Shield of King Edward I, Wood

Shield of King Edward I, painted wood

The medieval shield we offer here features the royal arms of England as used by the English monarchs in the high Middle Ages - over a period of about 170 years (with short interruptions). They are composed of three identical gold lions passants guardants with blue tongues and claws, set against a crimson background.

This coat of arms was the one worn by the armies of Edward I and Edward II during the long-lasting First War of Scottish Independence which opposed the Kingdom of Scotland to the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. First adopted by Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) in 1198, it was further used by his successors on the throne until King Edward III (who claimed the French throne) modified the design in the mid-14th c. to incorporate the arms of France.

This heraldic shield features the typical characteristics of the heater shields that were commonly used in the high Middle Ages (from approx. the 12th to the 14th c.) - a triangular or "V" shape, a flat top and rounded sides tapering to a point at the bottom. It is made of plywood, tightly bound with linen and hand-painted. The back of the shield is painted yellow and fitted with a pair of so-called enarmes (arm straps) and a longer shoulder strap, all made of thick, sturdy leather and tightly held in place with steel rivets. A leather padding nailed to the wood at arm level provides enhanced shock absorption.

Although this wooden shield may be slightly too light and thin for full contact, it is still a great accessory for light combat re-enactment, LARP, stage or TV/film and will make your transformation into a proud, noble knight or warrior just perfect. Besides, it also makes for a nice collectible of display piece for all English history and English heraldry enthusiasts.

Details:
- Material: plywood, linen, leather
- Height: approx. 71 cm
- Width (incl. curvature): approx. 48 cm
- Bend radius (depth): approx. 12cm
- Thickness: approx. 1 cm
- Weight: approx. 1.5 kg

Specs may slightly vary from piece to piece.