Name: Scottish Highland targe
Brand: Windlass Steelcrafts
SKU: 805181
Price: 162.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Leather belt strip brown 4 x 180-190 cm
$ 34 Excl. VAT

Product description

A Scottish shield by Windlass Steelcrafts, designed for Scottish reenactment and enthusiasts of Scottish history. Scottish targes were the primary means of protection for the Jacobites in battle until the Battle of Culloden. After the defeat of the Jacobites, the use of targes was banned in Scotland.

The targe was not an isolated development. Place the Jacobite Wars in a broader European context — part of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), and more broadly, the conflicts between Catholic and Protestant Europe. The House of Stewart was Catholic and maintained deep alliances with France, Spain, and Italy. The targe developed from Spanish and Italian rotella shields, which were hugely popular during the Renaissance. In some cases, these shields also featured the characteristic central bosses. The targe was significantly cheaper and more durable, making it ideal for the wet climate of the Scottish Highlands. After the Disarming Act following the Battle of Culloden in 1746, many targes were destroyed. The targes known today were therefore mainly owned by aristocrats or captured by the English.

Wealthier Scots decorated their targes lavishly. The targe of Charles Edward Stuart, for example, featured a Medusa head and military trophies. This Windlass replica is also beautifully decorated with brass fittings, circles, and other geometric motifs, reminiscent of Pictish art. Made from leather, the shield features leather straps on the back for a secure grip.

This shield is perfect for Scottish reenactment, Jacobite reenactment, and battles such as Culloden. Use it for cosplay or a Scottish costume, or display it as a striking decorative piece at home.