Feeding an Army: How Medieval Victuals Sustained the Troops

🍲Medieval soldiers relied heavily on pottage, a bubbling vegetable stew made with oats, peas, beans, and barley.

🥖Bread was a crucial part of soldiers' diets, providing sustenance and acting as a thickening agent for pottage.

🌊The intricate supply chain involved in feeding armies transported food from farmers to coastal towns and eventually to France.

🛡️The logistics of feeding an army involved commissioners, shire reeves, and organized gathering and transportation of food.

💪Calories were crucial for soldiers' energy, with a modern combat soldier requiring around 4,000 calories a day.

What was pottage made of?

—Pottage was a vegetable stew made with oats, peas, beans, and barley.

How important was bread in soldiers' diets?

—Bread was crucial in soldiers' diets, providing sustenance and acting as a thickening agent for pottage.

How was food transported to coastal towns in England?

—Farmers would transport their produce to villages, which would then move it to towns before it was taken to the coast for shipment.

Who was responsible for organizing the gathering and transportation of food?

—Shire reeves and commissioners, sent by the king, were responsible for organizing the gathering and transportation of food.

How many calories did a modern combat soldier require?

—A modern combat soldier required around 4,000 calories a day.

00:00In this video, Kevin Hicks explores the topic of feeding medieval armies and focuses on victuals, or food.

02:00Medieval soldiers relied heavily on pottage, a vegetable stew made with oats, peas, beans, and barley.

04:23The logistics of feeding an army involved commissioners, shire reeves, and organized gathering and transportation of food.

06:12The intricate supply chain transported food from farmers to coastal towns, where it was gathered for shipment to France.

07:24The map of England and Wales demonstrates the radiating movement of victuals from different towns to coastal areas.