MY
MEDIEVAL PAGES
Medieval
Main Page
English Knight, c.1265
ARCHIVED
RESEARCH
The
Maciejowski Bible
FORUMS
Arador Armour
Library
The Armour Archive
ORGANIZATIONS
Skjaldborg
SELECTED YE OLDE SHOPPING:
LINKS
PAGES:
Therion
Arms Links
GENERAL/RESELLERS:
By-The-Sword
CUSTOM
ARMOURERS:
Valentine Armouries
CAMP
GEAR/TENTS:
Panther
Primitives
ARCHERY
SUPPLIES:
Woodbows.Com
Personae: "Douglas Everett"
Family Background: not determined yet
Social Status/Class: Minor noble, knightly class
Faith: Christianity (Catholic)
Timeline/Century of Existence: Born in 1235 A.D., portraying contemporary battlefield dress of 1265-1280 A.D.
Character's Birthplace, Present Location, and Past: not determined yet
How does your character provide for himself/herself/family?: ruling in his feudal society.
List of tools character needs for his trade/livelihood, marking ones that have been acquired:
1. Pavilion Tent, circa 13th Century
2. Campaign Bed, raised
3. Travel Chests*
4. Campaign Chairs (two)
5. Heraldric Banner
6. Weapons & Armour suitable per noble status
7. War horse and fittings
Appearance - For each item (clothing/non-clothing) give full explanation, marking ones that have been acquired (marked with *):
1. Broadsword (primary weapon)* - a heavy weapon, but is more balanced than in previous generations. Now features a pointed thrusting tip and is fully fullered, but is still a cutting weapon. Sword fittings include a subtly curved crossbar that is primarily straight and a wheel-shaped pommel (a very new and fashionable style for the time). Fittings of sword and wood leather-wrapped scabbard are of brass. When on horseback the rider would instead use a lance (in the couched position) for an initial charge.
2. Dagger (arming dagger)* - a sword-hilted dagger that matches the broadsword. Used for close and desperate combat situations, not the same as the eating knife.
3. Double-wrap Sword Belt* - chromed black leather matching the finish of the leather scabbards. Features nickel fittings and is designed for the wearer to have the sword positioned vertically slightly to the front of the hip (per effigies from the period). Lower wrap is worn low on the hip. Belt also carries a dagger frog* on the right hip.
4. Maille Haubergeon with integral coif* (and maille mittens*) - A very valuable item most probably either handed down from his father or acquired as part of a payment from a lower noble for lands on his territory. The integral coif, according to the latest research, was particular to this century only as opposed to a separate coif with mantle. Likewise, maille mittens were known to be attached permanently to the maille shirt as well, with slits in the leather of the palms allowing the wearer to perform dexterous tasks with his hands without shedding the armour. The maille mittens in this kit are of a smaller diameter than the rest of the kit, to allow for more comfort and safety. The maille construction is 7/16" butted galvanized 14-ga steel maille. Historically accurate maille would have been a smaller gauge, a slightly smaller diameter, and riveted individually.
5. Maille leggings* (with padded cuisse thigh armour) - Fully encloses the legs with maille, as proper a wealthy noble and mounted combat. Maille leggings themselves are historically accurate, with an integral leather sole and leather band around the thigh. The method of attachment, however, is a modern improvement over the legging/cuisse interface and essentially combines the wearing methods of these two pieces of overlapping armour in a hidden fashion that looks correct from the outside. Rather than separately suspending the maille leggings and quilted thigh armour from a belt, the upper part of the cuisses was turned into basically a quilted pair of shorts with legs that go just below the knee. A leather strip was sewn inside each leg of the short just below the crotch line and was threaded with removable ties to a matching leather strip running along the top of the maille leggings. In this way the leggings can be worn with or without the padded thigh armour. The cuisses include belt loops for a smaller belt to suspend the leg armour.
6. Great helm (barrel helm)* - This is one of the very first helms to completely surround the head of the wearer, and is quite contemporary for the period. The brow of the helmet is slightly slanted back, to help deflect arrows and bolts of the day. Eventually these helmets would give way to a rounded, pointed-top iteration (often dubbed the 'sugarloaf') that more effectively deflected overhand blows than the flat top of this helmet. The low profile of this helm is speculated to have been a result of presenting a smaller frontal target to projectile weapons and pole weapons of the day.
7. Heater Shield (heraldric)* - As body armour became better developed and supplemented by coats of plates and other early forms of reinforcement, the shield's shape began to shrink in size and change in shape. The addition of full maille leg armour with padded cuisses eliminated much of the advantage afforded by the earlier long kite shields and the extra weight became more burden than a blessing. The shape of the shield eventually arrived at a slightly curved triangle shape, dubbed a heater for it's similarity to the shape of an clothes iron. By 1280 A.D., heraldry had begun to rise in popularity and with it simple designs began to find their way onto the battlefield on shields, surcoats and ailettes. This shield features simple heraldry that is described below.
8. Surcoat (heraldric)* - This calf-length, sleeveless garment covered the maille and as noted above became a place for nobles to wear their personal heraldry, including those who served below them. This garment (made of a double layer of linen in this case) was richly constructed and with the dyeing of the linen to black represented a rare and fine piece. It is split in the front and back (as is the haubergeon and aketon) for use on horseback. A schematic sketch is currently shown for the design. When the real one is finished its picture will replace the current one.
9. Arming Clothes (aketon and arming cap)* - These two garments are made of modern materials in this case (cotton), but would have been made of linen or another contemporary textile and filled with straw or tow instead of cotton batting. Once again, the wearer shows his wealth and status by insisting on dyeing everything an expensive black color, even for undergarments that will not be readily seen.
10. Leggings* - These are of made of a light wool blend that breathes well and has a bit of elasticity to it. While it is a modern material, the appearance and characteristics are not dissimilar from what actually was worn. The big difference between these garments and their medieval counterparts was that in period there were two separate stockings (one for each leg) that were suspended by ties from a roll along the waistline that was part of the braies (undergarments). For convenience, comfort and modesty I have selected to construct them more like a pair of loose-fitting tights, with a hidden elastic waistband to keep them up. Since this area isn't visible at any times to the public, this shortcut is a good way to cut down on the complexity of the harness.
11. Boots (soft leather)* - These simple lace-up suede boots are tall, riding on the upper calf. In actuality, they are a pair of modified moccasins. Eventually they will need to be replaced with turnshoes.
REFERENCES:
(to be filled in at a later date)
HERALDRY:
Symbolism:
Colors
Sable
(black): Constancy or grief.
In this case it represents constancy.
Or
(gold): Generosity and elevation
of the mind.
Devices
Label (upside down cross): Signifies bearer as first-born son of father.
Chevron
(inverted “V”): Represents protection; builders or others who have accomplished some
work of faithful service. Selected to represent my engineering
profession as a "builder" as well as an assumed role as a
protector.
Cross
(small crosslets): Signify the fourfold mystery of the cross, and in my
case my recent rebirth in faith. Three have been placed on the
shield to symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost (for early
Catholics, as my personae would be).
Helmet:
Particular shape signifies bearer as a champion or chevalier.
Mantling
(leaves and setting of shield): No major significance.
If you have any questions, dead links to report, or anything else to request, feel free to email me at:
Last Updated: 11.16.04 (new host!)
Date Created: 04.20.03
Warrior's Hall of Honor:
John
Varangian Guard
Mike
The Anglo-Dane
Shawn
The Rus Trader
Ian
The Hersir
Ryan
The English Knight
Dan
The Thing Man