These Skeletons Reveal Horrific Injuries From The Battle of Towton

[@HistoryHit]

If you missed it, Part One where we take a look at how the Battle of Towton played out is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWfVk5qbrsxmm8k ⚔

[@jleechadwick]

I love History Hit!

[@SeanCleverly]

Thank you, thank you. Awesome stuff.

[@johnbell2677]

They may well have been there!

[@F4Insight-uq6nt]

MWW = 333

[@itzakehrenberg3449]

MEN, not just "people" died here. If the dead were all women, you can bet they'd be saying "how these WOMEN died".

[@jarlborg1531]

I'm glad my ancestors had the good sense to be somewhere else that day.

[@gio-oz8gf]

You don't know that they were somewhere else; they could have been there after they had passed on their genes.

[@jarlborg1531]

@@gio-oz8gf Or they might have won! Truth is, after nearly twenty generations, every Englishman will be descended from thousands of Towton combatants, both Yorkist and Lancastrian.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

560 years ago. 20 generations plus. You'd be related to half the English population back then.

[@barbararice6650]

The guy with the old wounds and still fighting with new head wounds until he's hit thrice with a mace, bugger me I wish I'm related to that fucker 👈😑

[@herrunbekannt7556]

Nice german Kittler cat... 👍

[@josephnash2081]

The one thing movies get wrong about battles before gunpowder is that people did not just get hit once and decorously "go to sleep", they kept fighting until they fell fainting from their wounds at which point their opponent kept hitting them until they were no longer moving. I have heard that on average skeletons recovered from ancient and medieval battlefield graves usually show 10-15 "fresh" wounds at time of death.

[@tbrowniscool]

It blows my mind when I think to this era in time. Awful nutrition, disease and very short lives. I think I won't complain when I am stuck in a line of traffic tomorrow.

[@alohasnackbar3544]

Its true, u can actually see the medieval or ancient battle ways in modern time with the hacking of gangs. In my country, ethnic indian are mostly gang member and they will Hack their opponent death and after they went down they continue hacking till the limbs came Off. The only difference were medieval warrior was with chainmail and modern gang were wearing just ordinary shirts. 😂 im from malaysia.

[@Ranstone]

@@tbrowniscool Even with ww3 looming, we live in the most peaceful era in human history. Ruthless invasions, like Ukraine happened multiple times each decade back then.

[@tbrowniscool]

@@Ranstone 100% agree, I've been listening to Napoleon the great. Holy crap that Era was brutal.

[@tbrowniscool]

@Stjepan Burger can you provide a source for that info please mate?

[@honest6360]

These guys fought far beyond hardcore. They were savage battlers. One of them took a blow to the skull and lived to fight another day. Unreal.

[@faeembrugh]

Bear in mind not all of these men were fully armoured. I recall seeing a demonstration of two Medieval re-enactors showing how you might slash at a man's legs, bring him down and then pretty much cut, bludgeon and slash him to death. It was very savage even in re-creation and the crowd were distinctly disturbed by what they saw.

[@kevinonorato7223]

I heard it was a real fun time..

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

Damn right buddy. Hit him until he falls over and then hit him until he stops moving. NOT pretty.

[@mama_b_7525]

Armour was for those with the money. Most medieval "armour " was made in the same way cricket leg pads are made. Ruth Goodman is a historian and she showed how it was made, omg it took ages! 😱👍

[@andreaeray]

@@mama_b_7525 Surcoat: the heaviest quilting project ever.

[@barbararice6650]

I saw actual film of a US marine shoot off a dead Japanese soilder's mouth just in case, nothings fucking changed you know 👈😑

[@obscurazone]

I grew up in Aberford and Tadcaster so we often visited the battlefield on the doorstep. It is incredibly evocative seeing the lay of the land, and how strategically important it was to understand the geography (in particular the higher ground/wet areas). Such a sad and dark episode of our history.

[@OliPeddie]

This is incredible work!!! Medieval warfare must have been horrific! The brutality is extremely sobering. Imagine taking place in one of those battles head to toe in armour (if you were lucky enough to own some) then having to fight toe to toe, to the death with your fellow country man! Inflicting some of those killer blows is something that you would never forget! Always found this kid of warfare so fascinating! Amazing work history hit, more of these types of videos please!

[@HMSBreadnought]

(I don't recommend you do this but) Watch Mexican cartel machete fights and you get a far better picture of how it looked.

[@rabidspatula1013]

One analogy for melee combat that always stuck with me was to imagine killing your dog with a shovel.

[@jameshodgkins559]

A lot of these medieval weapons was used again in the trenches during WW1

[@markfinlay422]

Towton is one of my favourite battles. These two films have been fantastic. Thanks guys!

[@barbararice6650]

Favourite Battle next to Charley fucking Chalk 😀

[@wirelessone2986]

@ Mark: Imagine the twilight zone hears its your favorite battle..and you find yourself there and armed on the side you know loses...and you HAVE to get on with it,because if you dont your killed as a coward by your own.

