Realm Collections Blog

An abbey is a structure or establishment that serves as a monastery or convent for Christian monks or nuns. It was the home for many individuals who led a life of seclusion from the world and lived under religious vows and fixed rules. The practice of living in an abbey started in the early 4th century with two types of lifestyles:

• Eremitical life – similar to the way of life of desert hermits
• Cenobitical life – monks live together in an organized community

At first, most abbeys followed different rules and codes for the management of a monastery or convent such as those of Pachomius, Basil and St. Augustine. However, in the 8th century the Rule of St. Benedict was adopted in most, if not all, abbeys.

The Rule of St. Benedict or Benedictine Rule was written and established by St. Benedict in 529 and was the first order that the first Medieval Abbeys adhered to. Subsequently, the middle ages saw the establishment of other major orders of Medieval monks:

• The Benedictine Monks or the Black Monks
• The Cistercian Monks or the White Monks
• The Carthusian Monks or the Silent Monks
• The Dominican Monks
• The Franciscan Monks
• The Augustine Monks

Many individuals chose to live in Medieval Abbeys and become monks for several reasons:

• To devote their lives to serving God
• To live their lives in a secured place
• To escape from the dangers of a violent world
• To lead quiet and peaceful lives

When you have submerged into a life in a Medieval Abbey you also have to live a life following the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. However, what was life like in a Medieval Abbey?

The daily life in a Medieval Abbey included worship, reading and manual labor. They were expected to:

• wash and cook
• plant and raise vegetables and grains
• produce wine, ale and honey
• provide medical care for the community

The most vital and center of one’s life in a Medieval Abbey was the Book of Hours. This was the main prayer book used by Middle Age monks which was divided into eight parts or hours. These were read at specific times during the day and contained prayers, psalms, hymns and other readings. These were called by the following names and recited at the given hours:

• Lauds – 5AM, the early morning service of divine
• Matins – 2AM, the night office
• Prime – 6AM service
• Sext – Noon or 6th hour, the 3rd of the Little Hours of divine office
• Nones – 3PM or ninth hour, the 4th of the Little Hours of the divine office
• Terce – 9AM or 3rd hour, the 2nd of the Little Hours of divine office
• Vespers – 4-5PM, recited before dark; the evening service of divine office
• Compline – 6PM, recited before retiring; the last of the day services of divine office.

Want to learn more about what daily life was like in a medieval abbey? We recommend reading “Life in a Medieval Abbey” availabe now at realmcollections.com.

A helmet is a protective gear which is worn to protect the head from injuries. Its origin can be traced back to the Ancient Greek soldiers who used thick helmets made of leather or bronze to protect their heads from arrows and the blows of their opponents’ swords. Nowadays, soldiers still wear helmets to protect their head from bullets and shell fragments while fighting in wars.

There are several types of helmets at Realm Collections. These are divided into:

• Ancient Helmets
• Medieval Helmets
• Samurai Helmets
• Viking Helmet

If you are a fan of the movies “300″ and “Gladiator” then you will be interested in the gears and costumes worn in the said films.

One important part of any warrior or soldier’s uniform or battle gear is the helmet which can ensure your safety from blows and unseen weapons from mortally wounding your head. Some of the featured types of helmets at Realm Collections include the following:

Ancient Helmets

• Gladiator Helmet – A gladiator needs a head protective gear while fighting other gladiators and wild animals in arenas found during the Roman Empire and Roman Republic. This helmet is made of 18-gauge carbon mild steel which is light but sturdy. It measures 12” front and back and 9” sideways and designed to intimidate opponents.
• Greco-Roman Red Crest Helmet – this kind of helmet was first used in Greece around 350 B.C. However, it became popular during the time of the Roman Empire. It is made from hand worked brass and adorned with leather accents and horsehair crest. This helmet was widely used by the Legionnaires, Centurions and Legates.

Medieval Helmets

• European Closed Helmet Engraved – a form of close-fitting, full helmet which was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has a full visor and bevor which are pivoted from bolts on each side of the skull and made of 18-gauge steel.
• Barbarian Helmet  – this is made of a built-in leather mask and stiff leather lames around the back and its shell is made of 16-gauge steel with an antiqued finish. As the name implies, this kind of helmet was used by foreign and rival civilizations during ancient times.

