Costume -- Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History -- Pictorial works
The legs were covered with long leggings or trews of mail called
_chausses_, protecting all the lower limbs from the thighs to the toes.
In the twelfth century the chain mail was made very light, like that of
the Saracens. It was made of steel rings, connected with each other,
without being fastened to the leather garment worn underneath--similar,
in fact, to the ordinary steel purse. On account of it great cost, this
mail was not worn by the common soldiers. Beneath the mail hauberk,
as an additional defence, and to relieve the pressure of the mail, a
quilted tunic was worn, known as a _haketon_, or a _gambeson_.
The haketon was made of buckram, stuffed with cotton-wool and quilted.
The gambeson was a sleeved tunic, of stout, coarse linen, stuffed with
flax or wool, and sewn longitudinally.
In the reign of Richard I., the close-fitting helmet was superseded by
the _Heaume_, great helm or tilting helmet. It was large enough to put
easily over the head, and long enough to rest on the shoulders.
It was at first nearly cylindrical, and generally had a flat top. There
were openings in front to allow the wearer to see and breathe. During
the mail period, no heaume is represented with a movable visor.
In monumental effigies and brasses, a knight is often represented with
his heaume under his head as a pillow, and it was the custom actually
to use it for that purpose when resting after a day’s journey or
fighting.
The heaume was only put on when actual fighting in battle or in the
lists was about to commence. At other times, it was carried at the
saddle-bow, and, lest it should be dropped or struck off when on the
head, it was fastened to the body armour by a chain, passing through
a ring in front. Towards the close of the twelfth century the use of
armorial bearings was introduced.
Each knight assumed a device, which was exclusively used by him, by
which he was recognised, and which became hereditary in his family.
This device was usually displayed on the shield, and on the surcoat,
when the use of that garment was adopted.
The form of the shield was changed from that of a kite to that of a
“heater,” or flat-iron. It was also made much smaller.
The arms of the knight were the sword, the lance, the mace, the
battle-axe, the military flail, and the martel. The sword belt, slung
over the shoulder in Norman times, was now fastened around the waist or
hips. The sword varied little in form from that of Norman times.
The lance was never used as a javelin, but was made strong, generally
of uniform thickness, and varied in length. The head was very broad,
and without barbs.
All knights had a pointed or swallow-tailed pennon fastened to the
lance; but nobles who brought a number of retainers to battle displayed
a square banner on the lance. These knights were called _Bannerets_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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