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THE DEFENSIVE ARMOUR AND THE WEAPONS AND ENGINES OF WAR OF MEDIÆVAL TIMES, AND OF THE “RENAISSANCE.”
THE DEFENSIVE ARMOUR AND THE WEAPONS AND ENGINES OF WAR OF MEDIÆVAL TIMES, AND OF THE “RENAISSANCE.”
THE DEFENSIVE ARMOUR AND THE WEAPONS AND ENGINES OF WAR OF MEDIÆVAL TIMES, AND OF THE “RENAISSANCE.” BY Robert Coltman Clephan , OF SOUTHDENE TOWER, GATESHEAD. With 51 Illustrations from Specimens in his own and in other English Collections, and also from others in some of the Great Collections of Europe. London: Walter Scott, Limited, PATERNOSTER SQUARE. 1900....
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
This volume has grown out of some “notes” printed in the Archæologia Æliana in 1898, and added to as any new facts and lights presented themselves to me. The text is compressed as much as possible, with a view to publishing at a moderate cost; and as a more general interest in arms and armour is decidedly growing, I venture to hope that this volume, however imperfect, may supply a want, and that it does not contain too many manifest errors and inaccuracies. The subject is treated chronologically
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SECTION I. DEFENSIVE ARMOUR. PART I. INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL.
SECTION I. DEFENSIVE ARMOUR. PART I. INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL.
The phrases, “the Stone,” “Bronze,” and “Iron Ages” are mere generalizations fast losing their significance, and the purposes of this volume will not permit of any special disquisition on the weapons of these mixed and merging classifications of periods, or even those recorded of the Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and Eastern peoples; beyond what, in some instances, may seem necessary for showing any prototypes or analogies of arms or armour in use during the “Middle Ages” and the “Renaissanc
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PART II. CHAIN-MAIL AND MIXED ARMOUR.
PART II. CHAIN-MAIL AND MIXED ARMOUR.
Remarkably little is known of Britain during the centuries immediately following the Roman occupation, and the question as to when real chain-mail was first used in Europe is both difficult and obscure. There is a representation of loricas on the column of Trajan that looks remarkably like chain-mail, and it is almost certain that the Romans used iron chain-mail in Britain. The bronze scales of a lorica, or Roman cuirass, found at Æsica, do not help us; 2 but interlinked bronze rings of Roman or
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PART III. THE TRANSITION PERIOD.
PART III. THE TRANSITION PERIOD.
A combination of mail and plate armour, the latter strapped on, was in general use in England late in the reign of Edward the Second, when the helm, cuirass, or rather breastplate, and gauntlets were all of plate, and sometimes the cuisse and jamb; but the leg armour was often of cuir-bouilli. Chaucer says; “His jambeux were of cure-buly.” An inventory, dated 1313, of the armour which belonged to Piers Gaveston, includes breast and back plates, and two pairs of “jambers of iron”; but most of the
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PART IV. HELMS UP TO THE END OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD.
PART IV. HELMS UP TO THE END OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD.
Helms with horns were worn by the Vikings, and in all probability the headpiece with these appendages dredged up with a shield in the Thames, and now deposited in the British Museum, is of early Scandinavian origin. Horned helms were probably originally emblematic of the goddess Hathor or Isis, and came to Northern Europe through the Greeks. A helm with horns, about B.C. 3750, found at Susa, has been already referred to in Part I. We have an example of an Etruscan helm with horns, and Meyrick sa
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PART V. PLATE ARMOUR.
PART V. PLATE ARMOUR.
It was late in the reign of Edward II. when considerable progress was made in the direction of full “plain” armour in England, but, as shown in the section headed “Chain-mail,” etc., the use of the standard of mail survived until the beginning of the fifteenth century and even later. It is, in fact, impossible to lay down any arbitrary dates, or anything like a clear line of demarcation in respect to the relative proportions of chain and plate armour in use by English men-at-arms up to the begin
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The Königliche Zeughaus at Berlin.
The Königliche Zeughaus at Berlin.
This museum is rich in staff weapons and firearms, and is rapidly accumulating a very fine collection of armour, which has been greatly enriched by the purchase of the remarkably fine series of suits and weapons formerly belonging to Prince Carl of Prussia. The present emperor takes a great interest in the place, and has himself added several suits of armour....
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The Königliche Historische Museum at Dresden.
The Königliche Historische Museum at Dresden.
This is perhaps the best collection for the student to visit, and is intensely valuable by reason of the strictly historic character of most of the specimens. The only weak spot is in the absence of any complete “Gothic” harness, but there are some fine pieces on exhibition. Next to suits with the date inscribed, those that are known to have been worn by historic personages provide valuable means of comparison for the student, and define the features and details presented within narrow limits as
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The Armeria Real, Madrid.
The Armeria Real, Madrid.
