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Kings in Battles
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Cyrus Shahmiri View Drop Down
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Posts: 6240 		  Quote Cyrus Shahmiri Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Kings in Battles
    Posted: 30-Oct-2004 at 14:09
We see in the movies or read in books that kings or major generals fight in the front of the army, kill many enemies and sometimes even their armies were defeated but they themselves were not killed, was it really possible? Do you know any king who really fought like this?
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Styrbiorn View Drop Down
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Posts: 2810 		  Quote Styrbiorn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Oct-2004 at 15:38
Lots of Swedish kings before Gustav Vasa did it, as well as Gustav II Adolf, Karl X Gustav and Karl XII. Karl XIV Johan aka Jean Baptiste Bernadotte led troops in the front, but he didn't actually take part in the physical fighting AFAIK.

As for the rest of Scandinavia, a number of kings during the Viking age and following century did this too. Which isn't very strange, since the main commitment of the king was to be a battle-leader.
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Paul View Drop Down
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Posts: 952 		  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Oct-2004 at 16:14

Alexander is the obvious one charging at the head of his cavalry.

Richard III died leading a glorious last ditch cavalry charge at Henry.

Henry VIII killed several people during battles.

Harold at Hastings lead his Huscarls in battle.

Murat lead a few spectacular cavalry charges in his time.

Cromwell, king in all but name, lead as many charges as Murat.

 
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Posts: 2187 		  Quote Gubook Janggoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Oct-2004 at 20:52
Wang Guhn used to be in most of his battles.
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Posts: 339 		  Quote Kubrat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Oct-2004 at 00:21
Most Bulgarian Hans were part of the battle, at least in some way.  In fact, early on in the Bulgarian history, if a Han lost a battle, he was deemed too weak to be the leader of the country, thus he was replaced.

But kings charging at the head of their armies doesn't sound too realistic.  That could only have happened before guns were invented (but even then there were bows and arrows), and only with a King who was fearless and didn't care about losing his life or crown.
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Lannes View Drop Down
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Posts: 439 		  Quote Lannes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Oct-2004 at 19:43

Pyrrhus of Epirus, Alexander I the Molossian, Seleucus Nicator, etc.

It was the norm for Greek Kings to fight alongside(and usually at the head of) their troops.  The above Hellenistic(or smei-Hellnistic as some would say) Kings would've fought at the head of their heavy cavalry.  Really, this list could go on and on...



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Posts: 154 		  Quote TMPikachu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Nov-2004 at 19:29

Some Chinese Emperors were noted to have fought as chariot or horse archers. A few princes were cavalry commanders.

 

 
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Degredado View Drop Down
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Posts: 366 		  Quote Degredado Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Nov-2004 at 13:47
Given the nature of medieval Iberian warfare, I don't know if I should say that the kings of Portuguese Burgundian dynasty fought at the 'head' of their armies. But they certainly did fought. And they were always at the sieges. Of the renaissance (Avis) kings, Afonso the fifth was the most bellicose, closely followed by his son, John the second.
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Posts: 131 		  Quote Slickmeister Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Nov-2004 at 20:23
Richard the Lionhearted of England always fought at the front of the line.
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white dragon View Drop Down
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Posts: 356 		  Quote white dragon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Nov-2004 at 14:38
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out of curiosity, what does this mean
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