 Samurai Helmets

• Hanwei Dragon Armour Helmet – originated from the Momoyama period, this helmet is a popular samurai helmet which can be seen in many movies and re-enactments of Japanese warriors.

Viking Helmets

• Viking War Helmet – a typical Viking helmet made of metal with spikes or horns.

These helmets can be used as part of a costume or as a décor for your home. This is highly recommended for interior designs which center in medieval and ancient touches.

Realm Collections offers various styles and types of medieval helmets. From cabassets to burgonets to gladiator helmets, you are sure to find great selection of medieval helmets.

Who doesn’t have dreams of becoming kings and queens who live in castles? A life of splendor, wealth and romance is what has always been depicted in stories and movies such as those of King Arthur and other medieval period films. However, according to history and real life records of life during medieval times, living in a medieval castle was not easy. This was due to the strict governance of the Medieval Feudal System over all medieval castle way of life. The Lord of the castle, his family and guests often had better life condition and comfort compared to those under their rank in the castle’s household. However, there are also those who experienced hardships staying in inadequate living quarters especially during winter or cold weather.

Everyday life in a medieval castle was also strictly observed by codes of conduct such as the Code of Chivalry. It dictates how a person should act through courtly manner and courtly love. Life in a medieval castle was often busy due to a number of people living in it depending on the status of the Lord who owns it. It was possible that a castle had hundreds of people living in it who had different responsibilities according to the needs of the Lord of the castle. Aside from the Lord and his family the occupants of the castle include the knights and the servants. The knights together with the pages and squires were responsible for serving and fighting for their Lord while the servants, from the acrobats to the watchmen, have different responsibilities and assigned quarters within the castle.

A typical day in the life of the Lord and his family living in a medieval castle includes the following activities:

• Wake up at dawn
• Hear mass in the chapel
• Have breakfast
• The Lord of the castle attends to different business matters related to his land and subordinates/tenants such as crops, supplies, taxes, complaints, disputes, political discussions and decisions among many others.
• The Lord and members of his family spend time for the arts such as poetry, music, and painting to name a few.
• Have weapon practice
• The Lady of the castle spends time overseeing household duties
• Have mid-morning prayer and meal
• The men will go hunting while the ladies do needlework
• Have evening prayer and supper
• Entertainment provided by jesters, musicians, acrobats, dancers, etc.
• Bedtime prayers
• Sleep – bedtime was often dictated by the time the Lord will go to sleep

If you would like to learn more about life in a Medieval Castle, drop by realmcollections.com.

Medieval dungeons were places called “the Keep” that functioned as the main tower of a castle and used as a defensive position. It was where the garrison or soldiers could retreat to in case of emergencies caused by enemy attacks. Medieval dungeons were also used to keep prisoners in and served as burial vaults which were built underneath castles. There are different forms of dungeons or keeps which depended on the shape of the structure. These included the residential keep and the cylindrical keep. Medieval dungeons were often constructed as part of castles during the Middle Ages.

The word “dungeon” comes from the French term “donjon” which means “tower.” Medieval dungeons were not quite close to how they are described in many books as dirty and dark basement pits because they were actually found in the castle’s highest tower. They were also clean and comfortable to stay in. However, basements and pit dungeons were also constructed and used to keep prisoners and bury the dead. These underground dungeons were the result of building more luxurious castles and were then called “oubliette” which is French meaning “to forget.” This was designed so that no one could escape without the aid of somebody else who could open the hatch in a high ceiling outside of the dungeon.

