Military Flails Didn't Exist? - Lets Take a Closer Look!

The flail (often inaccurately called "morning star") is one of the most iconic arms of the Middle Ages. Except that some historians think that it was not a real medieval weapon that saw actual use in combat.

So in this video I discuss the available evidence (practical considerations, museum pieces, and historical pictures) and give you my opinion on the topic. It briefly touches on the nunchaku but it's not about the drama(?) that Shadiversity's video seems to have stirred up. :)

My tests with flexible weapons:
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   • Chain Blades and Axe Flail vs. Zombie...  

Pros & cons of maces, warhammers, and other bludgeons:
   • The Pros & Cons of Bludgeons (Maces, ...  


** Sources **

The blog post that I comment on:
https://www.publicmedievalist.com/cur...

German heavy morning star, 16th or 17th century
http://www.hermann-historica-archiv.d...

German flail, ca. 1520/30
http://www.hermann-historica-archiv.d...

17th century flail with large, smooth ball and multiple chains
http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collect...

Indian flail, 18th century
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...

History of the kisten
http://holodnoeorugie.ru/kisten/
Translated to English: https://translate.google.com/translat...
https://xn--90abjbtjdof1b8dvb.xn--p1ai/raznoe/drevnee-oruzhie-rusi-oruzhie-drevnej-rusi.html
Translated to English
https://translate.google.com/translat...

Russian forum discussion about flails
https://www.yaplakal.com/forum2/topic...

Piotr N. Kotowicz, Early Medieval War-Flails (Kistens) from Polish Lands
http://rcin.org.pl/Content/22894/WA30...

Technique demonstration with a flail (in Russian)
   • Кистень. Основы работы кистенём для н...  

Fighting manuscripts
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Category:...

Depictions in medieval art
https://manuscriptminiatures.com/sear...

Korean flail demonstration
   • Joseon Martial Arts: Korean Swordsman...  

Flails of the Ming Dynasty
https://greatmingmilitary.blogspot.co...

https://mandarinmansion.com/item/chin...


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