Hunting traditions of medieval Europe?

December 28, 2022

This is a strange behavior of a man who for thousands of years has proudly called himself a "hunter. In general, this definition is understandable, although the very purposes of hunting wild animals in different centuries of human development differed from the original ones. Turning to the primitive period, engaging in hunting was motivated by the usual desire not to die of hunger and to preserve offspring. Hunting in those distant times provided everything. Food to survive, clothes and shoes to use in hot season and severe frosts, material for everyday life and solving everyday needs. Over time, our ancestors found a variant of peaceful coexistence with the surrounding nature, taming and learning to control the renewable potential of domestic animals themselves, minimizing the risks of being injured or killed when hunting wild animals. At this stage, it would be possible for man to "shake" the paw of a wild kinsman and conclude a "world" treat for generations to come. However, the entire subsequent development of mankind, who managed to secure a sustainable food program for themselves for the future, did not manage to deny themselves the pleasure of to engage in hunting. And this pleasure, having transformed into more refined methods of "communicating" with animals, has reached our time. Passing through different stages of its development.

A brief history of European hunting.
Medieval Europe went far from the primitive way of life of mankind. During this time man has evolved to understand and fully solve the problem of food, learned to use renewable technologies of animal products, invented gunpowder and created weapons. And yet, he has never been able to give up hunting wild animals. Moreover, during this period of social development hunting was regarded as a favorite entertainment of certain high society strata. Hunting was relegated to the rank of a kind of "club" for the interests with clear and understandable conditions. Membership in this club was determined by solvency of its representative in the society. In essence-money. In such a situation, ordinary people, the poor and low-income fell out of the process. They were only used as a cheap labor force - the paddlers, the attendants for their masters' pleasant leisure time. The main point of hunting at that time was not to get meat for subsistence. The main thing was to impress others with expensive weapons, exclusive clothes, the number of racehorses in the stables and dogs in the kennels. Let us take a closer look at all this.
For centuries, the European nobility has been preparing to go hunting as a kind of a show of their expensive outfits. To show off themselves and to look at others. The hunt itself was a convenient drive to go out on a theatrical forest "catwalk." In fact these costumes embodied the national traditions of indigenous peoples, which had been developing for centuries. The hunter's costume over the centuries was refined and added certain convenient elements. Even today we can see these elements of centuries-old hunting outfit in some countries. This is a history, which is cherished tenderly and on all national holidays. Each country has its own way. For example, when it comes to the Austrian Tyroles, we think of suede breeches and wool socks, tucked into rough Alpine boots. And, naturally, a hat with a feather or fur tassel in it. In the same way one recognizes English fox-hunters by their strict costume, and Bavarians by their pants with the obligatory pocket for a hunting knife and the like. This is the time when traditions and customs associated with hunting began to emerge. Communities of people of interest began to form, which in its present form are commonly referred to as "hunting clubs". Hunting from a simple hobby became an important part of social interaction, a privilege and indicator of nobility, and an arena for many political issues. The entrance to a hunting club was the purchase of an expensive special "ticket" for permission to hunt. Practically it is the prototype of today's hunting ticket with an obligatory permission to buy a hunting gun and a hunting license with a shooting card and indication of species and number of animals allowed to kill.
Clothing. The big corral hunts were characterized by a huge gathering of the nobility, who with a glass of champagne in festive attire, discussing the social life anticipated the beginning of the hunting action. It was an entrance into secular society through a certain ritual of attracting attention to herself. In addition to the expensive and not always comfortable for the action, the importance and envy of the groomed trotters in inlaid harness and of course the dogs. Real, hunting dogs, valued at enormous sums of money, living in conditions many times better than those of commoners.
Guns. This was a subject that was never left without discussion. In the fifteenth century firearms came into being, supplanting the wonderful bows, arrows, and spears in the aftermath. It was a watershed moment and a turning point priority in the struggle between man and animal. Although demonstrative "performances" of cover hunting on the part of the on the part of the elites were present. For example, when hunting wild boar. It was first found, surrounded and chased with shouts and rattles chased it to a certain place, where it was rounded up by a pack of dogs. When it was exhausted and and was already slow-witted, a rich hunter would come out with a knife or a spear to kill the beast. In this This act of the hunter bordered on his courage and recklessness. After all, a hunted beast, though tired, at the end of its life finds not a good deal of strength for the last rush and to try to escape. A ritual is a ritual, though. It could have been simplified, though. At this time the first arquebus guns appeared in Europe, which pierced almost a thousand and a half inches of metal knight's armor. In parallel with these guns, the army began to receive muskets, which later became the basic unit of warfare, with a range of nearly eight thousand inches. It was problematic to use the musket for hunting because of its weight, which sometimes exceeded more than twenty pounds, and a special stand buried in the ground was used for aiming.