There are different types of medieval dungeons which included:

• Residential keeps – square towers with very thick walls and eventually became rectangular in shape.
• Cylindrical keeps – rounded towers which were used as a defense against battering rams and as a defensive structure
• Norman or Romanesque keeps – built with towers at each corner and extend above the main keep to create watch towers. These also feature spiral staircases and drawbridges to guard the top of the stairs. Popular examples include the Tower of London, Rochester Castle, Domfront, and Loches.
• Shell keeps – these were designed on top of castles to serve as defensive mounts. Examples include Restormel Castle in Cornwall and Gisors Castle in Normandy.
• Other famous keeps in Europe include The White Tower of the Tower of London which was constructed by William the Conqueror, Rouen where Joan of Arc was imprisoned and the dungeon of Château de Vincennes located in Paris which is considered to be the tallest dungeon in existence.

For more Medieval decor and Renaissance home decor items, including dungeon accessories, drop by realmcollections.com.

“Eragon” is a fantasy novel about dragons and magic written by Christopher Paolini and which is the first book in a series called the Inheritance Cycle set in the mythical world of Alagaësia. It tells the story about a young farm boy named Eragon and his dragon named Saphira.

“Eragon” came in third in the best selling children’s hardback book list in 2003 and the second best selling paperback in 2005. It was also listed on the New York Times Best Seller for 121 non-consecutive weeks. Due to the book’s popularity as a best selling book, it was then adapted into a feature film with the same title in 2006. 

“Eragon” is a product of then 15-year old boy Christopher Paolini who was home-schooled by his parents and fond of reading books and writing poetry and stories even at a very young age. Christopher wrote “Eragon” for two years and took another year to prepare everything for publication. The book was self-published and the first copies came out in November 2001. Christopher and his family spent more than a year to promote the book in different libraries, bookstores and schools. Until during the summer of 2002 when author Carl Hiassen came across a copy of “Eragon” through his stepson who was reading it while on vacation in Montana. He asked his publisher to check out the book and to see if Knopf Books for Young Readers which is affiliated with Random House can publish it. Knopf executive editor Michelle Frey subsequently called the Christopher and family to make arrangements for publishing “Eragon.” Finally “Eragon” was published by Knopf in August of 2003.

The popularity of the book grew that Christopher wrote the second book “Eldest” which was published in 2005. The series which was meant to be a trilogy instead became a cycle of four with the third book entitled “Brisingr” coming this September 2008 and a fourth one coming soon. Christopher travelled to different countries to promote his book and even closed a deal for a movie adaptation of “Eragon” with 20th Century Fox.

The movie adaptation of “Eragon” was released in December 2006 and starred Edward Speelers as Eragon, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou and Joss Stone among many other. Rachel Weisz provided the voice for Saphira the dragon. Peter Buchman, the screenwriter for “Jurassic Park III,” wrote the screenplay for “Eragon” while Stefan Fangmeier who was the visual effects director of “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” which starred Jim Carrey and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” which features Russell Crowe as the lead star directed Eragon. The film was shot in several locations in Hungary and Slovakia.

For “Eragon” collectibles and other movie replicas from your favorite big screen and small screen flicks, drop by realmcollections.com.

The Medieval Knights were fighting men during the Middle Ages who were hired by wealthy noblemen or warlords to perform military service. They belong to their own level of social standing and considered to be the wealthiest of soldiers. Other types of soldiers during medieval times were foot soldiers and archers.

Medieval Knights were paid with land, money or any loot that their wealthy masters can provide them or anything they can get from cities they have captured and ransacked. However, a large portion of their hard-earned money were used to purchase horses, armors, shields and weapons which were very expensive during the Middle Ages.

Medieval Knights began their careers as soldiers and mounted combatants during the rise of feudalism in Europe and the reign of Emperor Charlemagne. The term “knight” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “cniht” which means “boy.” This meaning may have been derived from the practice of sending 8 year old boys to the nearest castle to be trained as pages and eventually become knights. These boys were trained to strengthen their bodies, wrestle, ride horses, and fight with a spear and a sword against a wooden dummy called a quintain. They were also taught to read and write, learn Latin and French, sing and dance, and court etiquette among many others.

When they turned 15 or 16 years old they went up in rank as squires whose main job was to serve knights. As squires, they were expected to perform the following duties: dress the knight in the morning, serve meals, care for the horses, clean armors and weapons, and assist the knights during tournaments and battles. In the duration of their services under a knight, they learned how to fight with a sword and a lance while wearing an armor weighing 40 pounds and riding a horse. At the age of 20 and after proving themselves worthy, these squires were then dubbed as knights during an elaborate ceremony wherein they promised to defend the weak, be courteous to all women, be loyal to their king and serve God at all times. This was their code of chivalry.

