#8201 El Cid: Spanish Light Cavalry
Dated: October 9, 2008, updated October 14, 2008.
Light cavalry played an important role in the warfare of eleventh-century Spain. The Christian kingdoms of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre fought across a landscape of fortified towns, open plains and contested frontier regions, where speed and mobility were often as important as heavy armor.
Much of the warfare of the period consisted of raids, reconnaissance, pursuit and the rapid movement of troops across enemy territory. Light cavalry was particularly well suited to these tasks. Mounted soldiers could scout ahead of an army, harass enemy forces, protect flanks, escort messengers and supply columns, or pursue opponents who had begun to retreat.
Box.
Unlike the heavily armored cavalry associated with the emerging knightly class, light horsemen relied more upon speed and flexibility. Their defensive equipment was generally lighter, allowing both horse and rider to move quickly over long distances. Spears, javelins, swords and bows could all be used depending upon the region and the individual warrior.
The Christian armies of Iberia were themselves influenced by centuries of warfare and contact with the Muslim states of al-Andalus. Equipment and tactics did not develop in isolation, and mounted warriors on both sides could share weapons, styles of dress and methods of fighting. The frontier between Christian and Muslim territory was therefore a place of cultural exchange as well as conflict.
El Cid's own career illustrates the importance of mobile cavalry. Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar spent years campaigning across eastern Spain, sometimes in the service of Christian rulers and sometimes fighting for the Muslim taifa of Zaragoza. Raids, rapid marches and the ability to operate independently were essential to the kind of warfare that made his reputation.
Light cavalry could also work alongside heavier mounted troops. The lighter horsemen could scout, harass and draw out an enemy, while better-armored cavalry provided the stronger shock element in close combat. This combination was useful both in open battle and during the smaller-scale warfare that characterized much of the period.
Test shot.
This set contains 12 mounted figures and 12 horses in four rider poses and four horse poses. The warriors are equipped for mobile warfare rather than as heavily armored knights, making them suitable for reconnaissance, raids, pursuit and skirmishing as well as for larger battlefield formations.
The figures can be combined with our El Cid Spanish Heavy Cavalry to represent the two main types of Christian mounted troops. Our Spanish Infantry and Spanish Command can be added to create a broader Christian force for the campaigns of Castile, Leon and other Iberian kingdoms.
Used against our Andalusian and Almoravid sets, these figures are suitable for the shifting conflicts of the late eleventh century, including campaigns around Zaragoza, Toledo and Valencia. They can represent the mounted followers of Christian nobles, frontier warriors or the kind of mobile troops that accompanied El Cid during his long military career.