Magnus Kompanie Aufgebot Hesse 1471-1499

eing a Living History group based in the land of Hesse, of the Holy Roman Empire during the 1470s.

Arriving by land or sea, the first order of business is to establish the camp. The tents are lifted and personal belongings, wrapped in natural colored bundling (canvas?) and secured with crisscrossing hemp rope. Coopery was also very popular for both wet and dry goods.

(note: the army setting up camp is actually besieging one of our cities)

The foot soldiers and other non-nobles set about securing the tents. guy-lines are fitted to the ground via stakes. The black color above suggests that iron stakes were used as well as the more common wooden.

The above image is actually of Italians breaking camp, but gives an amazing insight to exactly how these tents were erected! The ceiling, in the shape of an umbrella, is set to the center-pole and raised, then secured by the guy-lines. Then the walls are secured to the inside of the dagged over-hang of the ceiling. Some speculate it is little more than a curtain-like design.

The perils of defeat. This German illustration from 1470 illustrates the besieged city sending forces out to destroy the siege encampment.

The interiors of the tents are filled with the occupants possessions. Wooden benches were common. Folding wooden-slated seats were also seen. Note the bed for couples or individuals of privilege.

This German illustration from 1470 illustrates the use of pack-horses. Note the chest strapped to the side of the center horse.

The trees are felled to provide protection in the form of palisades bordering the camp.

The alternative is the ever-popular Germanic adoption of the Hussite Wagon-fort.

This image is the perfect model of an Imperial camp, as should be portrayed by our group. Two styles of wagons are seen here. The outer-most 'wall' of the wagon-fort is made up of wagons housing small canon, protected by sliding wooden doors. The canon on the inside is set to a pivoting stand, so that it can rotate 360°.

A gate created of timber and woven wattle branches serves as the entrance portal. Guards are on-station here at all times. When admittance into the camp is permitted, the brace is lifted, much like after paying a toll-booth.

Note behind the gate, past the first line of wagons, is the Wachtmeister (master of the watch) with his baton. This was the man in charge of the entire camp and feared by all.

Also of a strange note is the seeming lack of latrines, as one man, in the foreground with his back to us, is relieving himself just beyond the cannon-wagon wall! Perhaps this was another deterrent to attackers, though an obvious (to us) health-hazard as well.

A Burgundian encampment scene. Note the nobles lounge in the tent while their retainers set the tent up and secure guy-lines. Of note is that the personal possessions are already inside.

This second camp is another interesting Imperial camp. Note most Imperial tents have two signets identifying their owners. The poles extend beyond the canvas, being capped with decorative tops. The seems are reinforced against the weather by a water-sealant paint, giving an indication to the size of the tent as each area between the stripes are an entire width of the bolt of material. The straw huts are an interesting sight. Also notable are the guy-lines at the bottom of the walls.

The above image illustrates that not all tents were decorated. It was extremely expensive to raise an army, even a militia-heavy force. The balance always weighed between displaying wealth (and thusly, status) above your enemy in the hopes of posturing for successful negotiations, or affording more for the battle force in the effort to defeat your enemy in conflict.

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