[@Newjerseyblows]

I just watched this documentary for the second time. It really brings this battle to life. These were real people that went through this horrific deal. It sucks because most of the documents and records of everything from that time either doesn't exist because of the constant wars, or was destroyed by the other side at some point.

[@peterhall6656]

I watched a US Medal of Honor interview with a soldier who copped a German machine gun round through the face (the bullets were essentially a bit bigger than a .303 rifle round) as he tried to get onto Omaha beach. He kept going and got shot twice more from memory and actually kept fighting after being patched up. How I do not know. No doubt there were medieval fighters who did similar things.

[@johnholden-white2045]

Henry V, for one. As a teenaged prince Hal at the battle of Shrewsbury, he took an arrow in the face and carried on fighting. Some special tongs were invented to draw it out. No doubt his soldiers on the Agincourt campaign were aware that he was a total badass, blessed by God or even just lucky. That can’t have hurt morale.

[@KanuckStreams]

Adrenaline is a POWERFUL chemical, likely paired with the brain telling the entire body "okay, this is FIGHT OR DIE time, so I'm giving direct orders to everyone to not hold back on your output. Use it or lose it!" The body is essentially a machine that is built for keeping the brain alive, and also reproducing itself if it can get the opportunity, and the brain takes its survival very seriously. There are documented cases of soldiers from all across the eras receiving lethal wounds, that *will* kill them, but they kept going and fighting for sometimes even minutes before finally they ran out of blood to keep the brain oxygenated, etc.

[@EdinburghMayhem]

Adrenalin is an amazing drug.

[@seanbrown9048]

@@johnholden-white2045 murderers and war mongers serve satan, not God.

[@johnholden-white2045]

@@seanbrown9048 Agreed. That may not always be their intention… but, I agree that destroying God’s creation is no way to serve him!

[@andrewt8116]

As someone whose ancestors were traced back to fighting in the Battle of Towton, this video was both fascinating and deeply personal for me. It's incredible to see how the actions of those who came before us can shape the course of history, and to learn about the sacrifices and struggles that our forebears endured. Thank you for shedding light on this important moment in our shared history, and for giving me a greater appreciation of my own family's legacy.

[@robertgreenwald2811]

Knight: "Tiss but a scratch!" King Author: "A scratch? Your arms off!" Knight: "No it isn't."

[@spamwagon]

..."Oive 'ad worse!"

[@mattiasandersson2315]

What'cha gonna do? Bleed on me?🤣

[@Blobby192]

These bones can only tell one side of the story the trauma to the flesh with all the blood must have been a terrible sight in itself

[@Jin-Ro]

Any of us that has been involved in a punch up knows just how exhausting it is. 5 mins in and you're burned out. I can't imagine spending an entire afternoon on a Medieval battle field, fighting for your very life, with one of these weapons, swinging it into someones head or armour, struggling to pull it out..repeat until everyone's dead. The fitness of these men, Peasant or Knight, must have been something you just don't see today.

[@barbararice6650]

Well that's why psychopaths come into their own, kill quickly and with minimum of fuss and then on to the next customer, you can find out if you are indeed one right now by practicing on your neighbour's cat 👈😑

[@Fitzwalrus06]

​@@barbararice6650 Please get professional help. Soon.

[@barbararice6650]

@@Fitzwalrus06 👈😕 he'll do, I've set this guy up for you, now administer a morning star, hard as you like and send it off to kiss the void 😁

[@michaeljackson5914]

​@@barbararice6650🤣

[@barbararice6650]

@@michaeljackson5914 😁, Everyone take things so seriously on ta tinternet (have you noticed), that guy actually thinks I want people to chase cats around their back gardens with a club (I do) 😕

[@garyyork-zt8om]

I've visited Towton battlefield several times. I'll be in the area next week and I'll visit again. I had ancestors in that battle and in the battle of Bosworth Field as well. I've been interested in this war since I was old enough to know what it was. I have such respect for these men.

[@mcspiffington]

I had ancestors on the other side. Come on, we'll have a little ruck hahaha. Just kidding mate, we're so similar its crazy we were at war for all that time.

[@garyyork-zt8om]

@@mcspiffington 😄👍

[@notsure64]

Thank you so much for this commentary!

[@sllingky]

Thanks, Matt! Great to see the weapons in relation to the injuries. I've only ever seen photos, so seeing the actual bones matched up with the weapons really makes a statement. Nearly made me nauseous watching him handle the weapons.

[@Traderjoe]

Remember that in the army, you have your comrades and there’s younger guys who you are bunked with and you feel protective over, and when you see one of them getting slain, your instinct is to protect them and you fly into the battle with rage. But your opponents are also protecting their friends and they are seeing their guys getting killed and as angry as you are, they are equally angry. Some people will trip and fall down and the enemy will attack the fallen man with ferocity, hoping that the other guys will give up and run away. There’s a lot of dynamics going on. It’s not at all one on one battles. It’s literally a gang fight.

