Medieval Armour A Wikipedia Compilation by Michael A. Linton Contents 1 Components of medieval armour 1 1.1 Japanese analogues .......................................... 1 2 Great helm 3 2.1 History ................................................. 3 2.2 Decoration .............................................. 3 2.3 Contemporary reenactors ....................................... 5 2.4 Notes and references ......................................... 6 2.5 References ............................................... 6 2.6 External links ............................................. 6 3 Cervelliere 8 3.1 History ................................................ 9 3.2 Notes ................................................. 9 3.3 References .............................................. 9 3.4 External links ............................................. 9 4 Bascinet 10 4.1 Development .............................................. 10 4.1.1 Camails or aventails ...................................... 10 4.1.2 Protection for the face .................................... 10 4.2 Later evolution of the helmet ..................................... 11 4.2.1 Bevors and gorgets ...................................... 11 4.2.2 Great bascinet ......................................... 12 4.3 Historic use .............................................. 12 4.3.1 Use with the great helm .................................... 12 4.3.2 Later use ........................................... 12 4.3.3 Decline in use ......................................... 12 4.4 Notes ................................................. 13 4.5 References ............................................... 13 4.6 Bibliography .............................................. 14 4.7 External links ............................................. 14 5 Armet 24 i ii CONTENTS 5.1 Appearance and origins ........................................ 24 5.2 Use and variations ........................................... 26 5.3 References ............................................... 26 5.4 Bibliography .............................................. 26 6 Sallet 29 6.1 Origins ................................................. 29 6.2 Later developments and regional variation ............................... 29 6.3 Demise ................................................ 32 6.4 Gallery ................................................. 32 6.5 References ............................................... 33 6.6 Bibliography .............................................. 33 6.7 External links ............................................. 33 7 Close helmet 34 7.1 Characteristics ............................................. 34 7.2 Variations ............................................... 34 7.3 Use .................................................. 36 7.4 References ............................................... 36 7.5 Bibliography .............................................. 36 7.6 Further reading ............................................ 37 7.7 External links ............................................. 37 8 Barbute 40 8.1 Characteristics ............................................. 40 8.2 In Popular Culture ........................................... 40 8.3 References ............................................... 41 8.4 Bibliography .............................................. 42 9 Burgonet 43 9.1 Characteristics ............................................. 44 9.2 Use .................................................. 44 9.3 References ............................................... 44 9.4 Bibliography .............................................. 44 9.5 External links ............................................. 45 10 Aventail 47 10.1 References ............................................... 47 10.2 Bibliography .............................................. 48 11 Gorget 50 11.1 As part of armour ........................................... 50 11.2 As part of military uniforms ...................................... 50 11.2.1 Gorgets in Sweden ...................................... 52 CONTENTS iii 11.3 Gorget patches ............................................. 53 11.4 The functional gorget today ...................................... 54 11.5 Other uses ............................................... 54 11.6 See also ................................................ 54 11.7 References ............................................... 54 12 Bevor 58 12.1 References .............................................. 58 12.2 External links ............................................. 58 13 Brigandine 60 13.1 Origins ................................................. 60 13.2 Construction .............................................. 60 13.3 Use .................................................. 61 13.4 Similar types ............................................. 61 13.4.1 European jack of plates ................................... 61 13.4.2 Indian “coat of ten thousand nails” .............................. 61 13.4.3 Chinese brigandine ...................................... 61 13.4.4 Russian kuyak ........................................ 62 13.4.5 Japanese kikko armour .................................... 62 13.5 See also ................................................ 62 13.6 References ............................................... 62 13.7 External links ............................................. 63 14 Hauberk 75 14.1 History ................................................ 75 14.2 Construction ............................................. 75 14.3 Gallery ................................................ 76 14.4 See also ................................................ 76 14.5 References .............................................. 76 14.6 External links ............................................. 76 15 Cuirass 79 15.1 Description .............................................. 79 15.2 History ................................................. 79 15.2.1 The Japanese cuirass ..................................... 83 15.3 See also ................................................ 83 15.4 References and sources ........................................ 83 16 Plackart 86 16.1 References .............................................. 86 17 Faulds (armour) 88 17.1 External links ............................................. 90 iv CONTENTS 18 Culet (armour) 91 18.1 References .............................................. 91 19 Couter 92 19.1 See also ................................................ 92 19.2 External links ............................................. 93 20 Spaulders 94 20.1 Description .............................................. 94 20.2 Modern use .............................................. 94 20.3 References ............................................... 94 20.4 External links ............................................. 94 21 Pauldron 95 21.1 References ............................................... 95 21.2 External links ............................................. 95 22 Rerebrace 97 22.1 References ............................................... 97 22.2 External links ............................................. 97 23 Besagew 99 23.1 References ...............................................100 24 Vambrace 101 24.1 See also ................................................101 24.2 External links .............................................101 25 Gauntlet (glove) 103 25.1 Types .................................................103 25.1.1 Armour ............................................103 25.1.2 Sport, industry and science ..................................104 25.1.3 Drum corps and marching band ................................105 25.1.4 Fashion ............................................105 25.1.5 Religious ...........................................105 25.2 Idioms .................................................106 25.2.1 “Throw down the gauntlet” ..................................107 25.2.2 “Run the gauntlet” ......................................107 25.3 Notes and references .........................................107 26 Chausses 109 26.1 External links .............................................109 27 Poleyn 111 27.1 See also ................................................111 CONTENTS v 27.2 External links .............................................111 28 Schynbalds 115 28.1 References ...............................................115 29 Greave 117 29.1 Description ..............................................117 29.2 History .................................................117 29.2.1 Ancient Greece and Rome ..................................117 29.2.2 Medieval Europe .......................................117 29.2.3 Feudal Japan .........................................118 29.3 Gallery .................................................118 29.4 See also ................................................118 29.5 References ...............................................118 29.6 External links .............................................118 30 Cuisses 120 30.1 References ...............................................120 30.2 External links .............................................120 31 Sabaton 122 31.1 References ...............................................122 32 Tassets 124 32.1 External links .............................................125 33 Gousset 126 34 Lame (armor) 127 34.1 References ...............................................127 34.2 See also ................................................127 34.3 External links .............................................127