1115 A.d.

[Woodsheal]

You'd pretty much be dressed and equipped like any other European fighting man, though you could add a tartan cloak (NOT a belted plaid or "great kilt"). A majority of Scots at that date were still Gaelic/Celtic, with some Anglo-Saxon incursion in the southeast Lowlands, and with of course an influx of Norman nobility. So, your Scots man-at-arms (if Gaelic and not Norman), could very well wear a bit of tartan, a cloak or mantle being the most likely item. The English mocked such brightly colored garments as being "Irish", i.e. Gaelic....

[Sir Robert]

I have just returned from serving in Iraq, here are my observations.

My clothes that I wore over there wore out in six months. Arab made copies were for sale cheap. We were issued new uniforms so we did not need the local stuff but we did buy tons of the local made clothing for the Iraqi Army. We also bought local made bedding and blankets. Lastly we picked up souveneer knives & trinkets.

The only things that I took with me and came back with was helmet and IBA body armor.

So from my experiances I would say that a Crusade Returnee in AD1115 would have AD 1066 chainmaile & helmet, a curved sword and a mix of European and Middle Eastern clothing + bedclothing like blankets. So he would want to show off his war trophies.

[Nick]

If he went with a sword, he probably wouldn't have replaced it with a Saracen sword, he would have cared for it same as hauberk and helm. Loss or damage is certainly possible, of course. He may not have had a sword at all.

Cheers,
Nick

[turpin]

Looking, perhaps, for something like this?





Or this?



http://www.theinnerbailey.com/armor.htm

[Sir Robert]

I disagree, bringing back a curved sword is a 100% likelyhood.

[AckZel]

Actually there is a probability for crusaders to adept a saracen sword but there is a really big likehood not to. All the lower class peasants joining the crusade were issued a simple european sword made aby the crusading army swordsmiths (all the smiths joining were put to work) and all the cities conquered were filled with capable european smiths (pilgrims, crusaders) making European weaponry. There was endless source for European weaponry on the holy lands so why take an enemy one? Possible, but not 100%

[AllenJ]

Those pictures have some major inaccuracies with them. Don't go that route. I dont think a crusader would have adapted any saracen weaponry at all. Remember that they were "the enemy" and viewed as enemies to God. That and their weaponry wasn't significantly better than European stuff no matter what the fantasy people want you to believe. I think that a great simple pattern would be a basic Norman kit with possibly a padded jack over the mail.

This would be a much more accurate look to shoot for:
http://www.battle1066.com/cavalry.shtml

[Sir Robert]

You people are not thinking like a Crusader: "I just pissed away 16 years of my life and I will demand bragging rights, here is the proof of my time in the holy lands, this rusty Saracen sword taken from the hand of an infidel officer at the turning point of the battle...."

Have you ever fought in the Holy Lands? No? 'Did not think so. Who are you to question my advice?

[Abax]

Have you ever fought in the Holy Lands? No? 'Did not think so. Who are you to question my advice?

Perhaps he is the polite one.

Abax

[thescot]

Dang, Turpin. YOu look cool.