Shows / The Quiet Armoury
The Quiet Armoury
Swords and armour through history, told slowly: how each one was made, why it changed, and the people who carried it. Calm stories for the late hours. Read by a synthetic voice.
Episodes
The Quiet Armoury6. The Rapier
Fleuret: French, a little flower or bud, after the button on the point of a practice sword; in English, the foil. London, autumn 1595: a young law student…
The Quiet Armoury5. The Sabre
Sabre: from Hungarian szablya, one of the few words that came into Europe on horseback. Spring 1800, a cavalry barracks in England: a new light dragoon holds a…
The Quiet Armoury4. Samurai Armour
Gusoku: Japanese, 'complete', a full armour with every piece. Summer 1750, in a castle town at peace: a young samurai helps his uncle air the clan's armours in…
The Quiet Armoury3. The Longsword and the Fight Books
Indes: Middle High German, 'meanwhile', the instant when the blades touch and you feel which way the other will move. Strasbourg, spring 1570: a cutler's…
The Quiet Armoury2. Armour, from Linen to Plate
Harness: the old word for a complete armour, from the French harneis, gear. Before dawn, around 1450, a young squire arms his knight for a tournament, feet…
The Quiet Armoury1. The Sword, from Bronze to the Rapier
Fuller: the long groove down a sword blade. Often called a blood groove; it is nothing of the kind. A night walk through a museum hall of swords, case by case…