[@reecefalcon7747]

medieval warfare was alot of this which i respect greatly, especially if it involves strict formations like shield walls etc, if you chose to run or end up in a situation where you die, you let every man who is your comrade down and risk their life meeting an end.

[@robo5013]

Also bear in mind that until very recently with conscription of national armies most people went into battle alongside their relatives, most especially the poorer troops who came from towns and villages.

[@kikidevine694]

The true horror wasn't the battle. It was rounding up and execution of hundreds of prisoners and fugitives

[@anarchocyclist]

​@@reecefalcon7747 Oh yeah?

[@spacemanspliff7844]

There is no righteousness in the anger of men.

[@cengizeren366]

The last skeleton they show here, aka Towton 16, has haunted me for years....Caroline Wilkinson and Richard Neave did a facial reconstruction from his skull; that face is probably one of the most dramatic/powerful images I have ever seen in my whole life

[@thomasbell7033]

The Towton bodies in general have the same effect on me. I'm a journalist and for some years covered homicides in the largest city in Texas, hundreds of murders. But the Towton dead have an especially powerful impact on me. I cannot explain it.

[@KoolAidGuy541]

@@thomasbell7033 I wonder the same thing. I heard a story about one of the men on The Titanic (his name escapes me right now) who while the ship was sinking, saw his wife up to the lifeboats before returning to his room to dress up in a tuxedo. It's said that he did that because he wanted to meet his maker well-dressed. Similarly, I wonder if it's that a lot of these people who met their fate at Towton knew what lay in store, but faced it regardless with cold resolve.

[@cengizeren366]

@@thomasbell7033 I think it is because the conditions they were born into transformed them into beings so much removed from our mentality, yet they are humans just like us; this notion perhaps coerces us into wondering how we would have felt and behaved under similar conditions

[@thomasbell7033]

@@KoolAidGuy541 You are referring to tycoon John Jacob Astor. I imagine he considered it an act of noblesse oblige. As for the horror of Towton (and for me, Gottland as well), I'm pretty sure it's the evidence the bodies present to us so vividly. Evidence that war in those days was such an intimate affair. You had to look a man in the eye as you poleaxed him over and over. It is unimaginable to us in 2023, and yet there before our own eyes is the proof that this is exactly how it was.

[@thomasbell7033]

@@cengizeren366 Yes, I believe you said it more succinctly than I did.

[@manfredgrieshaber8693]

Towton was only exceptional by the number of killings but the brutality was the same as in many other battles. One may draw a line from Towton to Wittstock and to Verdun. At Wittstock a battle took place in 1636 during the Thirty Years War and in 2007 a massgrave was uncovered with the skeletons of 125 victims of this battle. And in Verdun one can see the bones of thousands of fallen soldiers from 1916. Many of the human remains show what psychologists describe as "overkilling", most of the dead soldiers suffered multiple lethal injuries often caused by hand to hand combat even during WW I. The battle of Wittstock saw a later popular poet named Grimmelshausen who wrote the novel "Simplicissimus" in which he described his own experience of this battle. Many people thought he had overdrawn the description of the brutality of this event but the analysis of the massgrave proofed he was right. Today one can't really imagine the lifelong suffering of common people during those times. They were constantly threatened by epidemics such as pest, typhoid or cholera or by combat actions or where attacked by criminals. One diary of a Thirty Years War soldier exists today, the man was called Peter Hagendorf. He was a soldier from 1625 to 1649. During this time he marched nearly 20.000 kilometers across Europe from Italy to Belgium and from the Rhineland to Brandenburg, he took part in several battles and sieges. He lost several of his children and two wifes during war time. His second wife was killed by a wandering bullet as she tried to escape the battle ground of Wittstock on her coach as she and her husband were members of the imperial army which was utterly beaten by the Swedes.

[@LeePenn2492]

Very Interesting

[@AD690smcr]

Far more brutal than many movies make out. My guess is because they never really show an aftermath like this real life scenario. Good work to share this

[@kevinallsop1628]

I can remember my dad sitting on a memorial bench to the Sherwood Foresters (his old regiment) at Crich in Derbyshire in 2007. He was 86 years old and I think he knew he was dying because he had never talked much about the war before. He told me quite a bit about his experiences in WW2. One incident he recalled when he was 21 in North Africa manning a Bren gun during the surrender of a party of about 10 German soldiers. As the British officer went forwards to take the surrender one of the Germans dropped his hands. He opened fire and dropped the lot. He said he could still see one of them who was only a young blonde haired lad. He had blown the top of his head clean off. The officer walked up to him and put his hand o his shoulder and said "Never mind". My dad said he felt like shooting him as well as he was so upset. It never left him after all those years. In mitigation I would add that the regiment had previous incidents where German would fain surrender then open up again - which was why he was probably a bit trigger happy. He did 4 assault landings during the war. All his mates were killed. He was with the regiment when it captured Tiger 131 (the most famous tank in the world) which is at Bovington tank museum in Dorset.

