Driving?

Bodley 264 Romanance of Alexander England 154r1338-1344

Pieter Brueghel II Brussels "Antwerp Peasants in an open wagon" 16th Century

Reproduction of the 15th century mail coach manufactured in the town. Notable for its early suspension system. Housed at the museum, Kocs, Hungary. Kocs is a long time cross road on the route between Vienna and Buda.

Medieval roads were not universally cambered and metaled and medieval carts lacked good springs/suspension. Leaf springs, used today on many cars and carriages, were an 18th century invention.

Many Egyptian and Roman vehicles are shown driven from a standing position. Standing allows the driver to absorb road shock with their knees.

Some of the Celtic burial chariots incorporate a body bound to the frame with leather. Historians speculate that the arrangement provided some level of suspension.

In the 15th Century, the Hungarians established a mail coach system and the highway town of Kocs became know for their coach building. The body of the kocsi is connected by leather to arches rising from the axles. The driver traveled seated on the vehicle and the system promoted rapid and smooth travel.

Between the Celts and the Hungarians, many carts and wagons were directed postilion style with riders controlling one or more horses from atop the horse rather than the vehicle. My working hypothesis is this method buffered the "driver" from the road shock of traveling in an unsprung vehicle on roads of variable quality.

The written record

I have have found no horsemanship specific treatises that address packing or driving except in reference to horse type. There are a few war accounts that reference baggage trains. It is noteworthy that the two horsemanship authors that address driven animals both point towards broodmares.

From "A Description of the City of London" by Fitz-Stephens (1170):

Also to be found there are mares suited for pulling ploughs, sledges, and two-horse carts; some have bellies swollen with foetuses, while around others already wander their newborn – frisky foals who stick close to their mothers.

From The Battle of Tannenberg or Grunwald by Duglosz (1410; trans Mikos, 1999):

They found in the Teutonic camp several heavy wagons loaded with fetters and chains which the Teutonic knights had brought to shackle the Polish prisoners, since they had promised themselves a sure victory, without considering God’s intervention and without thinking about the battle, but only about a triumph.

They also found other wagons full of pine fire-brands soaked with tallow and tar, also arrows greased with tallow and tar, with which they were going to chase the defeated and escaping soldiers.

From "The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet" describing the Battle of Agincourt (1415; trans Johnes, 1840):

Great fires were this night lighted near to the banner under which each person was to fight; but although the French were full one hundred and fifty thousand strong, with a prodigious number of wagon’s and carts, containing cannon and all other military stores, they had but little music to cheer their spirits; and it was remarked, with surprise, that scarcely any of their horses neighed during the night, which was considered by many as a bad omen.

During the heat of the combat, when the English had gained the upper hand and made several prisoners, news was brought to king Henry that the French were attacking his rear, and had already captured the greater part of his baggage and sumpter-horses. This was indeed true, for Robinet de Bournouville, Rifart de Clamasse, Ysambart d’Agincourt, and some other men-at-arms, with about six hundred peasants, had fallen upon and taken great part of the king’s baggage and a number of horses, while the guard was occupied in the battle.

The Compleat Horseman Gervase Markham 1614 (Discourse on Horsemanship originally published 1593):

Lastly, if you will choose a Horse for Cart or Plow, which is the slow draught, choose him of the most ordinary height, for Horses in the Cart unequally sorted, never draw at ease, but the tall hang up the low Horse. Let them be of good strong portion, big breasted, large bodied, and strong limbed, by nature rather inclined to crave the whip, than to draw more than is needful. For this purpose Mares are most Profitable, for besides the effecting of your work, they yearly bring forth increase. If you furnish your draught with Mares to breed, observe in this wise to have them fair-forehanded, that is good neck, breast, and shoulders, for the rest is not so regardful, only let her body be large, for the bigger room a Foal hath in the dam’s belly, the fairer are his members.

If you choose a Horse for the Coach, which is called the swift draught, let his shape be tall, broad, and well furnished, not gross with much flesh but with the bigness of his bones. Especially look if he have a strong neck, a broad breast, a large back, sound clean limbs, and rough hooves; and for this purpose, your large English Geldings are best, your Flemish Mares next, and your strong Flemish Gelded Horses tolerable.