Slitherine

Hi all,

I am doing a 3rd Crusade army based around Richard I and I am at a stand still as to the shield design for my non-military order Spearmen.

I was thinking about painting the shields white with a red cross of St. George on them.

Would the above be historically correct or did Richard's troops use various designs and colours?

Any help will be appreciated.

Cheers,

I don't think there is any specific record of this

However, according to Heath's WRG Cruusades book at the time of the 3rd Crusade crosses were worn - red for the French, green for the Flemish, white for the English and yellow for the Germans - although he wrote this in relation to pilgrims but may well have been the same for the armies and could be usefully painted on shields perhaps?

nikgaukroger wrote:I don't think there is any specific record of this

However, according to Heath's WRG Cruusades book at the time of the 3rd Crusade crosses were worn - red for the French, green for the Flemish, white for the English and yellow for the Germans - although he wrote this in relation to pilgrims but may well have been the same for the armies and could be usefully painted on shields perhaps?

I saw similar in another source many years ago, but IIRC the red crosses were used by the English and the white by the French, supposedly leading to these colors on their national flags in later year. It makes no practical difference, as the little lead men will refuse to answer any questions.

This supports Nick's source: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/rel-c188.html and
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/rel-c188.html#gre

Between the various forms of crosses - Latin, Greek, Jerusalem http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_cross , bottony http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottony , sarcelly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_cercel%C3%A9e , crosslet, fleury, fourchy, pommee, potent see examples beginning about 2/3rds of the way down this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross ) or for turcopoles and other auxillaries elaborate Jerusalem crosses http://tlaq.com/shop/product.php?produc ... 328&page=1 ,Coptic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_cross , Occitan, or Armenian khachkar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khachkar or even Occitan http://www.bozzle.com/her_crosses.html , one is spoiled for choice.
Here is another good site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languedoc

Thanks guys. The info you have given has shed some light on the situation.

Cheers,