This collection has most in common with that at Vienna; and if not actually founded by the Emperor Charles V., it contains a good deal of his armour, and many weapons used by him. It was Philip II. who ordered the arrangement of the collection then existing, and his successors continually added to it; and when one considers how it has suffered from the robberies of Napoleon, and the neglect consequent upon the unsettled state of Spain for so many years, it is a matter of surprise that it has sur
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Die Waffensammlung des Kaiserl. Hauses at Vienna.
Die Waffensammlung des Kaiserl. Hauses at Vienna.
This collection includes that of Ambras, and the range of examples, especially armour, is even more complete and comprehensive than that at Madrid. It is rich in the most important of all schools, viz., the “Gothic”; and the general arrangement of the examples leaves little to be desired. With Custos Wendelin Boeheim at its head, it has provided the great educational agency in Europe in the determination of both arms and armour of the different periods covered in this book....
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The Musée d’Armures at Brussels.
The Musée d’Armures at Brussels.
This collection has been placed in the Porte de Hal tower, an old fortress built in 1381, and all there is remaining of the old fortifications of the city. The museum is not in possession of a complete “Gothic” suit, but “Maximilian” fluted armour is worthily represented; and a later suit, with a tournament shield, is very notable. Armour of late sixteenth and early seventeenth century is there in quantity, and the collection of arms and cannon is very important. The catalogue, compiled by the a
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The Historische Vaabensamling at Copenhagen.
The Historische Vaabensamling at Copenhagen.
This collection is placed in the old historic Töjhus, built in the reign of Christian IV. It is practically an arsenal. The collection of arms is arranged under the reign of each king, this giving obvious chronological data. A harness, with a tournament shield, reminds one strongly of the work of Peter von Speyer; the leg armour is missing in this case. Another suit in this collection is mentioned in our text....
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The Armeria Reale at Turin.
The Armeria Reale at Turin.
This collection is especially rich in weapons of the sixteenth century, and is one of the most important in Europe....
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The Germanisches Museum at Nuremberg.
The Germanisches Museum at Nuremberg.
This is a worthy national collection, and one of the most important and educational in Europe, by reason of the great range and excellence of the specimens both of arms and armour. Gothic armour is well represented. Examples are mentioned in our text....
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The National Museum at Munich.
The National Museum at Munich.
This collection is large, excellent, and varied, containing many important and historic examples of arms and armour. It possesses three Gothic harnesses, and each period is fully represented. Examples occur in our text....
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Kungliga Lifrust Kammaren, Stockholm.
Kungliga Lifrust Kammaren, Stockholm.
This collection contains some very fine specimens, most of them historic. One of the suits of armour is mentioned in our text ( Fig. 3 ). A fine set of drawings, with an interesting and very correct text, has been given to the world by the curator, C. A. Ossbahr....
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The Musée d’Artillerie at Paris.
The Musée d’Artillerie at Paris.
Many specimens in this museum have been alluded to in our text. The collection has been exposed to frequent casualties, but it is worthy of France. It is, however, regrettable that so many of the excellent examples are incomplete. This collection deals more especially with the sixteenth century, and is very rich in guns and artillery. There are important collections of arms and armour at Erbach, Sigmaringen, St. Petersburg, Graz, Emden, Antwerp, and many other cities of Europe. The word is deriv
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SHARFRENNEN.
SHARFRENNEN.
This form is characterised by heavy lances “sharp,” as the name for the course implies. The main object was “unhorsing,” and the saddle was unprovided with front and rear supports; it was, in fact, quite unlike the ordinary war-horse saddle—indeed, more resembling the English saddle of to-day. The object of this was that there should be nothing to impede the rider’s fall. The lances used in this course were not expected to break or splinter, though they did so sometimes. On the moment of impact
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DAS DEUTSCHE STECHEN (THE GERMAN GESTECH).
DAS DEUTSCHE STECHEN (THE GERMAN GESTECH).
Herr Wendelin Boeheim, in an article in the Zeitschrift für historische Waffenkunde , 22 says that the “old German Gestech” was far from having been introduced during the reign of the Emperor Maximilian I., as has often been supposed, but is of much earlier origin. This course depends much more on adroitness and skill than in the Italian joust, when the knights tilt with a barrier between them, and the rider gets no assistance from his charger, as the chanfrein is without ocularia, and sometimes
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THE ITALIAN COURSE, OR “WELSCHES (ITALIAN) GESTECH,” ÜBER DIE PALLIA (OVER THE BARRIERS).
THE ITALIAN COURSE, OR “WELSCHES (ITALIAN) GESTECH,” ÜBER DIE PALLIA (OVER THE BARRIERS).
This course first appeared in Germany about 1510, but it doubtless originated in Italy, as its name implies, and the Italian name for barrier is “pallia.” It was fought with lances tipped with a coronal, the same as in “the German Gestech,” but the main difference between that course and the others under discussion is the presence of a wooden barrier about five feet high, along which the two riders charge, with it between them. In this course the legs and feet were generally armoured, though the
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THE FREITURNIER, OR FREE COURSE.
