SWORDS AND ARMOR.

SWORDS AND ARMOR. This article by Matt Anderson and Shane Smith on armored fighting gives a partial explanation of how Robert Morley was killed. In armored fighting, the edge of the sword was unimportant. Rather, armored sword fighting is all about putting the point into a relatively unprotected area. “Half swording” (something like choking up on a bat) was used most often because of its accuracy and the ability to put your weight into the thrust in order to penetrate the padding under the gaps in the plate. Anderson and Smith say: “Grappling moves such as trips and throws are an essential element as well…. It is often necessary to throw your opponent to the ground and perhaps hold him there in order to make an opening for your finishing move.” It is plausible that Robert Morley was on the ground when he was killed because a basic tactic in armored fighting was to get your opponent on the ground where a sword thrust could be used. The question remains: Why was a losing knight in a tournament killed?