This sourcebook is born of a lifelong passion for medieval arms and armour. Through it, I aim to share this passion with others. When handling real weapons or pieces of armour at a table, peering at them through the glass of a display case, or admiring artistic depictions such as tomb effigies, burning questions push themselves to the forefront of my mind: how can we animate these static objects? What if the (mainly) men who made, fixed, and bore them could talk to us? What would they say? What tales would they tell? And, most importantly of all, how can we make these things happen?

There are numerous approaches to this field of study. Three of the main ones are: the practice of living history, crafting, and the detailed examination of objects and documentary evidence. I am far too fragile of body and pusillanimous of mind for living history, suffering from that weakness of combative will shared with those the master jouster King Duarte I classifies as failing ‘de seguranccedil;a du suas voontades’. As to a life dedicated to craft, I proved too scrawny of limb – the beating of hammer on anvil causing ‘apprentice elbow’ – and too delicate of eardrum.