4:20 - 4:40 Again, we are presented with complete misconceptions about European armour. European armour does not impede mobility and movement, also its weight is evenly distributed around the body, mainly on the shoulders and hips. Not being able to get up while wearing armour is a myth. Barbarossa drowned not because his armour was heavy, but because he was sick, suffered fatigue and his heart stopped. In fact, Japanese O-yoroi armour is even heavier than European mail, and the later Tosei gusoku is only slightly lighter than the Western plate harness. And the O-yoroi actually offered less mobility than any Medieval European armour.
To be fair, Tosei gusoku tends to vary quite in comparison to previous armors, but the weights of heavier configurations are comparable to plate harnesses. For the O-yoroi, you'd be looking at around 55lbs of armor, which can be brought up to about 60lbs with equipment added.
As far as I know there is only one (medieval) source refering armor colors by clan, and these differ from those cited in the lecture. The known colors are: Minamoto: Black / Taira: Purple / Fujiwara: Charteuse (pale green-yellow) / Tachibana: Yellow.
which medieval source is this? because Fujiwara Teika is famously quoted as saying Taira were "the red flags" and Genji were "The white flags". He's not the only one either, that conflict was well documented.
Yes, the Odachi was only swung around like "Dont come near me."...right. It was used only for poking and the curve in the blades had no purpose...This man is absolutely clueless.This is the type of historian who would tell you that a knight couldnt stand up without help if he got knocked down from horseback.
@@Jim58223 I was being sarcastic because this person is obnoxious with a stupid name. Your comment is also massively misinformed, People weren’t using O yoroi in the 15th century, at least not nearly as commonly as the 11th through 14th centuries. By the 15th, it was the haramaki and do maru which had become the norm, and they were much more form fitting and lighter than the shoulder-suspended o yoroi which was horseman’s armour. By the 15th century, Japan was employing foot soldiers much more and horsemen took up armour originally intended for footmen. As for the person performing the lecture, Thomas Conlan, he has written authoritative books on Japanese warriors along with Karl Friday. He was a student of the late Jeff Mass, another well known scholar. He knows what he’s talking about, speaks Japanese, has worked with Japanese scholars - have you? You should actually read some of his work before criticizing it. He makes reference to European armor or concepts mostly so that people understand the differences between the two, and so does Friday.
@@Jim58223 Lol so why are you comparing armor from Japan’s 11th century from Europe’s 15th 400 years later? That’s a pretty terrible comparison considering the much lighter tosei gusoku was around by the 15th century, and was lighter than European armor.
@@Jim58223 Which illustrations, schools and literary references are there? You’re going to dig yourself into a really big hole if you continue. All existing odachi sword schools are from the Sengoku and Edo periods, which are not what he’s talking about. And I’d love to hear about some contemporaneous literary references that can actually be used as evidence, because most can’t, at least not directly. It’s fictional stories containing embellishments and half truths like the Heike monogatari which have historians thinking Japanese warriors called out their name and entire pedigree before they engaged in one on one combat. This is just entirely false and completely misleading. Stories like Heike monogatari are not entirely unusable as evidence but are fiction.
@@Jim58223 Odachi were used for slashing and swung like polearms. It’s in Conlan’s own book, and it’s supported by evidence - skeletons of war dead from Zaimokuza during the Nanbokucho Era show sword point skid marks on the foreheads. Parts of odachi were not even fully sharpened, and were thus bludgeons.
4:20 - 4:40 Again, we are presented with complete misconceptions about European armour. European armour does not impede mobility and movement, also its weight is evenly distributed around the body, mainly on the shoulders and hips. Not being able to get up while wearing armour is a myth. Barbarossa drowned not because his armour was heavy, but because he was sick, suffered fatigue and his heart stopped. In fact, Japanese O-yoroi armour is even heavier than European mail, and the later Tosei gusoku is only slightly lighter than the Western plate harness. And the O-yoroi actually offered less mobility than any Medieval European armour.
Exactly O-yori is actually on the heavier end even when compared to jousting armour. That's why it was primarily used on horseback.
I stopped watching after he claimed that
To be fair, Tosei gusoku tends to vary quite in comparison to previous armors, but the weights of heavier configurations are comparable to plate harnesses.
For the O-yoroi, you'd be looking at around 55lbs of armor, which can be brought up to about 60lbs with equipment added.
Best presentation I’ve seen on Samurai battlefield material culture in over 30 years.
As far as I know there is only one (medieval) source refering armor colors by clan, and these differ from those cited in the lecture. The known colors are:
Minamoto: Black / Taira: Purple / Fujiwara: Charteuse (pale green-yellow) / Tachibana: Yellow.
which medieval source is this? because Fujiwara Teika is famously quoted as saying Taira were "the red flags" and Genji were "The white flags". He's not the only one either, that conflict was well documented.
Why do I get a Jeff gouldbloom vibe from this lecturer. Great lecture too, thanks
18:38 - Tatami armor wasn't utilized to any appreciable degree during the 16th century.
Great lecture, but oh, the puns.....ow.
Very poor lecture, especially from a supposed specialized professor. Lots of this is total bunk and shoddy conjecture that is easily disproved.
Questionable facts????
Yes, the Odachi was only swung around like "Dont come near me."...right. It was used only for poking and the curve in the blades had no purpose...This man is absolutely clueless.This is the type of historian who would tell you that a knight couldnt stand up without help if he got knocked down from horseback.
Yeah you tell that expert whos the real historian Scrotumface Um!!!!
@@Jim58223 I was being sarcastic because this person is obnoxious with a stupid name. Your comment is also massively misinformed, People weren’t using O yoroi in the 15th century, at least not nearly as commonly as the 11th through 14th centuries. By the 15th, it was the haramaki and do maru which had become the norm, and they were much more form fitting and lighter than the shoulder-suspended o yoroi which was horseman’s armour. By the 15th century, Japan was employing foot soldiers much more and horsemen took up armour originally intended for footmen.
As for the person performing the lecture, Thomas Conlan, he has written authoritative books on Japanese warriors along with Karl Friday. He was a student of the late Jeff Mass, another well known scholar. He knows what he’s talking about, speaks Japanese, has worked with Japanese scholars - have you? You should actually read some of his work before criticizing it. He makes reference to European armor or concepts mostly so that people understand the differences between the two, and so does Friday.
@@Jim58223 Lol so why are you comparing armor from Japan’s 11th century from Europe’s 15th 400 years later? That’s a pretty terrible comparison considering the much lighter tosei gusoku was around by the 15th century, and was lighter than European armor.
@@Jim58223 Which illustrations, schools and literary references are there? You’re going to dig yourself into a really big hole if you continue. All existing odachi sword schools are from the Sengoku and Edo periods, which are not what he’s talking about. And I’d love to hear about some contemporaneous literary references that can actually be used as evidence, because most can’t, at least not directly. It’s fictional stories containing embellishments and half truths like the Heike monogatari which have historians thinking Japanese warriors called out their name and entire pedigree before they engaged in one on one combat. This is just entirely false and completely misleading. Stories like Heike monogatari are not entirely unusable as evidence but are fiction.
@@Jim58223 Odachi were used for slashing and swung like polearms. It’s in Conlan’s own book, and it’s supported by evidence - skeletons of war dead from Zaimokuza during the Nanbokucho Era show sword point skid marks on the foreheads. Parts of odachi were not even fully sharpened, and were thus bludgeons.