[@Shari1565]

I know you hung on his every word. I prob would have blasted the coward and learned a valuable lesson about “honor”

[@jwadaow]

Never mind? What does he mean never mind?

[@LeftyKen]

@@jwadaow He was saying that shit happens in wars and he shouldn't let it prey on his mind. The soldier had panicked when someone made a wrong move, that's all. He needed to pull himself together so he could carry on fighting.

[@malcolmburley5631]

😅

[@stevedenis8292]

Humans can be both easy and hard to kill multiple hits would be required ,it is not like in the movies one hit one kill all the time . Take into account being scared out of your mind taking on an enemy and not stopping till they stop moving and breathing. Some of the finishing would could be delivered after that battle either a mercy kill or just making sure those bodies are dead.

[@Newjerseyblows]

The intensity of the battle must have been fantastic.

[@charlesfaure1189]

Correct. And that's still true today.

[@aussie6910]

"Worst Jobs in History" said mercy killing after the battle was the archers job.

[@andrewcook2247]

One slash can kill you if you know what your doing and where you are hitting and a sword can cut through armor if not war would be useless back then because no one would die

[@robo5013]

@@andrewcook2247 No, a sword cannot cut through armor or armor would have been useless. It was the whole point of armor. They didn't run around with 35+ lbs of steel strapped to their bodies for looks. Most of the killing blows came when the person was knocked down.

[@byronwolters2363]

Outstanding series from an outstanding channel!

[@HistoryHit]

Thank you Byron!

[@peetyw8851]

A very informative and moving video. The explanations in the lab were excellent. My only suggestion would have been for the video director to show more close ups of the injuries being discussed.

[@bummblebee77]

yes. i was disappointed that we didn't get to see the arm and jaw injuries.

[@AJ-zx8by]

They showed enough for me, I don’t want to throw up my breakfast thanks

[@peetyw8851]

@@AJ-zx8by fair enough, but forensics tend to be the way they are.

[@davidmacey5422]

I live near Towton and remember when these were found. Because they were found in the garden of one of the houses in Towton when they were having some work done this indicates to me that these were men either fleeing towards York or captured on the field and taken to the village as the place they were found was some way from the worst of the fighting (Cock Beck)

[@marianyhc]

That was magnificent! thank you.

[@Teachering]

Wow! A learning experience for me. Fascinating.

[@Sirsethtaggart3505]

Fantastic film. Pity it wasn't Matt Easton presenting the weaponry though.

[@johnclark1925]

Shocking that some individuals had undergone this ordeal previously. Veterans of previous battles, some previously severely injured and lucky to survive with the pain and disability. Then they went again, knowing full well the carnage that awaited them. Finally the fields.. at the end of the battle… can one imagine the volume of blood, in pools, congealed all over the fields?

[@supertruthfortynine]

Cos they were hard as nails! Brutal lads. Very brutal. Rough as hell! There daily lives were hard from the moment they woke, until they slept. If we could go back and compare to nowadays, I think we'd quickly realise we're 'nothing' like these blokes. They'd kick your face in simply for 'a laugh', guaranteed! So living and fearing was of no major biggie, they were the time..... And the time was seriously badass..

[@letsdothis9063]

They were still a warrior society at that point. Religion was a pretty big deal, as you can imagine.

[@supertruthfortynine]

@@letsdothis9063 totally different mindset they had. The way we live today eg: traffic warden wanders over giving you a ticket, the same for the time grievance back then wouldnt revolve around 'shouldn't' and 'cant'... You caused trouble, you were dealt with. And that was that. Upsetting someome with accusations or slander was massive. And it never ended well. Nowadays, we're a joke in comparison.

[@danieljames1196]

Been up to Towton battlefield a couple of times to photograph the lonely tree. It is a fascinating place, well worth a visit with some nice walking trails around the fields .

[@dmeinhertzhagen8764]

Very interesting! I’d like to see them study the skeletons of modern war victims, WW1, WW2, Vietnam, Irak, Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc.

[@johnhannigan8265]

You are sick , we normally bury our war dead and not exhume them to satisfy the morbidly curious.

[@geoffbell166]

It would be completely different,high explosive wounds and gunshots..

[@chrisg2739]

Imagine the smell and sound of masses of men and horses bleeding, yelling and dying all within 6ft of you. The smell of one of these battlefields must have been very unique.

[@ME-dn8sm]

And shitting

[@hammy-on-a-bike]

Would love if you zoomed in on the other bones so we could see the markings on those also, the skull was really interesting, but would have liked to see the others too. Other than that really interesting piece you've made!!