THE FREITURNIER, OR FREE COURSE.
This course received its name in contradistinction to the “Welsches Gestech,” because it was run in the free field or lists, without any barrier between the combatants. In this respect it resembled the old German “Stechen,” and to a certain extent grew out of it. This form however does not occur, under the name, before the second half of the sixteenth century. The armour for the Freiturnier differs from that of the “Welsches Gestech” (Italian Course) in the particulars that a grand-guard was scr
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THE FUSSTURNIER.
THE FUSSTURNIER.
This is the foot-tournament which originated in the sixteenth century, and is very different from the courses on horseback. Full particulars can be seen in the Akten des Dresdener Oberhof-marshallamtes , anno. 1614. An extract (in translation) from this work by Dr. Cornelius Gurlitt runs as follows, viz.:— “The one who shivers the greatest number of lances in the most adroit manner shall have the lance prize; and he who in five courses strikes the bravest and strongest with the sword shall have
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KOLBENTURNIER, OR BASTON COURSE.
KOLBENTURNIER, OR BASTON COURSE.
This is a variety that first appeared early in the fifteenth century. It was a dual combat on horseback, and was not in vogue for more than a century. The weapon used was a “baston,” a short wooden polygonally cut mace, thickening towards the end. The helmet for this course was heavy and round, with a strong grated front. The head did not touch the helmet at all, for the “baston,” being made of very heavy wood, was a dangerous weapon for striking. An example of the saddle used in this course may
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REINFORCING PIECES FOR THE TILT-YARD.
REINFORCING PIECES FOR THE TILT-YARD.
These may be divided into two classes, viz., those extra pieces appertaining to purely tilting armour, made specially for the lists, and those used to augment the strength of ordinary fighting suits donned for the lists. The former class comprises the grand-guard and volant-piece, often in one plate, but sometimes screwed together, the latter piece being provided with an ocularium on the right side only. These plates defend the breast and face. A small wooden shield, plated and covered with leat
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THE GREAT HELM.
THE GREAT HELM.
The real great crested helm, so often seen pillowing the head in effigies, dates from the last quarter of the thirteenth century, but it was rarely used except in tournaments after the fourteenth. This helm has been described in a previous section. It was replaced for fighting purposes by the visored bassinet, the movable aventail being added about the reign of Edward II. There is a perfect specimen of this helm at Berlin; it was found near Bubad, in Pomerania. An illustration has been given in
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THE BASSINET.
THE BASSINET.
This helmet, the German “beckenhaube,” was round or conical, with a pointed apex. The large bassinet of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was very similar in all the countries of chivalry. It fitted close to the head, and was covered by the great helm in tilting. An example may be seen in Lincoln Cathedral. Before the visor appeared it was often fitted with a detachable nasal. As soon as the helm became visored, say in the first half of the fourteenth century (see an example in Alvechurch,
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THE SALLAD.
THE SALLAD.
Visored sallads, with a peak behind and slits for vision, appear in the reign of Henry VI. The form is a low obtuse oval ridged in the middle; it replaced the bassinet, but was never used as an under helmet. It was generally associated with armour of the second half of the fifteenth century, and used with the mentonnière, which, when fixed, afforded excellent protection for the face and throat. The distinguishing feature is the peaked collar behind, which rests between the shoulders, and the hel
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ARMET AND CLOSE HELMET.
ARMET AND CLOSE HELMET.
This is the most perfect form of helmet and the most familiar, so much so indeed as to render any description almost unnecessary. It may be said to have been evolved from the sallad and mentonnière, in the sense that the bavier took the place of the latter; but instead of being slipped on over the head like the bassinet and sallad, it was constructed to hinge over it, and strictly followed the outline of the head and neck. Its form is globular, with a guard for the back of the neck, and in front
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BURGONET.
BURGONET.
This is a helmet of the sixteenth century of Burgundian origin, as its name implies, with a hollow rim at the bottom, which fitted over the projecting edge of the gorget. It was made in close imitation of the head, and in either three or four parts. This helmet was designed to meet a defect in the armet, for there was a weak place, where the casque came in contact with the body armour. This arrangement permitted the head to move freely to the right or left without leaving the neck unguarded. The
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MORION, CABASSET, AND CASQUE.
MORION, CABASSET, AND CASQUE.
The morion first appeared in England in the reign of Henry VI., and was introduced into Europe by the Spaniards, who got the design from the Moors, as the word implies. It is an oval helmet, and has a high comb-like crest and almost semicircular brim, peaked at both ends. The cabasset is a helmet similar in character to the morion, and generally peaked. Both varieties were worn for foot fighting, and are often lighter than earlier helmets, and usually richly engraved. The Baron de Cosson 26 says
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GORGET AND MENTONNIÈRE, OR BAVIER (BEVOR).