Even though they swore to follow their code of chivalry, Medieval Knights were known to be merciless against common folk, plundered villages they captured and even rape young peasant women without fear of being punished. However, they still were able to prove their role as soldiers who fought and defended their masters until the end. The 16th century saw the end of knighthood when professional armies were developed and trained all throughout Europe.

Learn more about the Medieval Knights and view historically acurate suits of armor at realmcollections.com.

In ancient times, there were a group of seamen who robbed ships while at sea. They commited acts of violence and depredation against other vessels on the seas outside the jurisdiction of a state. These were pirates!

Pirates became popular villains of many books and movies alike most especially after the success of the Disney trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean starring Johnny Depp. However, the real pirates of the past were not as suave as Jack Sparrow. They were robbers and terrorists who victimize other sailing ships for goods and even the stealing the vessel itself. They even resort to violence and killing just to get their loot.

The first evidence of piracy in history was a documentation of the exploits of Aegean and Mediterranean pirates in 13th century BC. Eventually these pirates became so powerful that they were able to create their own pirate nation in Cilicia which at present is a part of Turkey. Another powerful group of pirates in earlier times were the Vikings who spread terror along the coastlines of Europe. Subsequently, pirates were defined according to the level of terrorism and destruction they create and the areas where they commit their crimes They are:

• Pirates – robbers who steal from other ships at sea.
• Privateers – captains of ships who attack and capture other ships for their valuables. They were robbers with a license because the government gave them permission to pillage other ships from other nations.
• Corsairs – French privateers who terrorize the South Mediterranean Seas.
• Sea Robbers – do not belong to any group or under any government; they simply capture and rob other ships for themselves.
• Ruthless Robbers – considered as the cruelest pirates of all, they rob and kill all their victims.
• Buccaneers – a group of pirates from Holland, England and France who terrorized the Caribbean seas and used the “boucans,” Indian special knives as weapons.

The Golden Age of Piracy was the time between the years 1519 and 1780 which saw the rise of the most prominent pirates in history. One of these was the infamous “Blackbeard” Edward Teach and his crew who terrorized the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Seas from 1716 to 1718. Other well known pirates in history were Anicetus (first known leader of pirates from Pontus), Samuel Bellamy (captain of the pirate ship Whydah), Thomas Cavendish (first pirate to circumnavigate the globe), William “Captain” Kidd, and “Black Bart” Bartholomew Roberts who was considered to be the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy.

For pirate costumes and collectibles, as authentic as can be, drop by realmcollections.com.

Samurais were members of the military nobility of Japan before the country was industrialized. The term “samurai” is a Japanese word that means “to serve,” and thus, samurais were considered to be servants of a lord.

As Japanese warriors, samurais, also known as bushi, used different weapons such as swords, bows & arrows, spears and guns. The word samurai is often confused with the sword they use called katana which is primarily the weapon they use when fighting.

Samurais were also called bushi because of the ethic code of bushido or the way of the warrior. This code dictates how samurais should live their lives and emphasizes the concepts of loyalty to one’s master, self discipline, being respectful, and having ethical behavior. Due to their loyalty to the bushido and their belief in honor, they usually choose to commit seppuku which is a ritual suicide rather than being captured or having a dishonorable death.

Training warriors and foot-soldiers in Japan started in the 6th century under the Taika Reform which required adult males to be drafted into the national military. However, the first samurais were considered to be civilian public servants that deal with daily affairs. It was in the 8th and early 9th centuries under the Heian period that shogun, which means general, led clan warriors to put down rebellions. However, this was short-lived and it was in mid-Heian period that the ethical code Bushido was born. The first followers who later became samurai warriors were actually farmers who trained themselves with weapons to protect themselves against the imperial magistrates.

