Early 13th Century Arms and Armour

Sir John de Bitton 1227 Sir John de Bitton who dates from 1227AD is wearing a hauberk that extends to his mid thighs or knees and which has mail mittens to protect the hands. He has a separate coif that covers his shoulders. Under the coif is a steel cap indicated by the shape of the coif which does not follow the contours of his head. Over the hauberk is worn a surcoat which was often of fine material.

Although Sir John doesn't have a heaume or great helm to protect his head many knights of this period used the pot helm which partially or totally enclosed the head in steel.

Under the hauberk Sir John would be wearing some form of padded undergarment to protect him from the rubbing of the rings of the mail. His legs are covered by mail chausses.

Sir John carries a large heater type shield directly without any supporting strap over his right shoulder. The sword typical of this period is carried on a sword belt around his waist. No secondary weapon is shown on this incised slab.

In Chivalry and Sorcery terms Sir John wears Super Heavy Battle Armour of Annealed Mail (type U) with a mail coif over a quilted hood and a open bascinet. His padded undercoat is the equivalent of an arming doublet although the correct term would probably have been an aketon.

Secondary Weaponry

The crossbow or arbalest was widely used as was the short or self bow. The battle axe continued in use as did the infantry spear. Some infantry carried developed versions of the weapon known as the 'guisarme' with a curved blade and a hook (C&S3 Billhook). The mace was developed into an armour breaking weapon with heavy cast flanges.

Helmets for non-mounted forces were commonly the chapel-de-fer or iron kettle hat (C&S3 composite helm) although the conical helm both with and without a nasal bar were also widely used. A leather or padded coif is often worn by infantry and some troops would wear a jerkin or hauberk of leather reinforced with metal plates (C&S3 reinforced cuirbolli). The long tear-drop or kite shield became larger and was carried by infantry as well as the noble cavalry in Italy. Elsewhere the cavalry shield grew smaller as armour was strengthened.

To protect their torso infantry and some squires and sergeants wore a padded garment with long sleeves known as a gambeson, replacing the older mail haubergeon (short hauberk). Early in the 13th century the cuir-bolli cuirass started becoming worn over the hauberk in areas in contact with Islamic and Asiatic forms of lamellar body armour (Spain, Germany, Provence in Southern France).

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Late 13th Century

Last updated on 1 Sep 1998, at 21:13 ADT.