The significance of hunting in Medieval Europe.
Medieval hunting in Europe was conducted not only for trophies, but more as a theatrical action for the upper classes. The poor did not fall into this category. The commoner's lot was to be on the side of the rich, doing all the grunt work. At the hunt, they were the corrers, served the shot game, and cleaned up after the guests. The nobility prepared for hunting as for the next appearance in society-the best clothes in the style of practical and expensive clothes, weapons of the latest achievements of science, horses with inlaid harness, expensive dogs, trained to catch the beast. By the way, the special places to visit were the stables and the kennels, where one could fully appreciate the master's wealth. It was just another social occasion to confirm his personal reputation. The wealthy men of high society met here, and many had the hope of solving their political or financial issues The significance of this action can be seen in the church, which had almost unlimited power. She was adverse to the fact that beasts were being slaughtered. But neither the influence of the church nor its exhortations could reduce or stop this fascination. And the holy fathers found an ingenious solution built on the principle, "if you can't "if you can't win, join. From the twelfth to the fourteenth century, the clergy did a tremendous job of proclaiming the deer king of all wild animals. No, not banning hunting it, but specifying that this proud, less destructive animal to crops than bear and wild boar would help make hunting more controlled and civilized. Why the eagle or crane were not chosen for popularization remains a mystery.

Different hunting traditions in different European countries.
Among the hunting traditions of medieval Europe, in addition to weapons, the breeding of special breeds of dogs for hunting and corralling, as well as for herding large animals. Greyhounds. The tallest greyhounds were called "vaulted." And if the greyhounds drove the beast, then specially bred a large breed Alan, acted in the role of herding. Among the best were considered breeds of Wolfhounds and Deerhounds brought from Scotland, Britain and Ireland. Some of them reached almost fifty inches at the withers. The greyhounds, an example, were trained to catch quite a variety of game, from a small hare to a large deer. The French used these breeds of dog for hunting hare. The fox was not poisoned by the hounds, but the wolf was hounded by hounds and alans. Interesting facts have been discovered by historians, in particular suggesting that the Celtic tribes in the fifth century BC had excellent dogs, most likely Arabian greyhounds slugger. And this is a mysterious, literate and martial people, who occupied at that time most of Western and Central Europe, where today their descendants live. They conquered the British Isles, the current territories of Spain, France, Northern Italy, captured and burned Rome. The ancient treatises called the Celts "wise and skillful", contrary to the fact that some "historians" completely unprovenly form their image as thoughtless savages, barbarians, lovers of reckless partying and drinking. But let us return to hunting. In ancient literature there are descriptions of hunting dogs, which in the Celtic tribes were called "Vertrags", strongly resembling today's greyhounds. The Celts were skilled hunters, though they divided all hunters into two categories. The first included the poor, for whom hunting was vital as an element of subsistence, the second, turned hunting into a colorful spectacle. Greyhounds chase a hare repeating its inconceivable stunts. And there was a great number of such sporting spectacular competitions. To kill and get the trophy of an adult male red deer was considered a great success. A worthy trophy was considered if there were at least ten offspring, where each of them corresponded to the year of life of the animal. Hunting was done both with dogs and on horseback with a bow and arrow. It was a whole action, from the beginning of the search for the animal by traces, broken branches and places of droppings, to the place where the animal was buried. Especially since this action was preceded by a gathering of the hunting party, where the gamekeepers analyzed the information and decided on the conduct and conduct of the hunt for the trophy. Then by the prospective way of the animal movement the dogs were placed in full readiness to hunt. And afterwards everything according to the scheme. The beast was found, picked up and driven to its complete exhaustion, where it found its death by the sword lor spear. All other moments like skinning, cutting, feeding the dogs and selecting the trophy completed this action.in an informal atmosphere if the hunt was successful.