GORGET AND MENTONNIÈRE, OR BAVIER (BEVOR).
The mentonnière was used specially with the sallad, and the chin-piece fulfils the same purpose with that helmet as the bavier does with the armet; it fastens on to the breastplate by a staple and cusped catch, or goes partly under that piece. The upper portion, to cover the mouth and chin, is of laminated plates, which move up and down at pleasure, but always from below. In conjunction with the sallad, it has this advantage over the visored bassinet of allowing a free supply of air, and only re
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THE CUIRASS.
THE CUIRASS.
The cuirass consists of breastplate and backplate, which pieces are usually fastened together by straps and buckles, but screws are sometimes used, especially for tournament armour. It was probably introduced into England in the reign of Henry V., and the form is an excellent guide as to date. The word, or rather its prototype “quirettæ,” occurs in a “Roll of Purchases” (1278) preserved in the Tower of London. The armour for the breast was considered next in importance to that for the head, and
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ÉPAULIÈRES AND PAULDRONS.
ÉPAULIÈRES AND PAULDRONS.
It is not easy to follow the development of épaulières in the earlier stages, as the shoulders on monumental effigies are usually draped by the surcoat, but the principle of laminated or overlapping plates, so early applied to sollerets, was not long in being extended to the upper arm and shoulder, where special mobility for striking and parrying was so needful—indeed, we have instances of articulated épaulières late in the first quarter of the fourteenth century. These pieces at their highest d
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PALETTES, RONDELLES, OR DISCS,
PALETTES, RONDELLES, OR DISCS,
were plates attached to the armour, variously applied for the shoulders or any weak places, later specially to defend the armpits, where there was a vulnerable place called “vif de l’harnois,” and later, “defaut de la cuirasse,” and leave the arms free to parry or strike. These pieces assume various forms, and were not invariably in pairs; in cases where they differ, that over the right armpit is the smaller—an instance of this may be seen on a brass in Harpham Church, Yorkshire (1420). In this
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REREBRACE, COUDIÈRES, AND VAMBRACE (FRENCH BRASSARD, ITAL. BRACCIALE).
REREBRACE, COUDIÈRES, AND VAMBRACE (FRENCH BRASSARD, ITAL. BRACCIALE).
These pieces are the armguards—the rerebrace for the upper arm, the vambrace for the lower; they first appear in plate in the second quarter of the fourteenth century, and became general a quarter of a century later. Coudières for the elbows first appeared in the thirteenth century in the disc form, about the same time as genouillières for the knees; and these pieces exhibit one of the earliest applications of plate to body armour. Both may be seen on an effigy of William Longespee the younger (
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GAUNTLETS.
GAUNTLETS.
The earliest form after chain-mail was of cuir-bouilli, both plain and fortified with scale work, and such largely prevailed in the thirteenth century, and even later. An example occurs on the tomb of Sir Richard de Burlingthorpe, of about 1310. The earliest form of plate gauntlets occurs in the middle of the fourteenth century, and shows articulated fingers—see an example on a brass of Thomas Cheyne, Esq. (1368), at Drayton Beauchamp, Bucks; after which mitten gauntlets of laminated plates, wit
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TACES, TUILLES, TASSETS, BRAYETTE, AND GARDE-DE-REINE OR RUMP GUARD.
TACES, TUILLES, TASSETS, BRAYETTE, AND GARDE-DE-REINE OR RUMP GUARD.
Taces were the laminated plates at the bottom of the cuirass, and to these the tuilles or upper thigh guards were attached by straps and buckles. It was common to wear mail below the taces, often with escalloped edges, but the lower portion was often the bottom of a shirt of mail still worn beneath the cuirass. The mail skirt appears so late as 1578 on an effigy at Whitchurch, Denbigh. Taces usually consisted of three, and sometimes of five, and even of eight lames, as noticeable in the brass of
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CUISSE, GENOUILLIÈRE, AND JAMB.
CUISSE, GENOUILLIÈRE, AND JAMB.
Up to the Conquest there was probably no leg armour in England other than thongs, but there are early German examples. Chausses would naturally suggest themselves after Hastings, as William bore them; while Harold, who did not, was wounded in the leg. The term applied to the upper leg armour, or breeches of mail, was chaussons. Soon after the Conquest cuir-bouilli was largely used, and this was followed by stockings of mail and sollerets of the same, as may be seen on the seals of Richard I. Wac
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SOLLERETS.
SOLLERETS.
Sollerets are a better guide as to date of armour even than gauntlets, particularly after the fourteenth century, for reasons given under the head of the last-named. The earlier sollerets of overlapping plates were of extravagant length. This form followed the prevailing fashion in shoes, and hence the name “à la poulaine” from “souliers à la poulaine.” The long form was much modified during the last quarter of the fourteenth century and well into the fifteenth, but it became in vogue again late
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SHIELDS.
