Batons were used in medieval times as training weapons, used mainly by medieval foot soldiers to learn fighting techniques in close ground combat fighting.
Batons were also used in medieval times for fighting in tournaments to entertain medieval people. The reason why batons were used was that they were made out of wood (favorite baton wood was Lime) and whalebone and this stopped footsoldiers and knights from being badly injured.
Knights also used batons from an early age to train them for battle without causing injury in various sword-training exercises. Foot soldiers and warriors in ground combat mainly used batons in medieval times in training techniques.
“Medieval Batons were swords that were made out of wood or whalebone that were used to learn fighting skills in training drills and were used at medieval tournaments.”
Medieval Baton Weapons Training
The number of blows one fighter inflicted on another fighter was counted during baton contests with the winning baton fighter scoring the most points or hits, alternatively, a baton contest could be ended with one fighter being exhausted and surrendering as they could no longer fight.
Medieval Knights Sword Training
Military Training using baton weapons
Baton served a great purpose to train armies to fight for King and noblemen in the Feudal system without them being injured during aggressive training fights; the use of the Batons made of wood or whalebone enabled them to have realistic fights that improved their fighting techniques and also their strength and stamina. Training using these wooden batons usually took place on a daily basis.
Baton weapons Techniques
Techniques could be practiced using wooden batons that imitated real-life close contact fighting which would lead to the introduction of new moves and improved defenses and attack techniques for the foot soldiers of medieval armies.
Points allocated in Baton training fights were as follows:
Three-point were given for a blow to the body face and shoulders
Disarming opponents was worth three points
Immobilizing an opponent was worth three points
One point is given for hitting opponents with the pommel (part of the hilt of the sword)
One point is given for hitting opponents with the Quillon (cross-section another sword hilt)
Baton Weapon Facts:
Batons were the most basic of the melee weapons
Batons were made of wood or whalebone
The design of batons was the same as metal swords
A 15th-century treaty standardized the allowed size of the medieval batons
Medieval batons were used in tournaments for entertainment
Medieval batons were used as training tools for infantry soldiers
Medieval batons were used to train knights in close combat fighting
Batons were designed like real swords in special tournaments and behourds
Batons are used at Behourds or special occasions such as coronations weddings ceremonies
You could only strike above the belt using a medieval Baton
You could win a baton fight by gaining the most strikes (points) in combat
You could win a Baton fight if the other person gave up due to exhaustion etc
Batons were used in combat training
Batons – used in tournaments for entertainment
Baton stopped soldiers and knights from getting injured
Batons – used to train soldiers and knights’ fighting techniques
Batons – used to improve soldier/knights’ stamina
Batons were cheap to make and easily produced
The preferred material for making a baton was limewood
Batons are usually made from a single piece of hardwood
Batons improved fighting techniques
Batons improved muscle strength and agility
Batons trained soldiers in realistic combat situations
Foot soldiers in the middle ages mainly used batons
The baton was a short sword made from wood
Fights using Batons were a part of daily life in medieval times