[@stevenweaver3386]

This documentary is similar to one describing the 14th C. Battle of Visby on Gotland Island. About 1,800 militia against a couple thousand mercenaries. It was a massacre, the townsmen in Visby refused to open the gate, trapping the farmers. Several mass graves were uncovered, and the wounds were just as vicious and brutal. As at Towton, there was no quarter and no prisoners. Many of the remains showed multiple leg injuries. Seems the mercenaries would slash at the legs, and when the poor soul fell, it was just butchery.

[@Milliardo5]

Any war is brutal. It's just the weapons used and the way one dies that are different. Basically the chances for survival in a battle is low as it is, and hand-to-hand combat can be brutal on its own.

[@fredford7642]

Thank you for a very informative video. The demonstration of weapons and their us, following up with the forensics really made this so real. Again, I say thank you!

[@waynevaughan9325]

Brilliant vid. Graphically brings home how brutal life was in the fifteenth century.

[@nole8923]

When you think about all the battles in history it is amazing how so many common men put their lives in extreme danger for the benefit of one man or group of men and how they were manipulated into risking their lives with little benefit to themselves. If common men actually thought this through before risking their lives there would be a lot less war and suffering.

[@MalmborgMarinus]

You just described putins war...

[@greighooper5295]

Dare say forced, the Lord of the Manor rounding folk up to fight,most rented on the landlords land ,so if you didn't you may be homeless ,beaten,life stock taken etc etc,

[@krashd]

As Greig said, you either fight or you lose your livelihood and home. Nothing is free in life.

[@nole8923]

@@krashd What good is livelihood and home if you’re dead? Still makes no sense to me.

[@baldyman1965]

I can't believe I've never heard of this battle. This is what should be taught in schools.

[@MuttleyMhor]

Absolutely. There's little military and dynastic history in the curriculum now, even though they've shaped the destiny of the country we see today.

[@pauldoree3967]

The largest death count in any english battle. Supposedly 28,000 in one day

[@joshbarber3931]

I didn't get taught very much about English history in school either unfortunately. It's a shame because the town I grew up in was significant throughout a lot of our history which I'm only just learning about now

[@railiedouglas3018]

I didn’t worry about what I was or wasn’t taught in school. I’ve pursued my interest in history all my life since first becoming aware of it at age 9.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

But nonsense.

[@sterlingwilkes3240]

Getting hacked to death is right up there with getting eaten by a bear or big cat on my “worst ways to die” list

[@Newjerseyblows]

I'd still rather that than get mustard gassed or burned alive like WW1.

[@Lordrixson5489]

As a Lancastrian I've been fascinated by the Wars of the Roses for many years. Is this battle site located on private land or accessible to the general public? I'd really be interested in visiting this site.

[@barbararice6650]

Towton is more of a north - south divide, unfortunately with the cockneys winning on that day 👈😕

[@thesnoopmeistersnoops5167]

Ahhhh yes. The famous cockney House of York.

[@barbararice6650]

@@thesnoopmeistersnoops5167 York is just the house name, the army marched from London to the battlefield not York, likewise most of the Lancastrians were collected in the English Midlands, while confusingly the Duke of Norfolk actually did bring men from Norfolk, go figure 👀

[@tiltonroadbirmingham1153]

@@barbararice6650 Well known as the first Peaky Blinders.

[@SirSonic900]

Fascinating and horrific all at the same time.

[@jarodmasci3445]

I wonder how many of those individuals with multiple skull injuries were "finished off" while on the ground, already incapacitated? Absolutely brutal.

[@josephcollins6033]

More Matthew Lewis, please. His enthusiasm and passion are infectious, but he doesn't do all the over-the-top 'drama' junk. He looks great but doesn't look like an actor. He is accessible. More Matt, please. And, I am not his cousin...

[@michaelbedinger4121]

Great video thank you. Just how many mass graves have been found at Towton, and what is your best estimate, on how many men were actually killed in that battle? Thank you again.

[@anti-Russia-sigma]

Its good that the channel doesn’t sanitise/censor fights like other channels,so pls.,continue the good work.

[@jonathanjenkins9583]

Thank you for another entertaining video!!

[@searching616]

Awesome video!

[@johnfrancis2215]

These men were tough, they worked the land without the help of tractors and agricultural machines, very hard men

[@krashd]

They had agricultural machines that were fuelled by grain.

[@gazzyoftheguard4224]

Even doing the re enactment for this and getting hit by a blunt blade hurts I can't imagine how much pain the soldiers had to fight through. The adrenaline rush I've experienced numbs it to a certain point but even then that's not enough most times

[@jackiekittridge-steele385]

They may have had opiates for pain.

[@gazzyoftheguard4224]

@Jackie Kittridge-Steele Very likely but then again knights and Lords would have afforded that

[@blockboygames5956]

You might say those medieval soldiers took some pretty hard 'History Hits.' Great video as always. Thank you.