SHIELDS.
This subject is too vast for more than a mere outline in these pages. The kite-shaped, round, and triangular shield appears in the twelfth century. The two first-named are long, and either bowed or flat. They were held over the breast by a strap going round the nape of the neck, called a “guige.” Shields of the thirteenth century were either small and “heater” shaped, or larger and rounded. Pavises were very large shields to be placed before the bowmen as a defence, and were provided with an inn
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CALTROP, OR CROW’S FOOT.
CALTROP, OR CROW’S FOOT.
This, the Roman murex or tribulus, was a sharp point of iron standing upright, fashioned like a crow’s foot. They were strewn broadcast on the ground, for the purpose of maiming horses in a charge of cavalry, or placed on a moat filled up with fascines, or on a breach to resist an attempt at escalade. Knightly spurs have been known to have been used for this purpose. The name is an abbreviation for cheval-trap. There are some specimens in the Rotunda, Woolwich, varying in height from 1.25 to 2.5
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SPURS.
SPURS.
These goads were used by the Romans, and the gilded spur was one of the badges of the knight of mediæval times. The earlier are of the “goad” type, and fastened by a single strap; they were probably first used singly, and were called “prick spurs.” An example of the goad prick may be seen in the Daubernoun brass (1277). We get the rowel prick late in the thirteenth century. The D’Argentine brass (1382) furnishes an example of a spur of the fourteenth century. The number of points or pricks in sp
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SIGMARINGEN SUIT.
SIGMARINGEN SUIT.
This beautiful “Gothic” suit, by Lorenz Kolman of Augsburg ( Fig. 17 ), is said to have belonged to one of the Counts of Hohenzollern-Eitel. Demmin refers to it as being erroneously ascribed to Eitel Frederick I. of the thirteenth century. The mistake is obvious, as there were no Counts of Hohenzollern-Eitel then! There were two Eitel Fredericks in the fifteenth century. On consulting the Stammbaum at Hohenzollern it appears that And the character of the armour conforms closely to the early port
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GOTHIC SUIT IN THE AUTHOR’S COLLECTION, 1460–1500.
GOTHIC SUIT IN THE AUTHOR’S COLLECTION, 1460–1500.
This suit, like so many of its period, is incomplete. The armet with it, when acquired, never belonged to the suit, and there is no mentonnière. The sallad, shown on the figure, was made recently to give the general effect of the period. The suit is otherwise complete, and of fine material, proportions, and workmanship. The steel of this period is of excellent quality. The details, with a few exceptions, somewhat closely resemble those of the Sigmaringen suit. There are rondelles at the armpits
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PART X. MAXIMILIAN ARMOUR, 1500–1540.
PART X. MAXIMILIAN ARMOUR, 1500–1540.
The strong military tone lent to this period by the bent and character of the three great monarchs who then ruled the destinies of Europe, had great influence on armour, civil dress, art, and display generally. The tendency, as in architecture, was towards redundancy of detail, and the abandonment of simpler and more truly artistic forms for something more ornate. This tendency found expression more in the details and ornamentation of armour than in the intrinsic beauty of the form itself. The t
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PART XI. ARMOUR WITH LAMBOYS OR BASES.
PART XI. ARMOUR WITH LAMBOYS OR BASES.
As already mentioned, a very distinctive feature of this period, which lasted only four, or at the very most six decades, is the skirt of mail called “lamboys,” or in the language of the day, “bases,” which resembles a full gathered or plain petticoat, or kilt of laminated hoops, held together with “Almayne” rivets. A drawing is given of this kind of armour from an example in the author’s collection ( Fig. 25 ), which is said to have come from an old castle in the Tyrol into the family from whom
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PART XII. SOME ARMOUR-SMITHS OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
PART XII. SOME ARMOUR-SMITHS OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
The armour-smiths who stand out prominently during this period are the Negrolis of Milan, who have already been referred to, the later Kolmans of Augsburg, and the Seusenhofers of Innsbruck. An example by Koloman Kolman, son of Lorenz, may be seen at the Armeria Real, Madrid (Catálogo No. A65), in a harness made for Charles V. Tuilles are here replaced by tassets, and the figure has a “stechtarche” or tournament shield at the shoulder. Another example, in a noble unfluted suit, is at Vienna. It
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PART XIII. DEFENSIVE ARMOUR, 1540–1620, AND TO THE END.
PART XIII. DEFENSIVE ARMOUR, 1540–1620, AND TO THE END.
Defensive armour experienced another change a little before the middle of the sixteenth century, viz., in the casting aside of fluted armour, for the reasons already stated, and the resumption of plain steel. Suits became generally lighter, and the form of the breastplate changed, with a hump over the stomach or the abdomen. During the second half of the century the cuisse and tasset tend to combine in a series of laminated plates to the knee, and sollerets were smaller and more the shape of the
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SUIT AT ALNWICK CASTLE.
