Toby Capwell - Royal Armouries

Toby Capwell, curator at the Wallace Collection, talks about jousting and how he has been inspired by the Royal Armouries Museum. Discover more at: www.nmolp.royalarmouries.org/creativespaces

[@seancoppinger]

The Royal Armouries Leeds is just one of my favourite places to hang out. I TOTALLY get where Toby is coming from when he says about being surrounded by the stuff. After many years (and at 37, so a bit later in life) I have made the plunge and am just finishing a degree in History and Classics with the Open University. I plan to go on and try to get into the museum and heritage field. It is so encouraging to hear of someone who has made it without getting a 1st at Oxbridge in medieval studies :)

[@surgeonsergio6839]

Good for you mister. Chasing and accomplishing your passions must be a really incredible feeling. 👏

[@QuipsTipsandRoadTrips]

Coolest doctorate so far

[@landrecce]

What a great guy!

[@paistinlasta1805]

1:18 ok that shot was unnecessarily cool

[@JohnSmith-yb5iy]

I envy toby he gets to joust without buying his own armor and just workng at the royal armouries must be amazing

[@lalucre1803]

+John Smith Just become one of the world's leading experts in you special field of interest, and you will get a one of a kind job and free stuff as well. It is as easy as that.

[@justsomeguy3931]

@@lalucre1803 Yeah "just," have fun knocking him off his horse or debunking his latest book

[@alexanderren1097]

What are you talking about? He does buy his own armor

[@ValoranVale]

What a wonderfully inspiring person.

[@rjndesign]

Dorkey museum curator? Not a bit. I saw him in action at the 2009 Tournament of the Phoenix in Poway California this past weekend. This guy is an unbelievable horseman and a kick-your-ass tournament jouster. If you've never seen real jousting and ever have the chance, you owe it to yourself. No lame Renn Faire stuff. These guys get after it. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You'll come away a fan, looking forward to the next tournament.

[@riproar11]

I have seen jousting at a Renn Faire a few times and it was as real as it is in this video. Lances shattered and men were seriously injured and had to be taken away on stretchers. Go during the first days when the Renn Faire starts. I noticed that if you attend during the last two weeks, the jousters ride fast, but slow down their horses as they approach each other and it results in a tame show. The same can be said about air shows. WWII fighters and bombers did low fly-bys near the grandstand and tight formations. After the air disaster at Reno in 2011, I noticed that US air shows became very tame ever since.

[@francisalanbeattie4458]

Well done Toby.

[@FrisianDude]

Wow.. I really want to visit the Royal Armouries now. Jousting depicted here was a lot different than I thought, they lowered the lances at very last moment. I didn't expect it to be like that.

[@doug12341988]

I recognize toby from Mike Loades Weapons that made Britain series. Cant believe the series didnt mention his interest in jousting, so appropriate!

[@BG-hp6mu]

I really want to visit the Armoury but the thought of going to Leeds....

[@brasidus]

Wow, an inspiring video indeed. Thank you!

[@notfeedynotlazy]

All that knowledge that was only "up there", that was lost, is now the work of the living historians to recover. Thankfully, the very concept of living historian is no longer "some freak playing with swords despite being old enough to be doing something more worthy of his time" but an actually respected thing. When I started, it was certainly NOT the case. *I'm incredibly grateful there are people like Capwell around,* a respected curator and author (aded to jouster and living historian) that help give the discipline the prestige that it deserves. (I remember how I once had great difficulty explaining to an historian that his theories regarding how XIII-century undergarments were worn were sadly wrong because I _had_ worn those and they _didn't stay on_ if you tied them the way he thought they were tied, yet he kept believing "living history" was just carnaval costumes or cosplay - a far more humbly example of how actually _using_ the stuf helps us better understand how it worked than Mr. Capwell's jousting, but certainly also a more amusing one).

[@HorseJouster]

Thanks for sharing this vid! Highly enjoyable!

[@TheSeanoops]

I want to be like him when I grow up.

[@historicent]

Ah, yes...cool, I'm the first to make a comment!! Brilliant video! You've really struck a chord on medieval stuff, museums, armour and jousting, Toby and Creative Spaces! Looking forward to more videos!! --Jeffrey H.

[@EarlRedclaw]

I would give my whole life to fight in these tournaments-not mock fight, but with actually sharp thingies, from 400 bc to 1900 ad. If there was an ambulance watching me, then yes, i would, willingly, be a test dummy and much more. PS. Among my other qualifications, i am a seasoned farmer, wielder of 2 computer programming phds and scholar & professional practitioner of ancient, medieval &modern cuiisine. (within the holds of europe and far east mind you).

[@letrayyelmo3004]

Que gran Museo

[@tallthinwavy3]

Must have been a fun Ph.D. to study :-)

[@unosomes]

Опасное хобби, мужественных людей.

[@astorre3212]

Liking the de Scales coat of arms

[@thoughtheglass]

I recognised the armour he is riding around in. I've thought about getting a chest piece based on it next time I have armour money

[@fleadoggreen9062]

If I could go back in time I would But if I couldn’t go I’d give my ticket to Tobias so he could see the knights in action, or just transport him to agincourt !

[@recreoanacronista]

What envy...but I´m also on the way to be a scholar, and I almost live in the local armory museum. Not as big and cool as the one at Leeds, you lucky Brits! ;)

[@darthknight1]

Can anyone point me to more information about the helmet shown in the final still image behind the credits?

[@redcrusader5435]

Its an armet, the visor has just been partially lifted and it was commonly seen alongside Italian Milanese armour in the late 15th century

[@hugosophy]

He looks so young here haha

[@Mithundhubriassam]

Hi

[@hoasjhdfiadsf]

is he an american???

[@000000AEA000000]

of course

[@bobsbigboy_]

love this but poor horses

[@notfeedynotlazy]

Yeah, not every poor animal has the misfortune of being feed and cared for and given the best veterinary care and daily grooming so they stay strong and quick for jousting. Oh, the indignity!