[@corylemons7242]

Honestly this was a fantastic watch and super interesting. Amazing work! Thanks for taking us along.

[@stevenweasel2678]

Fascinating video , and by chance as I watched it, I happened to be drinking a pint of Lancaster Black , stout and boldly on the label of the bottle is the badge of the RED ROSE

[@MrPatrick1414]

interesting..great stuff. Thanks!

[@JahRasta01]

I will never complain about an injury ever again

[@jamesnoonan7450]

I don't think we can even imagine how brutal battle was before the use of firearms (still extremely brutal). Its not the case where you aim down a sight, pull a trigger, and they drop. You are face to face with another man. It's a far more personal way of killing somebody. I am convinced that many warriors of the medevil period and earlier would have had some form of PTSD following the battles they fought in. The level of violence, the threat to your life, and the brutal way you could meet your demise is truly shocking. I feel a quote from Harry Patch, the last serving british soldier from the treches of WW1, summed it up best. He said, "War is organised murder and nothing else"

[@robertjames8220]

One thing I'd like to offer about the weapons that were presented here, and the gentleman demonstrating with them. I am absolutely sure, given his movements, that he's fought with them before (as I have), so I am confident that he knew he wasn't even close to showing how those weapons moved in actual combat. The hammer, for example, he demonstrated with "snaps" -- short, fast jabs -- that allude to how they were used, and likely saw some usage in setting up an opponent for the more aggressive attacks. But those weapons would have been coming at you so fast, with terrifying power. The skeletons attest to the fact that those weapons were capable of delivering a killing blow, often through armor. Just something for people who might not be familiar with medieval melee weapons to be aware of: what you see in this video only hints at what the men at Towton saw up close and very, very personal.

[@chrisg2739]

And lots of people think as well that massive battles when troops squared off you were fighting the guy in front of you. When in fact you were more than likely fighting the 3 guys in front of you. Say you take a swing at the guy in front of you the guy to his left or right snaps out at your arm and in turn someone swings out at his arm. All the while a guy with a pole axe behind you is thrusting between you to try to stab one one of the men opposite him. It’s complete chaos fighting on a line.

[@kevinonorato7223]

Pretty sure “running away” is a respectable option. I do not want to meet anyone wielding these weapons. Always ask the question, “Would I want to meet my twin in this fight?”

[@Newjerseyblows]

​@@kevinonorato7223 running away is respectable if it's 5 on 1, but in a medieval battle yeah no.

[@baddie8751]

Is this a joke? You're trolling right?

[@mikev4621]

@@chrisg2739 yes they probably operated as small teams

[@jenniferlawrence2988]

How terrible! It's awful to imagine what it was like for them... it's horrific how those men managed fighting while terribly wounded. OMG

[@ray1050]

Those guys had juice! Respect.

[@adamdudley8736]

Bro.. driving a poleaxe through someone’s head while they are down and wounded has to be the most savage thing ever. Like Iknew medieval warfare was brutal but seeing the specific ways that some of these people died puts it in a whole new perspective

[@raydeutschland8013]

War is hell. No matter what time you live in. Respect to all brave warriors

[@delladog]

Brilliant, history brought to life

[@marvinc9994]

"I'm afear'd there are few die well that die in a battle" (A soldier's realistic view, on the eve of Agincourt: _Henry V_ )

[@FernandoPartridge]

The old saying, still in use today says it all really: 'he went down like he'd been pole axed'.

[@wirelessone2986]

Ive never heard that one

[@mace8873]

@@wirelessone2986 Neither have I.

[@LeePenn2492]

Very interesting and informative. Interesting period in English history

[@pilates68]

I think the horrific reality of these medieval battles was clearly a grotesque toe to toe hacking. Definitely not the slick choreography of , say, Mel Gibson’s Braveheart which featured fanciful ducking and spinning.

[@ladydreadqs639]

The first time I saw the damage The Battle of Towton inflicted on the head and face was in a series called "Secrets of the Dead" the episode was called "Blood Red Roses" , if this is of interest to you then watch Secrets of the Dead , the facial reconstruction they did was truly amazing.

[@stevejohnston2715]

I am torn between the horror, and the honor, of the men that held their convictions so dear.

[@markjarrett9400]

Realy in interesting and very well done.

[@Finding457]

Would have been nice to have had close ups of the skeleton injuries, really!

[@bengepp9314]

The bravery of these men , regardless of the cause is a lesson to us all 🙏🏼

[@TheChumbaba]

For what? To slaughter each other in the name of a view feudalistic, power-hungry bums?

[@seanbrown9048]

A lesson in stupidity and futility and servility, that men have always obeyed the satanic call of war, and butchered their fellow men.

