A small, round shield with a central boss for the hand grip, used for fighting on foot. Some German bucklers are pointed and hooked at the top and bottom.
1. A small round shield carried by infantry to deflect blows. 2. A small round shield held by a handle at arm's length. 3. A shield worn on the left arm.
A small round shield carried by infantry to parry blows. (Wise, Terence. Medieval Warfare, 247) Related terms: Armor
armor carried on the arm to intercept blows
a small shield that is fixed on to the arm of the wearer
a small shield, which offers protection primarily to the hand and forearm
a small shield worn or held on the arm and the roughly quarter-sized leaf of this species resembles the shield
A small round shield (9 - 18" in diameter) gripped in the hand with either a single handle, or two enarmes. The name buckler is a corruption of the Old French word bocler meaning boss, which refers to the boss or umbo at the center of the shield. It has become a matter of convenience to classify the buckler as a small, agile hand-shield. The definition is a convenient one to use but the reader should be aware that the ancients were not so pedantic about such definitions and used the term indifferently. Used since medieval times, bucklers were round or even square, approx. 8-20" and made of metal, wood, or metal trimmed wood. It was usually held in a fist grip and used to deflect or punch at blows and thrusts. The edge could also be used to strike and block. Some had long metal spikes on the front to attack with, or bars and hooks placed on the front to trap the point of an opponent's rapier. Italian "rondash" or "bochiero."
A small round shield used to strike and block. It was made for very flexible fighters.
A small round shield used to protect the sword hand.
A buckler (French bouclier 'shield', from old French bocle, boucle 'boss') is a small shield gripped in the fist -- it was generally used as a companion weapon in hand-to-hand combat during the Middle Ages, as its size made it poor protection against missile weapons (e.g., arrows) but useful in deflecting the blow of an opponent's sword or mace. There are two major forms of medievally documented bucklers. The first is a simple round shield with the fist positioned directly behind the boss with a variety of shapes of face and depths of rim.
