Was there an unspoken agreement to not kill kings or nobles during

>>3280922
>for fucks sake
My LORD We should find cover!

No Need my trusty cock sucker, my target will protect me!

>>3280922
Depends in the situation and place really.

In Europe and the Middle East the aristocracy and the royalty did have some sort of chivalry wherein ideally the Quality was to be spared the butchery of fleeing soldiers in battle and are instead to be captured. To think nothing of the ransoms, especially the astronomic ransoms you could demand for a monarch's life.

Its different in dynastic squabbles though, someone has to fucking die.

>>3280922
Two things.

1. Armor was incredibly effective during the medieval period. It would take concerted effort to kill a fellow nobleman you couldn't just lazily swing a sword and take his head off like you would a peasant.

2. A dead noblemen isn't worth anything. Ransoms were extremely important.

An example of the two things at work can be found in 1168 when the brothers of Lusignan ambushed the Earl of Salisbury. The attempt was to kidnap him and hold him for ransom and political leverage but because the Earl was returning from pilgrimage and in supposedly safe lands he was unarmored. This resulted in his accidental death and the subsequent banishment of Lusignans.

In the Battle of Muret, King Peter cried "I am the king! I am the king!" but was killed regardless

File: richard-iii-injuries-140916b.jpg (407KB, 620x1150px) Image search: [Google]

407KB, 620x1150px

>>3280922

He says, on 23rd August.

Peter Bru/Basil shot Richard the Lionheart with a crossbow from the ramparts of the castle at Chalu. Richard was walking around observing the siege without his chainmail and was shot in the shoulder. He broke the bolt off and a surgeon was called to get it out but more bits broke off. Richard pardoned Peter and is said to have awarded him a pension but following his death Mercadier flayed Peter alive and hanged him.

ransoms

also, which way is easier to win

if you enemy knows he can surrender or if you are out to kill them