[@tonybaker55]

Although brutal, our ancestors seemed to make weapons that would kill with ease and not just inflict injuries. I am amazed at how anyone could have survived a battle. Very much kill or be killed. I imagine you would keep hitting someone until they stayed down.

[@barbararice6650]

No you hang back and fart around while the real psychopaths hit each other, that's how all wars are fought, the only problem comes from closed avenues of escape and that old problem science 😕

[@zhain0]

OK..... I'm just ganna say this. Pretty much all weapons are designed to kill, not injure. Especially hand to hand weapons. The fact you said what you said makes me seriously wonder about your brain capacity and ability to think.

[@kingoftheupfast970]

You don’t go to battle to lose. The idea is to kill and overwhelm your enemy then take what you were warring over.

[@mace8873]

I guess that would depend on the circumstances, the period, etc. I'm fairly certain the crusaders did their best to kill their opponents, and vice versa, but if we look at the battles of Europe in the 16th century, a whole heap of mercenaries was employed on all sides, and as they didn't really know who they'd be fighting next to a few days, weeks or months later, enough of them - to the point that the fact exists today - went by the system of "Gutter Krieg" and "Schlecten Krieg" (Basically "Good War" and "Bad War" in German) which means that you only cut down your enemy to the point where he no longer presents a threat and move on to the next. That was considered "Gutter Krieg", however, if someone on the battlefield was spotted _not_ following this unwritten rule, "Schlecten Krieg" could be declared by the opposing force which meant that _no_ quarter would be given and the enemy would be killed and not just taken out of the fight. So yeah, sometimes it was "kill or be killed", and sometimes it wasn't. And don't listen to zhain0, he's an idiot with obviously limited knowledge of weapons and warfare, these days most weapons are designed to injure and not kill.

[@ian3902]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy 💙 I'm glad to see that you are OK.

[@SyTheMetalhead]

The 30,000 figure seems to be for the battles of Ferrybridge, Dintingdale and Towton combined rather than just for Towton itself. Quite possibly the bloodiest "battle" on British soil let alone on English soil, though it's big beyond possibility that more might have been killed at the battle of Watling Street

[@alancoe1002]

There weren't even 30,000 participants, let alone deaths. The end-of-winter aspect, almost no forage and the speed of Edward IV's March, 12mi/day militate against this being the Pharsalus of England. The logistics, my friends, will show what is more likely. There were three battles that day: Ferrybridge at dawn, Dintingdale around noon, Towton and aftermath in the afternoon into the night. Retreats were when the majority of slaughter occurred, as people threw away heavy equipment, armour, weapons, to gain speed, making them more vulnerable, throw in a bridge collapse near Doncaster. Yes, a terrible and important battle. 7-9,000 killed would be the most possible and likely. A high percentage indeed, considering that there were far fewer troops here than at Bosworth Field. No quarter was given at Towton, plus the cold weather. At Bosworth, once Richard III's charge upon Henry Tudor's bodyguard and the troops of William Stanley had failed, and Richard was killed, most of his men did not flee the field, but simply laid down their arms and left, unmolested. There was no post-battle slaughter. Logistically, Bosworth could easily support larger numbers of troop in the area, witness the late summer timing, abundant resources, artillery on both sides here. Back at Towton, Edward IV had to tell Norfolk to drop all baggage and come at once, which decided the battle. He had no artillery. He had a small, nimble army. The Lancastrians, based in nearby York, had just gone down to London, defeated Warwick, and returned to York. What possible forage was left along the Great North Road? 50 points, if you answered Very Little. Edward's small army needed a big provision train. He went from London to Pontefract at 12 miles a day, taking everything he needed with him. Look to the logistics to get to the truth: at least as close as five and a half centuries will let us. A happy New Year to all. Cheers.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thank you.

[@timbarry5080]

Beautiful group of weapons

[@christianchristian57g.]

c'est passionnant!

[@zuzuspetals38]

I enjoy these videos with the skeletons Seeing the weapons is crazy as well😮 I would like to see more of the bone injuries close up though Ty

[@vapoureyes]

Very interesting.

[@nancytestani1470]

So cool..

[@callumrobbins1460]

I practice HEMA and that was definitely not a longsword! A hand and a half sword at most (may seem like a finicky/nerdy point but surely if the medieval weaponry 'expert' is to be believed he surely would have known that). And also, half swording is a very effective technique to deal with opponents wearing plate or chainmail

[@Ranstone]

I disagree. It's a classic Oakeshott type XX IMHO. Don't forget, wider blades look shorter, and not all longswords had long handles. The Alexandria armory type XVIIIc at the metropolitan museum of art near me is a classic example. it looks like an arming sword from across the room, until you walk up to it and realize how big and wide it is.

[@Specter_1125]

Bastard swords/hand and a half swords are longswords. Not only that, but the rigid distinction between sword types isn’t a contemporary concept.