Eventually, samurais were employed by the emperor and nobility for protection. But they rose into power after gaining enough manpower, resources and alliances. They were able to establish a samurai-dominated government. From towards the end of the Heian period (1185) until the Edo period (1603-1868), samurais dominated and ruled Japan but with the end of Japan’s feudal era in 1868 came to an end, so did the samurai class.

Today, samurais are still well known and respected as warriors. They are depicted in many films and television shows as brave warriors who are prepared to die for their beliefs.

To view a unique collection of Samurai Swords and other Oriental Swords, drop by realmcollections.com.

Robert E. Lee from Virginia was the Confederate Army’s commander during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. Lee was born on January 10, 1807 to Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee and whose family had many ties to Revolutionary War heroes. He is most famous for his battle against the Union army led by Ulysses S. Grant in Tennessee when he later on surrendered at Appomtox Court House on April 9, 1865.
 
Robert E. Lee started his military career in West Point where he graduated 2nd in his class without any demerit against his name. After graduating he was then commissioned as a brevet 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers. He went on further with his career when he fought during the Mexican Wars and was promoted to Colonel because of his gallantry and numerous successes in his scouting missions. Before the American Civil War, he found himself administering the Military Academy as Superintendent and later on was transferred to West Texas as Lieutenant Colonel 2nd Cavalry where he served from 1857 to 1861. A couple of months before the American Civil War started, Lee was recalled to serve under General Winfield Scott when the lower South pulled out from the Union.

Lee was strongly attached to the Union and the Constitution that it was ironic that he led the Confederates during the American Civil War. Due to this, he withdrew from the Union even though he was offered the position of Chief of Command of the U.S. forces under General Scott. Subsequently, he became the Commander-in-Chief of the military and naval forces of Virginia and later on became military advisor to Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America. During this time, he went through several ventures and battles until after the Battle of Gettysburg when he was forced to surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomtox Court House on April 9, 1865.

Are you a Civil War buff or interested in more about the Civil War? Drop by the Civil War Collectibles section at realmcollections.com.

Born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant Ohio on April 27, 1822, General Ulysses S. Grant was the leading Union general in the American Civil War who defeated the Confederates under the command of Robert E. Lee at Appomtox Court House on April 9, 1865. He later on became a General Chief and briefly the Secretary of War under the administration of Andrew Johnson. His political career went further when he won the presidential election in 1868 and served for two terms. In his later years, he became stricken with throat cancer due to smoking cigars and died at Mount McGregor, New York on July 23, 1885.

Ulysses S. Grant or U.S. Grant is one of the most prominent figures of the American Civil War which transpired between 1861 and 1865. Before this momentous event of leading the Union troops against the Confederates, Grant started his military career in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York where he graduated 21st in a class of 39 students in July 1, 1843. After which he served in the Mexican War under Zachary Taylor’s army at Monterey and later on with Winfeild Scott’s army in the campaign for Mexico City. When the Mexican War ended, he married Julia Dent and was assigned to garrison duty in the Great Lakes region and later on to the Pacific Northwest.

He left the military in 1854 after drinking rumors about him spread within the ranks. However, when he returned home, he found himself failing in all the business ventures he went into. In 1861, while performing clerical work for his brother’s leather shop in Galena Illinois and the Civil War has begun, he was appointed as Colonel of the Governor Gate’s Hellions. After his success with his first troop, he then was appointed as Brigadier General and later on became Major General after taking over Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. This success however was marred by his actions in Tennessee which saw the most bloody and devastating battles of war. It was the part of the American Civil wherein the most number of people died. Due to this and rumors about his drinking surfaced again, he was relieved of his post for several months.

U.S. Grant redeemed himself when he was restored as the commander of the army of Tennessee and when he defeated troops in Vicksburg and Braxton Bragg. He was able to impress President Abraham Lincoln that he was promoted to Lieutenant General in charge of all Northern Armies. After which he joined forces with George G. Meade to battle against the Confederates under Robert E. Lee who after several months surrendered at Appomtox Court House on April 9, 1865.

Are you a Civil War buff or interested in more about the Civil War? Drop by the Civil War Collectibles section on realmcollections.com.