Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth CenturyHewitt, John
History
Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth Century
Hewitt, John
Armor; Weapons
The helm was worn over the coif of chain-mail. An ivory carving
engraved in the sixteenth volume of the _Archælogia_ affords an
excellent illustration of this usage; the knight being there
represented in the act of raising his helm from his head armed in the
_coiffe de mailles_.
The flat-topped cylindrical Helm, with moveable ventail, appears
about the middle of the century. The figure of Ferdinand, King of
Castille, in the windows of Chartres Cathedral, affords a good
example. He died in 1252: the monument is engraved by Willemin, vol.
i., Pl. XCVII.: the helm is fig. 8 of our cut 71. A real helm of
this type is in the Tower collection: the ventail opens by means of
hinges on the side (see Archæol. Journal, vol. viii., p. 420, and our
woodcut 71, fig. 9). It is entirely of iron, weighing 13lb. 8oz. And
it is not unworthy of remark, that a much later helm, one with the
beaked visor characteristic of the close of the fourteenth century,
also in the Tower of London, differs in weight from the above example
by only four ounces. (Archæol. Journal, vol. ix., p. 93.) The
moveable ventail seems to be portrayed also on the second seal of
Henry III., and on the seal of Edward I. (woodcuts, No. 81 and 85).
About 1270 the round-topped Helm came into vogue: not, however, to
the entire exclusion of the old fashion, of which examples are
found to the end of this century, and even during a portion of the
next. See our Plate LXXI., fig. 10, from Cotton Roll, XV. 7. The
seal of Patrick Dunbar, tenth earl of March, affords another good
illustration of the helm with round crown: engraved in Laing's
"Ancient Scottish Seals," p. 54. It has moveable ventail, with
apertures for sight and breathing, as before. Other instances occur
in the groups of the "Painted Chamber" and the "Lives of the Offas."
A very curious variety of this type is furnished in the seal of Louis
of Savoy, 1294; where the ventail has the form of an eagle displayed,
the clefts for sight and air being contrived between the plumes of
the wings. (Figured by Cibrario, in the _Sigilli de' Principi di
Savoia_, Pl. XXX., and in our woodcut, No. 71, fig. 11.)
About 1280 the Helm takes the "sugar-loaf" form; having bands which
make a cross in the front of it. See woodcut, No. 71, fig. 12, from
Roy. MS. 20, D. i.; and the brass of Sir Roger de Trumpington, 1289
(woodcut, No. 73). It will be observed that this kind of heaume is
continued so low as to rest on the shoulders.
It is not improbable that some of these casques were formed in part
of leather. An early helm made of cuir-bouilli, with iron bands, is
figured by Hefner (_Trachten_, Pt. ii., Pl. LXVIII.); and for the
Windsor tournament of 1278, were provided "XXXVIII. galee de co͂r."
The helm was made fast by laces. In the Romance of Perceval, the hero
"Prant ses armes et s'aparoille:
Sans atargier le haubert vest,
L'iaume lace sans nul arest," &c.--_Fol._ 237.
[Illustration:
PLATE LXXII.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account