[@katherinecollins4685]

Interesting video

[@prestonwarren2692]

This kind of combat was the most personal type of battle. Beating and stabbing your opponent into a bloody mess.

[@marz11345]

Not sure why I’m here, but I am. I enjoyed it, I’ll admit.

[@granitesevan6243]

You can get badly injured in a pub brawl. Walk away, if you ever reach that situation

[@shaunwest3612]

This amazing, so interesting, those men fought a brutal battle.😳

[@IAmWBeard]

Jesus Christ… that first skull that has the spine hammered up into the skull, fracturing it, was fuckin’ BRUTAL!!!

[@felixcat9318]

No more so than what a high velocity rifle round inflicts on a person or an Anti-Personnal Mine or Artillery Shell for that matter...

[@ebow7964]

Medieval wackamole🤪

[@IAmWBeard]

@@felixcat9318 yeah but that’s killing from a distance so fast that they never see it coming and don’t even know what hit them. Maybe it’s as destructive but someone went over to that dude with weapon in hand and brought it down like a sledgehammer on the dudes head so hard his neck bone went up in his head and broke the skull… BRUTAL. This guy most likely saw it coming and saw the man’s face that did it. Maybe even had time to beg him to stop.

[@felixcat9318]

@@IAmWBeard You make excellent points which I hadn't considered when wrote my reply. That grotesquely hideous injury would have required an extraordinarily large amount of force from the attacker. Mercifully, death would have been instantaneous and painless. Despite out modern, more lethal weaponry, I would much prefer to fight in modern combat than that of the past...

[@sapperRE]

Excellent historical video

[@watchthetriple8224]

Fascinating! What a time.

[@petersack5074]

5:50 Wow. What a million ways, to ' go '. That guy, could have fallen, headlong, from a horse onto the ground, too.

[@kev3d]

7:19 Poor bastard.

[@dfitzs]

It's interesting with the guy that got hit in the jaw twice in 2 different battles; I wonder if something about his defense was off and it got exploited by enemies twice. That or maybe he had an arm injury that decreased his defense from that similar blow...

[@lthornton7802]

My ancestors fought in the Battle of Hastings. But this battle was horrific.

[@bapt1]

28,000 men sacrificed for 2 men's ambition to sit on a throne

[@AuburnTigers111]

People have killed for far less and for far more important reasons.

[@johncartwright8154]

On the 'FutureLearn' course on the Wars of the Roses, it was stated that these individuals were killed whilst fleeing, perhaps having discarded helmets and weapons in their haste to escape. This may explain the injuries seemingly to unprotected limbs and skull. Bone injuries are only evident, one wonders what soft-tissue trauma these soldiers may have endured that perhaps hampered their escape.

[@tresenie]

This reminds me of the battle of the gilded spurs in Belgium. Flemish craftsmen and farmers beating the french cavalry and chasing them after battle for a long time, killing all they could find as they were so pissed off at them. I sadly don't recall the distance but they ran a long time after that battle but it was keep running or get killed, no hostiges.

[@kikidevine694]

I remember watching 'Blood Red Roses' on C4 and realized that my old reenactment group was providing the dramatic reconstruction.

[@SteveAubrey1762]

Can u imagine the PTSD the veterans of these wars suffered. Of couree, no one knew that then. The only " help " they got was the admonition to " pull yourself together, man."

[@Ditlevstampe]

Good video

[@williamrobinson7435]

Great! I note that several war techniques are mentioned in Shakespeare's histories, such as 'sword and buckler', as described herin, and referred to by Falstaff.. Richard lll is berated, no doubt understandably for using his falchion; "thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood".. Can anyone say exactly what a falchion is? Is it a kind of small pike type thing, an axe with a pointy thing on the end, or what? Really enjoyed this 2 parter. Nice one team! 🌟👍

[@joshuanoble3759]

A falchion is a single edged, often curved, sword, much like a large cleaver with the hilt of a sword.

[@gregmuon]

A falchion is a single edged one hand sword. They were associated with the lower classes because they required less training than more knightly swords. Similar to a Chinese dao or for that matter a machete.

[@williamrobinson7435]

@@joshuanoble3759 Thank you! 👍

[@williamrobinson7435]

@@gregmuon Thanks very much! 👍

[@tomasojones1751]

Its a small machete-like sabre. Think of a classic "pirate sword."

[@daveh9551]

People also have to take into account how strong these soldiers were back then. This is what they did, so I cant imagine the amount of power the more experienced soldier could bring down with a sword on top of someones head. I honestly dont think I would use a huge sword back then in such close quartered fighing. A hammer I think would be the perfect weapon.

[@mace8873]

In my opinion, hammers, axes, and maces are exhausting to fight with because the center of balance is so far out to the front, swords are in almost all cases better balanced with the point of balance closer to the crossguard, so you don't feel the same fatigue as soon. And you can always half-sword if you get in really close, although that does take away some of the maneuverability of your weapon.