The Dutch Read Free

merchants knew little about how to use horses in war. The young would-be mounted soldiers found it difficult to understand that their untrained stallions and mares would rather buck them to the ground, than be ridden into the personal space of another mounted rider. They were surprised when their untaught horses would even rear up and refuse to approach too closely to a stationary footman who held his ground. After seeing an endless number of the bewildered young men thrown to the earth and forced to remount when possible, the Baron decided to personally take charge of the cavalry instruction. After six months of injuries and attrition caused by the vigorous training, the unit was reduced to fifty dedicated members whose mounts no longer feared man or beast.
    The Baron was so pleased with the performance of the young riders that he decided to visit the armories in Bremen to purchase light armor for the unit. He took Jacobus and both of the magistrate’s sons, Robert and Jan on the trip by sea to Germany. At one of the armories they selected a light weight breast plate and helmet for each cavalryman. The young men wanted to increase the offensive capability of their unit and, since “gunnes” or “hand cannons” were available in numbers, the young men attempted to convince Derick to purchase such a weapon for each rider. A “gunne” at the time was a barrel cast in wrought iron and attached to a wooden stock with a flash pan that ignited the powder through a small hole at the top of the barrel. This needed a spark to send the projectile in motion. Usually they were cumbersome weapons, needing a second person with burning tinder to fire them, yet the newly evolving gunne at one armory was different from the others. It had a slow match attached to the flash box with a spring lever that acted as a trigger mechanism. That gunne allowed one man to fire the weapon, even when mounted. The barrel was short, difficult to aim but like all smooth bore weapons, could be loaded with small shot, rather than one large ball, making it very effective at short range much like a modern day shotgun. The Baron had a knight’s natural pre-disposition against such weapons, but eventually a compromise was reached with his son and the other lads. Thirty weapons were purchased for the majority of the unit who had little expertise with the Droger Land’s traditional bow.
    Jacobus had found some excuse for stopping the column for the third time that morning. With his own armor still on a pack animal, he nimbly dismounted and made his way to his father’s horse and began adjusting the saddle’s stirrups knowing it made the journey less uncomfortable for his father. The other mounted men knew to keep some distance, for the two lords, at times like this, usually conversed privately. It was Derick who began the conversation, “Remember my son, the Frisians know everything the warrior monks taught you in Flanders. Frisia became a bigger military threat when they gave sanctuary to many Templar-knights a hundred years ago. At the time they didn’t fear the Pope or the French king and they don’t fear anyone today. Remember the things I taught you, for the Templars taught the Frisians the same things the Hospitaller monks taught you about individual combat.”
    â€œAye father, on open ground, always short thrusts with my lance and parry left with my shield, it will not be expected. If possible, keep to my horse, the steed makes me invincible against the footmen.” Jacobus almost recited.
    Derick roared, “What if you’re dying horse tosses you into a crowd?”
    Jacobus, almost laughing raised his sword hand above his head and started moving it around and around. “I will draw my whirling blade until it’s sound, breaking the wind, can be heard in the heavens by our ancient gods. They will well know I have already taken precious ground from our enemies.”
    After his son’s