SUIT AT ALNWICK CASTLE.
This is a very chaste and elegant Italian suit ( Fig. 33 ), dating from the last quarter of the sixteenth century. It is ornamented in the banded Italian style; the ground of repoussé work, with its rich minute foliations in low relief, is gilded, while the rest of the steel remains bright. The general style of the ornamentation is alternate chevrons of bright steel and minute repoussé work. The decorative work on the pauldrons and genouillières is, however, much bolder in character than on the
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SUIT AT NAWORTH CASTLE.
SUIT AT NAWORTH CASTLE.
This suit is very rich and handsome, being freely engraved and inlaid with gold—the gilding has, however, greatly worn off. The ornamentation is somewhat rude, both in character and in execution, and vastly inferior to either Italian or German work. The cuirass is ornamented with a “George” badge on either side, indicating a knight of the Garter, the execution of which is good. The genouillières are attachable to the jambs by reversible catches, which pass through the plate—they are the same cat
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SUIT FROM THE COLLECTION OF PRINCE CARL OF PRUSSIA, NOW IN THE ZEUGHAUS AT BERLIN.
SUIT FROM THE COLLECTION OF PRINCE CARL OF PRUSSIA, NOW IN THE ZEUGHAUS AT BERLIN.
This beautiful suit ( Fig. 36 ), decorated in repoussé work in very high relief, dates about the close of the sixteenth century, and the ornamentation is instructive as well as artistic in the classical battle-scene and details it depicts. The mitten gauntlet, with expanded cuff, is very fine. The ridge over the knuckles is bold, and smaller ridges continue to the finger tips....
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THE OSUNA SUIT.
THE OSUNA SUIT.
This is highly characteristic of the period it represents. The armour is freely ornamented in repoussé or hammered work, and bears traces of gilding. The suit was probably made in Italy, is very handsome, and has seen much service. Being well authenticated, it has a special interest. The suit belonged to Don Pedro Fellez de Giron, Duke of Osuna and Infantado, Knight of the Black Eagle Order, etc., Viceroy of Sicily about 1600, and later of Naples (about 1610). It was saved from the fire at the o
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DETAILS.
DETAILS.
The whole suit ( Fig. 37 ) is freely ornamented with arabesqued foliations on a ground of fine vertical lines, banded in the Italian style, interspersed with human heads, some of them grotesque, and enclosed in medallions; and a series of armed figures, which would richly repay a close examination. The helmet is a remarkable piece of workmanship, and forged in a single piece; it weighs seven pounds. It is an Italian casque of a most graceful and classic form. The repoussé ornamentation on it is
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PART XV. INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL.
PART XV. INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL.
Dion Cassius refers to the armament of the Caledonians as being a buckler, dagger, and lance; while Tacitus says that the Britons used large blunt swords and small bucklers. Excepting for a few specimens found in peat mosses and burial mounds, we are indebted to monkish chronicles for all our knowledge regarding the weapons of the “dark ages” of our era, together with a few glimpses and suggestions obtained from the “Sagas” handed down, partly vivâ voce , from generation to generation. There are
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PART XVI. THE SWORD.
PART XVI. THE SWORD.
The sword has always been the most universal of weapons among almost all nations and ages. It is alike the symbol of honour and the vindicator of justice; though often, alas, the instrument of oppression. The history of the sword is almost that of humanity itself, and supernatural attributes have often been ascribed to it. There is something about an ancient sword that appeals to the dullest imagination—it is so suggestive of historic memories, both in heroism and treason. It is typical of the f
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PART XVII. THE DAGGER.
PART XVII. THE DAGGER.
The dagger is a short sword in great variety of form; it is a weapon for thrusting only. We meet with it in the ages of “stone” and “bronze,” and it was in use among almost all the great nations of antiquity. The scramasax, a short two-handed sword or dagger, is an ancient Germanic weapon of varying length. In form it resembles a single-edged cutlass. There are examples in some of the German museums; one was found in a barrow near Andernach. Mr. John Hewitt, in his work on Ancient Armour and Wea
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PART XVIII. THE LONGBOW.
PART XVIII. THE LONGBOW.
The longbow is a weapon of great antiquity; an example may be seen on a bas-relief in the Louvre, dated about 700 B.C. It was used by the Egyptians, Chaldæans, and Greeks; and was probably introduced into Britain by the Romans. The bow of Pandarus is related to have been made of ibex-horn, and strung with sinews. The following lines from the Iliad are very graphic, and descriptive of this bow and its manipulation:— An antique Greek drawing of the time of Theseus has been already referred to, whe
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THE GOATSFOOT CROSSBOW.
THE GOATSFOOT CROSSBOW.
This bow is bent by a lever of two branches, called the goatsfoot, one of which is provided with forks, which grasp the string, while the other pulls it back. It was used by horsemen....
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THE LATCH CROSSBOW (ARBELETE À CRIC).
