Medieval combat was a gruesome affair, where survival often depended on luck, armour, and sheer willpower. Some warriors endured injuries that would be fatal today, yet managed to keep fighting, retreat, or even recover. These accounts reveal the astonishing resilience of fighters in an era before modern medicine.
Arrow or Crossbow Bolt to the Face
The Injury
Arrows and bolts could pierce cheeks, jaws, or even eyes without immediately killing their victims. Helmets sometimes deflected or partially absorbed the impact.
Did They Walk It Off?
Yes – adrenaline and partial protection allowed some to continue fighting or withdraw. Historical records describe knights with arrows embedded in their faces still swinging swords. See Henry V at the Battle of Shrewsbury
Skull Fractures from Swords or Axes
The Injury
Heavy weapons could crack helmets and split skulls. Some warriors fought on with fractured craniums if the inner bone remained intact.
Did They Walk It Off?
Temporarily – many later died from infection or brain swelling, but accounts exist of knights fighting through such wounds before collapsing.
Severed Fingers or Hands
The Injury
Close-quarters combat often cost soldiers fingers or even entire hands. Archers and swordsmen were particularly vulnerable.
Did They Walk It Off?
Frequently – many adapted instantly, switching weapon hands or retreating to bind the wound. Some returned to battle days later.
Partial Disembowelment
The Injury
Deep slashes or spear thrusts could expose intestines without severing them entirely.
Did They Walk It Off?
Rarely – but a handful of accounts describe warriors surviving long enough to seek help. Movement was agonising but possible if organs remained intact.
Impalement by Spear or Lance
The Injury
A spear through the torso wasn’t always instantly fatal if it missed the heart or major arteries. Some warriors staggered away with weapons still lodged in their bodies.
Did They Walk It Off?
Briefly – shock and adrenaline kept a few moving, though survival beyond the battlefield was unlikely.
Burns from Greek Fire
The Injury
This Byzantine incendiary weapon caused horrific chemical burns. Victims often didn’t feel the full pain immediately due to shock.
Did They Walk It Off?
Momentarily – some escaped the flames and kept moving before succumbing to their injuries later.
Shattered Bones from Maces or War Hammers
The Injury
Blunt weapons crushed limbs, breaking arms or legs with a single strike.
Did They Walk It Off?
Often – improvised splints, assistance from comrades, or sheer determination carried many from the field.
Slashing Wounds to the Neck
The Injury
Not every neck strike severed an artery. Glancing cuts or shallow slashes sometimes left warriors bleeding but mobile.
Did They Walk It Off?
Occasionally – pressure on the wound and luck could allow survival long enough to retreat.
Why Did Some Survive?
Several factors contributed to these near-miraculous recoveries:
- Armour: Mail and plate deflected or lessened blows.
- Adrenaline: Shock numbed pain temporarily.
- Training: Veterans knew how to minimise damage and keep moving.
- Luck: A fraction of an inch often decided life or death.
Medieval warriors faced injuries that would hospitalise modern soldiers for months, if they survived at all. Yet historical accounts prove some fought through unimaginable pain, showcasing human endurance at its most extreme. Their stories remind us that survival in medieval combat often hinged on more than just skill, it required an almost superhuman tolerance for suffering.
Would you have walked it off? The answer, for most of us, is almost certainly no.
