Knight helmet and other armor

Knight helmet - one of the key attributes of a medieval warrior. He not only protected the head from damage, but they also served to intimidate enemies. In some cases, the helmets were a kind of distinction in tournaments and in combat.

Armor and their evolution in time

Paradoxically, the fact: the heyday of the manufacture of armor falls on the period when knighthood as a leading military power had sunk into Oblivion. What we imagine as a suit of armor rather late decorative option. The fact that the individual protection for hands appeared in the 13th century, and in the middle of the 14th had already been supplanted by chainmail gloves, which were much lighter, cheaper and easier to manufacture.

In an effort to facilitate armor, gunsmiths soon abandoned metal and began to use leather gloves with layers of metal. In the same 13th century, the first mention of the gauntlets fully protect the forearm. It is believed that this type of protection, the Byzantines borrowed from the Arabs and the Mongols. Protection for feet appeared much earlier and were actively circulated during the Roman Empire. In medieval Europe, the greaves were sometimes covered with fabric in the same way, as did the Arabs. Changes are not spared and the design of the helmets.

How to change knight helmet

The ancient helmet - plain round. Perhaps its design has remained unchanged for many centuries as the most practical and simple to manufacture. During the early middle ages they were also widely distributed, and met variants like with a nose plate for extra protection, and without it. Sometimes a knightly helmet of a noble warrior were decorated rims. The main source of knowledge of modern scientists about the armor of the time - medieval poems, in particular French. They describe decorated on the rim with jewels hats great warriors and heroes. There is also mention of the fact that the nose plate was decorated depending on the rank of the owner of the helmet.

Recommended

Competition is the rivalry between participants in the market economy. Types and functions of competition

Competition – a concept inherent in a market economy. Every participant in the financial and commercial relations, seeks to take the best place in the environment where it must operate. For this reason, there is stiff competition. The struggle ...

The mayor: powers and duties. Elections of the mayor

Normal functioning of all systems of the settlement, competent and timely execution of tasks in the sphere of economic, social and other areas of development is impossible without control of the mayor. But how voters can evaluate the quality of work ...

Francisco Franco: biography and political activities

When the civil war began in Spain, General Francisco Franco (Francisco Paulino of Hermenegildo Teodulo Franco Bahamonde - full name) celebrated its arakatzailea, but he seemed already tired of life and much older than his years. To unpresentable appe...

The design of the helmets of the crusaders

In the days of the Crusades helmets tight fitting top with a cloth in order to reduce the rate of their heating. Some models had top Sultan of feathers. Early helmets consisted of several elements. The tip was the most durable part of it, below which is located the rim to protect the face. Nasal plate enhanced the stiffness of the structure and formed the axis of symmetry. The helmet is attached via straps, including one under the chin. The conditions of battle changed the design of the helmet.

Frequent clashes with the archers became the reason of appearance of the protective plates with slits for eyes. They defended the knight from arrows and sand, which also had to deal with. Familiar to us the helmet that protected the face and head of a warrior from all angles, appears in the first quarter of the 13th century. In documents Dating from the late 14th century, first found mention of helmet with visor. That is, the beginning of the 14th century jousting helmet purchased familiar to us shape and form.

Types of knight's helmets in the early middle ages

The hundred years war forced both the British and the French to change their approach to armor in General and hats in particular. So covering his head knight's helmet gave place to the so-called bascinet, representing a metal pot with a felt liner and canopy mail. They could be all round, and pointed, and worn without the visor when doing melee because of the need for it was not.

Hounskull, or "dog head" - the common name for hats, the hallmark of which was the acting part under observation slits. Due to the increase in areas near the mouth and nose air flow in such hats also were significantly increased, facilitating the conduct of the battle. There are also mentions of helmets, which in the front had just a metal plate with breathing holes, or simple bars no frills. This was done with the aim to facilitate a suit of armor.

Late middle ages and helmets

In the 15th century, belonging to the late medieval period began to be salady, which had narrow slits, elongated "tail" and a sloping shape with a hint of the protective field. Before the armourers, the question arose of how to make knight helmet easy and practical. And a solution was found. Despite the fact that they covered the head from above and not attached to the armor, the design provided for the apparatus. The gap between the helmet and shoulders have disappeared in the normal position of the head, which ensured maximum protection of the neck.

The Helmets were developed in two ways - playing and combat. Arme - the one mounted on the shoulders of helmet with hinged visor. It was characteristic of the later chivalry, and was considered the military option. Tournament models, such as the "toad head," intended for short-term wear. Breathe in most of them was not more than five minutes, because then the supply of air over and came only when I opened a special small door from the side.