THE LATCH CROSSBOW (ARBELETE À CRIC).
This kind, which is very heavy, was used specially in the defence of fortified places. It probably got its name from the trigger, which is formed like a latch, and is manipulated by a cog-wheel, and a notched bar called a cric. This bar has hooks at the top which grasp the string, and a handle turned by the hand of the archer winds up the “moulinet” or winch, drawing the string which bends the bow, and the tackle is slipped on to the stock from the bottom, which passes through a thick hemp or ir
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THE WINDLASS CROSSBOW (ARBALETE À CRANEQUIN).
THE WINDLASS CROSSBOW (ARBALETE À CRANEQUIN).
This bow is furnished with double cordage and a set of pulleys near the bottom of the stock, and another set placed just below the bowstring; strong cords run along the pulleys, and these are drawn taut by a small detachable windlass, which is adjustable to the bottom end of the stock, while hooks connected with the top pulleys grasp the bowstring. As soon as the bow has been bent by the action of the windlass, the tackle is removed. The top end of the stock is furnished with an iron stirrup, th
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THE PRODD.
THE PRODD.
This bow is light, and was used mostly in the chase. It shot principally pebbles, but also bullets. The French called it “arbalete à jalet.” A small prodd in the author’s possession was used for shooting game, and would seem to date from late in the sixteenth or early in the seventeenth century. It takes its name from two upright pins of iron, across the top of which a thread is drawn with a bead in the centre, which required to be brought into line with the notch observable on the top of the ad
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THE SCORPION,
THE SCORPION,
named from its shape, is a machine about which there is but little reliable information; but what there is indicates it to have been a huge crossbow, the bowstring being bent on the cog principle....
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THE CATAPULTA AND BALLISTA.
THE CATAPULTA AND BALLISTA.
Their prototype was the “tormentum” of the Romans. 42 The two machines are often confounded with each other. The catapulta was used for throwing heavy darts, while the ancient ballista threw stones only, but the mediæval variety was often arranged for both quarrels and rocks. Some ballistæ threw stones three hundred pounds in weight. The difference in the construction of these military engines from those made on the ordinary principle of the bow consisted in the addition of a mechanical force. T
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PART XXI. MACHINES FOR ATTACKING BELEAGUERED PLACES.
PART XXI. MACHINES FOR ATTACKING BELEAGUERED PLACES.
The castle of the middle ages up to the invention of the bombard was practically that of the ancient “castellum,” as far as defence was concerned, with outworks frequently of wood; and the means of attack lay in escalade, sapping and mining, the use of the battering-ram, or by a blockade. We now touch upon the machines used in attacks on fortified places, most of which have their prototypes during ancient times in the testudo, pluteus, tenebra, etc. The battering-ram, the tenebra of the Romans,
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PART XXII. THE SLING AND FUSTIBAL.
PART XXII. THE SLING AND FUSTIBAL.
These rude missile-casting weapons, with the longbow, were greatly used by the peasantry and yeomanry of the early “middle ages.” The first-named is too familiar to need much description, and its very ancient character is universally known. The Spaniards employed it with great effect at the battle of Navarete, where, Froissart says, “they broke many helmets and skullcaps, so that they wounded and unhorsed many of their opponents.” At the Rotunda, Woolwich, are twelve sling stones of two sizes, v
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THE JAVELIN, SPEAR, AND LANCE.
THE JAVELIN, SPEAR, AND LANCE.
This family of weapons is somewhat extensive, and of very great antiquity. The earliest forms were often used as missiles, and have been briefly alluded to in the introductory remarks. We have the authority of Procopius that the Frankish darts had barbed iron heads, and were used for both cutting and thrusting. Agathias refers to double axes and argones (spears). The Anglo-Saxon spear was a narrow, long-bladed weapon, while their javelin differed from that of the Normans in being shorter. The Ba
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THE MACE AND MARTEL-DE-FER.
THE MACE AND MARTEL-DE-FER.
The mace is a very ancient weapon in its simple form, its use and shape having been evidently suggested by the club, and it was probably a sceptre before it became a fighting club of metal. The type of the Bayeux tapestry, which was only used by the Saxons, is elementary and club-like, and the shape did not alter much before the beginning of the fifteenth century, when we have round, oval, cog-wheel, and dentated forms; it was sometimes provided with a short spear, welded into the top, but this
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THE BATTLE-AXE AND POLE-AXE.
THE BATTLE-AXE AND POLE-AXE.
The battle-axe or francisca was a leading weapon of the Franks during the Merovingian period, and it was then often used as a missile. The francisca of Childeric (457–481) was found in his tomb at Tournay, and is now in the Louvre. Procopius refers to the francisca of the sixth century as having a broad blade, sometimes double-edged, with a short haft. Roughly, the battle-axe is short in the handle, while the pole-axe, as its name implies, is long in the shaft. The former is a knightly weapon, w
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THE GOEDENDAG.
