Report of the German Reenactment Event at Daaden, in the vicinity of Limburg
		Whitsuntide 2002  -  17.-20. May 2002
              
	      The Call to Arms in Defense of Neuss 1474/1475

Photos can be found at www.companie-of-st-george.ch/gallery_pc2002_1.phtml

It seems the Burgundian Company of Saynt George has changed sides, when it 
called for a recreation of the imperial call to arms in 1474/75 to defend the 
city of Neuss besieged by Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy.  The event
was intended as a gathering of all interested 15th century reenactment
groups to meet, to talk and to build a larger military formation, 
the "Reichsaufgebot zum Entsatz von Neuss".

Over 200 people followed the imperial call and met on a meadow with 
savage forests all around and hardly any civilization to be seen.
Members of the following groups were present: Ad infinitum, Arma Georgii, 
keines Herren Knecht, Bauer und Bonde, la Compagnie des 4 Lunes, la Companie 
du Ravin, la Compagnie du Crepuscule, the Company of Saynt George, der 
verlorene Haufen, Elvelüüt, Nürnberger Aufgebot 1474, la Massenie de St. Mihiel,
Evocatio Ratisbonensis, Para Bellum, Hansevolk zu Lübeck, Kriegsknechte 
Sankt Ulrich, Intermundus, 1476 Städtisches Aufgebot.

The idea behind the event was to create a meeting place for reenacters, 
where they could meet other like-minded people away from the public - 
let's call it a try to create an alternative to the English Tewksbury 
meeting.  

The started started on Friday afternoon with Lutz's attempt to build
a tight medieval camp. Building a defendable camp is a troublesome task, 
as everyone wants to get a few squarefeet more space. This leads to
endless arguments and it can be concluded with tongue in cheek that Lutz
did a great job recreating that athmosphere.  I think the result was
well worth the effort.

To give such an event a sense, the groups had to be split up and rejoined
into the Reichsaufgebot - or at least a small part of it.  Therefore
a muster was held on Saturnday morning where an infantry block of 50 men
(and 2 women), 10 gunners and bowmen and 3 artillery crews were mustered.
The day was filled with drilling on the fields under a cloudy sky, but
against all forecast, no rain and no tempest turned the plain into a
lake - and i am sure 10 minutes of rain would have been enough.

The evening brought a joyful evening at the tavern - suddenly ended by
the camp guard (who was on duty from Friday night until Monday morning
by the way).
Sunday morning was filled with a few more drilling and we were getting
better.  It really is a difference between making a halberd drill 
with two ranks of seven men and making it with four ranks of twelve.
Then the afternoon came and we set out for the final manoeuvre: All
troups formed and marched to a nearby meadow where Captain Dietrich
tried to make use of the different types of forces. This was harder
than expected and it took a bit of training to get used to the
coordination. Moving forward, setting up the three cannons, covering
them with the gunmen, preparing the infantry to charge, removing the
gunmen, firing, moving the artillery forward and restart.

I must say, we really learned a lot out of these manoevres. Things
we had not considered in the time before. I.e. you definitely
want ten persons to go with every canon. Otherwise it can not be
moved in an effective way.  Then, we had not prepared enough hierarchy
levels. When Dietrich called his officers, there was noone to take
their place, leaving the troups out of command. This was highly inefficient,
let alone a real situation where leaders are lost in battle...

But as this was intended as a place to learn the manoevres, i do not
think people minded too much when they felt a bit bored on the field 
from time to time.  We had a long talk on Sunday evening on the
experiences we had made during the afternoon and during the event in
general. The list of errors and points that should be improved
is of an impressive length, but as most are of light quality, i think
this is perfectly normal.

Before the large manoevre, a market was called where everyone could
trade his stuff. Being busy selling needles and threads i hardly had
an eye for the great atmosphere this has been. But people ensured me
afterwards, it was a wonderful sight, where two hundred people gathered
for barter and sale of second hand items.

While the character of the event was military, there was room enough
for civilians and nobody was forced into a military role.  Pierre and
Rosaline from Isengrimus played tunes for the dancers, different
groups met at the fencing circle and ball games were played in front
of the camp.  However, it has to be stated that people were a bit 
reluctant to take up these activities. That might be part of the
military organisation that provided the men with a schedule, so they
did not take up their own initiative.  I have been a bit afraid
people would not really mix enough, so i was very happy when Estelle
from la Massenie told me, she really felt like being part of a
larger group on the second day. Great, this has been one of the
goals!

Apart from a handful of people wearing costumes that were out of the
period, it was a true 1470ties camp.  As always, women's costumes looked
better then their male counterpart, but even the males showed
a decent standard and i must be kept in mind that many people made 
their first 15th century costumes for this very event, so i expect them
to improve to the meeting 2003.  With some of the men this should
be recommended - the overall look of a camp or of a group of people stands
and falls with the weakest garments or items. This is visible on 
the photos i have made.  A nonauthentic flat bowl lays
in the middle of the kitchen of the Company of St. George, and in one
of the Company tents a linnen floor is visible while i do not know
of real sources for tent floors outside of carpets.

In the talk, we agreed the event should not be advertised on a true
european level.  This would not permit the keep the focus on the
Reichsaufgebot, to enhance the standard and might overstrain 
the organisation and infrastructure.  In special the latter is a 
good point. Therefore, everyone is welcome to attend the event, but 
no compromise will be taken to lure more people to join the Reichsaufgebot.

Christian Folini, Company of Saynt George