How Real is Too Real? Public History and the Interpretation of Medieval Martial Arts

Portrayals of medieval combat are very common in all kinds of media and a staple of public history engagement at castles and historic sites. The work of those who create and perform such portrayals requires the navigation of multiple demands; the accuracy of the recreation, the skills and safety of the performers, the clarity of the movements to audiences, and the potentially conflicting expectations of all involved. There is not one way to interpret medieval martial practices, and each form of interpretation must adapt itself to the needs of the situation. This seminar will trace how these common examples of public engagement rely upon the combined efforts of historians, heritage sites, martial arts practitioners, stunt performers, and fight directors, and furthermore, how the potentially conflicting needs and interests of each specialist show how multiple medievalisms can coexist within this interpretive practice. 
 
Dr Craig Hambling (Birkbeck School of Historical Studies) is a historian of medieval pedagogy, political theory, and physical training, specialising in the ways in which martial techniques were intertwined with theories of social organisation and ontology. He recently completed his PhD at Birkbeck, entitled "How to Build a King: Shaping the Self and the Royal Body in Giles of Rome’s De Regimine Principum (c.1280)". Originally trained as an actor, Craig works as teacher with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat and as a fight choreographer for scenes of violence in many UK theatres. He also appears in in public history interpretation at historical sites such as the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and Dover Castle, usually very carefully hitting people with things.