THE GOEDENDAG.
The late Mr. John Hewitt, in one of his contributions to the History of Mediæval Weapons and Military Appliances in Europe , refers to the goedendag as being a foot soldier’s weapon of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and he gives a drawing of a foot soldier armed with a long-shafted weapon thickening towards the head, which is surmounted by a short iron spear, firmly and thickly socketed on to the extremity. This figure, with others, is stated by M. Felix de Vigne, in his Recherches His
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THE BILL, SCYTHE KNIFE, AND GLAIVE.
THE BILL, SCYTHE KNIFE, AND GLAIVE.
This class of weapons is often confounded with the gisarme, because they sometimes have a spur at the base. All have their prototype in the scythe of agriculture. The bill occurs in the poem of Beowulf as part of the armament of a ship of war, and it is often mentioned in Anglo-Saxon chronicles, but it must be borne in mind that old chronicles used the phrase “bills and bows” in the sense that the former word applies generally to all long-shafted weapons. According to Silver, the bill ought not
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THE HOLY-WATER SPRINKLER, OR MILITARY FLAIL.
THE HOLY-WATER SPRINKLER, OR MILITARY FLAIL.
This class of weapon, like several others, had its inception among the implements of husbandry; and it owes its name, like the goedendag, doubtless to a brutal jest. It is stated by Whitacre that the agricultural flail was introduced into Italy about the time of the Roman conquest of Britain. The Anglo-Saxons called it “Therscol,” or thrasher. This terrible weapon consists of a shaft of wood, garnished with iron, attached to which is a flail of iron, moving on a ring; or a chain or chains connec
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THE MORNING STAR.
THE MORNING STAR.
This weapon is a spiked mace, and was greatly used in Germany and Switzerland. There are both long and short shafted kinds; the latter, made of iron, is mentioned in the eleventh century, and was much used by horsemen in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. They were sometimes supplemented with hand-guns. This variety was called “Schiesspringel.” Several writers confound the “Morning Star” with the “Holy Water Sprinkler,” but the latter is a weapon of the flail family. The heads vary in shape
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GISARME AND VOULGES.
GISARME AND VOULGES.
The gisarme is a scythe-shaped weapon, fixed on a long shaft. It is double-edged, and provided with a hook and spurs. It is often mentioned in early chronicles of the thirteenth century, and is specially alluded to by Froissart in the next century. The voulge has a broad blade, pointed at the head, and is generally square at the edge. It was usually forged with two strong iron rings, through which the head of a pole is passed. This weapon was often carried by archers. The pageant voulge is shape
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MILITARY FORKS.
MILITARY FORKS.
These forked, trident-like weapons, of prongs of unequal length, are mentioned in records of the eleventh century. They were much used in the fourteenth century. The weapon appears in the Sloane MS., No. 346....
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THE HALBARD.
THE HALBARD.
The first mention of this weapon occurs in the fourteenth century. It was used by footmen only, and is somewhat varied in form. It usually has a somewhat square or crescent-shaped blade, with a sharp hook-like projection or forks on the back, and sometimes a spike from the face, but always a spear at the top. In the fifteenth century the nearly straight form prevailed, with a spur behind, while the crescent-shaped blade appeared early in the sixteenth; and the hinder spur became broader and more
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THE PIKE, PARTIZAN, SPETUM, RANSEUR, AND SPONTOON.
THE PIKE, PARTIZAN, SPETUM, RANSEUR, AND SPONTOON.
The pike is a footman’s weapon used greatly in conjunction with the halbard and harquebus; and these three were pre-eminently the weapons of the infantry of the later “middle ages” and the “renaissance.” It was probably introduced into England in the reign of Edward III., being mentioned by Froissart, anno 1342, and did not fall into disuse much before the time of Charles II., when a writer in 1703 refers to it as a weapon “formerly” in use, the bayonet having superseded it. Viscount Dillon stat
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PART XXIV. EARLY ARTILLERY.
PART XXIV. EARLY ARTILLERY.
It is stated that some sort of cannon was known to the Moors very early, and that artillery was used in Spain during the second half of the thirteenth century in the defence of fortified places; but this is believed to be merely traditional, and that the piece of ordnance stated to be mentioned in the Archives of Ghent 46 as being in possession of that town in 1313, was probably a very rough weapon and highly tentative in character. Without wishing to cast doubt on this statement, occurring in a
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PART XXV. EARLY HAND-GUNS.
PART XXV. EARLY HAND-GUNS.
The invention, or at all events the first application of these weapons for the purposes of warfare, in the sense of the use of detonating gunpowder for the discharge of projectiles, in contradistinction to those applied merely for setting fire to buildings, is probably due to the Flemings or Italians, but the approximate date of their introduction is very difficult to trace, as early writers on the subject so often confound hand-guns with cannon, and vice versâ ; besides, some of the earlier gun
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