Popular [Mis]conceptions of Medieval Warfare

Abstract

Abstract Popular portrayals of war in the Middle Ages, such as medieval‐themed films and video games, draw large crowds, big money, and tremendous interest among the general public. As a result, certain dubious stereotypes now overwhelm depictions of medieval combat, and further reinforce extant misconceptions. However, there is a long history of this, both at the hands of popular entertainers and professional military historians. This article identifies the causes of a number of these fallacies, and points out that popular entertainment sometimes merely reflects ongoing disputes among medieval and military historians. Finally, it suggests that, even if factually problematic, historians should not simply dismiss these popular media. Rather, films and games can be employed to help clarify the general public's misunderstandings about medieval warfare.

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