Medieval Mayhem

The medieval warrior and Russian folk hero Ilya Murometz was the choice for their 1914 war charity stamp (its one kopeck over face value surtax was donated to charities active during World War One). This strong and fearless warrior's name would also be used as the name of the bi-plane bombers of that same war.

1987: Polish Rulers (2nd series)

Another weapon bearing character appears on a Polish stamp but this is of their first crowned king, Boleslaw the Brave.

A bow and arrow appears in this scene of a hunter and wild animals

1974: Polish Folklore 16th Century Woodcuts (1st series)

but with bird snaring apparently all that was required was a net

1977: Polish Folklore 16th Century Woodcuts (2nd series)

Meanwhile in medieval times the Scottish hero Robert the Bruce was mounted and ready for battle

1974: Medieval Warriors

I only have another two of this set which have rather heavy 1970s parcel franking on them

Parcels with proper stamps are a rarity these days and I have only received one in recent times and even that had no trace of a frank just overenthusiastic pen marks defacing them. Ah for the days of proper franking no matter how heavy.

For the medieval knight war and tournaments were all part of their life but hawking and hunting were a favourite pastime and in this highly hierarchical society the type of bird they would use for falconry would be determined by class. According to the famous English  'Boke of St Albans' (1486) and its Laws of Ownership a king would use a Gyr Falcon but a prince would fly a peregrine falcon like one of these

2013: Falconry

    which the stamp shows in a variety of poses.

An entry to Violet Sky's Sunday Stamps II theme of - Weapons, Hunting, War- more mayhem here