The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume 1 (of 3)Williams, Leonard
History
The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume 1 (of 3)
Williams, Leonard
Decorative arts -- Spain -- History
The _lóriga_ (Latin _lorica_) was the ordinary hauberk or shirt of mail,
such as was worn all over military Europe, made of rings or scales sewed
strongly on a linen or leather under-tunic consisting of a single piece,
and reaching to the knee. The _Gran Conquista de Ultramar_ of Alfonso el
Sabio also informs us that it was tied at certain openings known as
_ventanas_ ("windows"), and that the collar of the tunic was called the
_gorguera_. The resistance of the Spanish _lóriga_ to a pointed weapon
does not seem to have been great, for the Chronicle of the Monk of Silos
says that at the siege of Viseo the arrows of the Moorish bowmen went
through the triple _lórigas_ of their foe.
Towards the twelfth century the custom arose of wearing over the coat of
mail a loose, sleeveless frock (the _Waffenrock_ of Germany), woven of
linen or some other light material, painted or embroidered with the
owner's arms. As the Count of Clonard observes, it is clearly this kind
of frock that is referred to in the following passage of the _Leyes de
Partida_: "For some (of the knights) placed upon the armour carried by
themselves and by their horses,[109] signs that were different one from
another, in order to be known thereby; while others placed them on their
heads, or on their helmets."
[109] The horse was also covered with a _lóriga_, on which, from about
the twelfth century, were thrown the decorative trappings of
_cendal_ or thin silk, painted or embroidered with the warrior's
arms.
[Illustration: XLI
THE BATTLE OF LA HIGUERUELA
(_Wall painting. Hall of Battles, El Escorial_)]
The Normans used a form of hauberk with attached mail-stockings. In
Spain we find in lieu of this leg-covering, the Roman _cálcia_ (Latin
_caliga_), extending from the foot to just below the thigh, and
subsequently called the _brafonera_.[110] This was, in fact, a separate
mail-stocking, made of closely interlacing steel rings, and worn above
the leather boots or _trebuqueras_.
[110] "_Calzó las brafoneras que eran bien obradas
Con sortijas de acero, sabet bien enlazadas;
Asi eran presas é bien trabadas,
Que semejaban calzas de las tiendas taiadas._"
_Poem of the Cid._
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