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to protect the side of the leg (Blair 1959: 64). Sabatons, plate foot defenses, come into use by the 1310s, but are rare before 1320. These were made of lamellar plates, overlapping and shaped to Figure 13: Late 15th Century German Plate Sabaton. HAM # the top of the shoe, including the pointed toe. They 2686.s were probably riveted to a leather lining that was laced to the shoe worn underneath (Blair 1959: 43, 44). They retained this form past the period of interest. After 1340 the gamboised cuisses are often shown in illustrations with rivets, suggesting that they were being constructed in a style similar to brigandine. 15th Century 80 Leg defenses changed only a little during the 15th century, and these changes followed regional tastes. After 1460, the German cuisse lengthened towards the hip (left unprotected by German disfavor of the tassets) by the addition of horizontal lames. By the end of the 15th century the German cuisse returned to its normal length, but retained a couple of lames at the upper edge. The Italian cuisse, however, began to extend upwards on the front top of the main plate with a rounded Figure 14: Late 15th Century Italian-Style Left Cuisse and extension. The Italians in the 15th century generally Poleyn. HAM # 2886.1.a forwent plate sabatons in favor of mail defenses that covered the top of the foot. The Germans preferred a plate sabaton, very pointed at the toe until the very end of the century, when the toe region was broadened greatly. The poleyn was similar in both regions, only in Italy a large side-wing puckered to bend in behind the knee was preferred to the fan shaped side-wing common in Germany. Also, the bottommost lame on the Italian poleyn was sharply pointed downwards, though it was often replaced with a mail fringe instead (Blair 1959: 84, 85, 100, 101). Armor for the Arms 13th Century Before the second half of the 13th century, the mail sleeves of the hauberk, which extended to the wrists, were the chief protection for the arms. By the last quarter of the 12th century the sleeves had extended into mufflers, mail mittens with one bag-like section to cover the fingers and a separate thumb section. The palm area was not mail, but fabric or leather. Mufflers were slitted near the wrists so they could be easily 81 removed from the hands when not needed. Often, a lace at the wrist allowed tightening to keep a good fit to the muffler (Blair 1959: 29). The muffler was displaced by the gauntlet during the end of the 13th century, though it did continue in general use into the 1330s, and then in rare use until the third quarter of the 14th century (Blair 1959: 46, 74). As early as 1260, couters disc-shaped metal plates to protect the elbows make their appearance. They are uncommon before 1300, however, and by this date small plate discs were also found attached to the shoulders of the hauberk as well. The mail sleeves of the hauberk still provide the bulk of the protection of the arm. Plate metal gauntlets formed in the coat-of-plates technique emerge just at the end of the 13th century. The plates are tinned or coppered in order to prevent rusting. By 1320 the back of the wrist cuff is protected by a gutter-shaped plate, or several gutter-shaped lames (Blair 1959: 42). 14th Century The first full vambraces emerge during the 1310s. Each is formed by a gutter shaped upper cannon covering the outer arm, a cup-like couter, and a gutter shaped lower cannon, again on the outer arm, all strapped outside the hauberk sleeves. Often, two besagews disc-shaped plates are laced to the front of the shoulder about the armpit and to the upper bend in the elbow. This is common until 1335 and extant as late as 1347 (Blair 1959: 45). As early as 1325, the lower cannon begins to be made of two gutter- shaped pieces hinged on the outside that enclose the lower arm and lace on the inner side. 82 By 1335, in England, a full vambrace emerges with upper and lower cannon joined by a laminated couter. The lower cannon is apparently completely tubular, with no clear joins or hinges. The upper cannon is nearly tubular, with a narrow opening on the inner portion where laces secure the vambrace to the arm. The couter had developed a Figure 15: A hinged vambrace lower cannon. HAM # 3084.18 circular side-wing for the protection formerly provided by the besagew at the upper bend of the elbow mentioned above. Some are joined by laminated spaudlers that just cover the shoulders and shoulder besagews that cover the front of the armpit region. By 1340, both the upper and lower cannons are formed by hinged gutter-shaped plates that close to cover the whole circumference of the upper and lower arm, respectively. The cannons are joined together by a laminated couter with a circular sidewing. The upper cannon is laminated to a spaudler that covers the shoulder and the extreme upper arm. Until 1360 a circular besagew protects the front of the armpit. After this date, the English discard it until the 1420s (Blair 1959: 64, 65). In addition, English armorers after 1360 decrease the number of plates in the couter until at last the couter is one plate with a heart-shaped side wing. The couter is articulated to the upper and lower cannons by one or two narrow lames (Blair 1959: 65). At the very end of the 1300s, a developed spaudler, more properly called a pauldron now, emerged. This pauldron extended past the shoulders onto the chest and back. After 1410 the pauldron would grow to become the most popular form of shoulder defense outside of Germany (Blair 1959: 66). 83 The German preference for arm protection varied greatly during the 14th century. Generally, the arm defense consisted of a separate upper and lower cannon, either gutter- shaped or tubular, and sometimes a separate couter. All were secured to the outer garment, either the hauberk or aketon. Sometimes, the lower cannon held an extension to cover the outside of the elbow. In fourteenth-century Germany, the coat-of-plates provided shoulder defense (Blair 1959: 64). 15th Century Late 14th and early 15th century Italian arm defenses were provided with a gutter- shaped upper cannon, joined to the lower cannon by an articulated couter. The tubular lower cannon constricted at the wrist and flared out again; this is known as the tulip form. The upper portion of the lower cannon had horizontal slots for the rivets of the couter, which allowed for lateral motion of the arm (Blair 1959: 65). It was customary for the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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