Longship vessel marooned in Solomons after its tug boat's motor fell off, Mychalus remained at the park to demonstrate jousting on his Haflinger stallion, Alexander.
Mychalus, who grew up in Aquasco and received a history degree from the St. Mary's College of Maryland, said he has played William since 1995, but only because he was one of few "crazy enough" to prepare for the role.
Mychalus and his wife, Kathleen Florio, own three horses together and are members of the Medieval Horse Guild, another subsidiary of Markland. His reason for participating in these re-enactments could probably be applied universally to Markland's membership.
"This is a hobby, but it's also a bit of a passion," he said.
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