The Professor Andrzej Nadolski’s interests in knightly culture – research and popularization of knowledge

The knightly culture is an issue of the margin of science and, as such, becomes the object of research of medieval study, including archaeology and weapon study. Among these was undoubtedly the forerunner of Andrzej Nadolski. His research into knightly culture and popularization of knowledge about it was the result of attempts to interpret the material side of life of medieval knights, especially weaponry. Interests in knightly culture of the scholar became the result of a particular stage of development of Polish arts and research challenges facing Polish archeology erected from the forties to the nineties of the Twentieth century. In the initial period based on a top-down program of study of material culture of early medieval Polish state, Nadolski placed particular emphasis on the study of early medieval weapons. In his study of the early arms and armour from the Polish lands were, however, discussed the cultural role of the sword and the spear. Within a few decades of his professional activity Andrzej Nadolski has repeatedly argued that he was knowledgeable about the history and transformation of medieval chivalry, which were not in the center of his research interests. These interests were often the carcass of his analysis of clothing and armor shows on the images of kings and knights battle performances, and virtually all studies and the discussions weapons, archaeological sites (mote castles, battlefields) and medieval art of war, which came from his pen. Nadolski’s erudition in the field of knowledge of the culture of chivalry was most apparent in his popularization work. By moving into the issues such as the ethos of chivalry and its Christian inspiration, knightly rituals, martial arts of war and tournaments, heraldry and hunting. His work has become a precious tip for further indepth study as part of a modern, interdisciplinary paradigm practicing of historical archeology and weapon studies