History
Imagine facing a
mass of 200 fearsome soldiers in armour, charging at you with 18
foot long spears pointed at your face and chest. If you are lucky
enough to avoid the initial thrust and get past the points, you then
come face to face with a bloodthirsty warrior intent on chopping you
in two with a short sword, or just pummelling you into the dirt
under the weight of men pressing on behind him. Welcome to Pike
fighting in the 17th century!
The Pike had a
notable history in warfare for over 2000 years, until the bayonet
was added to the musket toward the end of the 17th
century. Pikemen built the empire of Alexander the Great, and in
216BC Hannibal’s Carthaginian pikemen massacred 62000 Romans out of
a force of 65000 at the battle of Canae, the Romans’ worst defeat
ever. In Europe in the Middle Ages, armoured knights disappeared
from battlefields as peasant soldiers learned how to bring down a
mounted knight with a pike. The English adopted the pike during the
16th century, and through experience of European wars
learned to combine its potential with that of the musket.
English pikemen
carried an 18-foot long Ash pike, wore a basic helmet called a
Morion, Back-and-Breast armour with thigh plates, and often carried
short swords and daggers. Pikes were used to defend musketeers from
cavalry, but they would also attack enemy musket or pike divisions
at close quarters. The pike was considered the Gentleman’s Arm,
because the pike was considered more skilful to learn than the
musket; thus any self-respecting gentleman would take the pike as
their weapon of choice.
In major battles
pikemen formed divisions typically at least 8 men deep and 20 men
wide. When attacking, the front few ranks would “charge” their
pikes, that is, point them in front, and like this the division
would march on their enemy. After the initial thrust of the points
the division would push on their enemy, each man pressing with all
his weight on the man in front, while those at the front would
struggle to keep their footing while fighting hand to hand with
their opposition. There were relatively few direct casualties of
pike-on-pike attacks; often one side would break and run on contact,
suffering most damage on the rout. In general pikemen tended to be
outnumbered by musketeers 2 to 1, and even more so by cavalry
troops.
For further information about
the history of Pike warfare
CLICK HERE!
Pike
in the Sealed Knot
In the Sealed Knot,
pike companies form the backbone of most regiments, usually
numbering between 10 and 30 people. SK pikemen carry an untipped
pike of between 12 and 16 foot, and some have swords. A Morion style
helmet is required by all pikemen for safety reasons, but body
armour is optional. Pike fighting is hard, energetic work! It
requires a reasonable level of fitness, as you will be very active
for at least an hour. But that hour can go far too quickly, as once
the adrenalin kicks in (which it inevitably will) your brain will be
working extremely fast!
Pike fighting
usually takes two forms: Push and Point. In a Push the pikes are
elevated and one company of pikemen will slam into another company
in a tight press, the aim being to literally push the enemy back and
gain their ground. At Point, pikemen form a tight wall with pikes
charged at their enemy (either pikemen or musketeers), and attempt
to drive them back by thrusting the points into the enemy. This
sounds easy, but needs strong arms and a lot of practice to get the
hang of!
Swords are permitted
only when at Point, as a handy secondary weapon when the enemy gets
past your pike point. But be prepared to shed your sword to the
Baggage at a moment’s notice for safety reasons to engage in a big
Push. Generally being a pikeman is a safe hobby, albeit frenzied.
Serious injuries are very rare, but you can expect to take home some
colourful bruises and the odd scratch. You will usually find pikemen
in the beer tent after a battle comparing bruises!
Earl Spencer Compton's Company of
Pike
Earl Spencer
Compton’s Company of Pike are a fun-loving, diverse group of men and
women from age 16 to 50, with an eclectic mix of students, teachers,
doctors, policemen, factory workers, tradesmen and musicians in our
ranks! We take great pride in the bond between us, developed through
training, playing and partying hard. We like to drink of course, and
our favourites are good ale, fine tequila, and Mount Gay rum, often
followed by campfire folk songs or comedy numbers! But don’t get too
drunk, as you need to be up for an hour’s training the next morning.
We train at most
events, and a hangover is no excuse for skipping training. Wimp out
of it and you can expect to miss the battle too. But we have plenty
of experienced people willing to help you in your training, and
plenty more who will take the mick when you get it wrong! The
commands used for drill and postures are the original 17th Century
orders, giving us an added level of authenticity. Our group
preference is to fight pike in the Point style, and you will be
encouraged to obtain a sword and learn to use it, but many members
are willing to engage in Pushes where necessary, so you will be
trained in all styles. But the most wonderful thing about our Pike
Company, and the Regiment as a whole, is just how quickly everyone
will become new-found brothers and sisters to you, forged through an
amazing shared experience!
Contact
If you are interested in joining Earl Spencer Compton's Company
of Pike please contact the Company Commander:
Danny Hancock
Tel. 07779 630951
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