The medieval glossary of English (old/middle/modern) words as used in the middle ages. Of highlight are words misunderstood or unknown to the general public (or newer participants.)
UPDATED 09/01/2023
There are currently 20 terms in this directory beginning with the letter B.
B
Barker
Originally (in the 14th century) refers to a dog. By the late 15th century it begins to refer to a noisy person.
Bastion
Part of the defenses of a castle standing proud from the wall and giving a good field of coverage for defenders.
Battlements
A collective term referring to the defensive structure on walls, towers, and buildings of fortified structures such as castles, inclusive of whatever combination of parapets, crenellations, and/or machicolations existed.
Belfry
A wooden siege tower, for protecting troops as they scale walls. The current sense of being associated with bell towers started in the 1700s.
Bevor
A piece of plate armor protecting the chin and neck designed to operate with a helmet and/or its visor.
Bill or Billhook
The former being an curved blade on a stick arboreal tool, when made larger or affixed to a longer pole it was commonly used by English commoners as military weapons. Eventually the billhook took on a life of its own as an iconic weapon and was made purpose built for war with additional hooks, spear points, and spikes.
Bodkin (arrowhead)
A type of arrowhead which is round or diamond shaped and sharply pointed with the intent of puncturing and penetrating plate and mail armor.
Bordar
An English peasant who holds no land save for a cottage and messuage. Similar to Cottager and Cotter.
Breastplate (armor)
A piece of plate armor in one solid or sometimes three segments which covers the upper chest from collar bone to the diaphragm.
Buckler
A small shield, commonly made of metal or a combination of metal and leather, held in a center grip and typically used in conjunction with a short or arming sword.
Butt (archery)
[14th c.] An earthen berm style archery set up, a mound of earth on which a target was placed to work as a stop for the arrows.
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