The History of the Slam: Grand Slams Come and Go
An illustration from the manuscript "Speculum Virginum" (Jungfrauenspiegel, "Mirror of the Virgins"), a 12th-century didactic treatise on female monastic life, depicting combatants wearing closed helmets. The original text dates to the mid-12th century and may have been compiled at the Augustinian Abbey of Andernach, founded by Richard, Abbot of Springersbach, for his sister in 1128.
Where is the power? - and on the high helmet
Gray hair binds...
A. S. Pushkin. "Ruslan and Lyudmila"
Gray hair binds...
A. S. Pushkin. "Ruslan and Lyudmila"
History armor and weapons. So, last time we left off with the fact that both during the time of Charlemagne and later, all of Europe, including the legendary Vikings, wore helmets of either sphero-conical or domed shapes, assembled from four segments, hence the name "segmental helmets." The "Bayeux Plaque" is clear evidence of this, as are a number of archaeological finds.
Later, they learned to make such helmets solidly forged, that is, forged from a single sheet of metal. But such a helmet, even with a nasal guard in the form of a metal plate extending down the nose, essentially offered no protection against arrows. And when, during their campaigns in the East, European crusader knights had to fight Muslim horse archers, arrow wounds to the face became too common to ignore. As a result, as early as 1100, helmets with masks with slits for the eyes and breathing holes began to appear in Germany, and then in France. In other words, a new feature was added to the old helmets.
And then, around 1200, or even slightly earlier, alongside conical helmets, completely new and previously unknown helmets appeared – "pot helmets" or "pillbox helmets." They looked like... a kitchen ladle with a downward-curved handle. This new helmet turned out to be a real find. Firstly, it was assembled from just two parts – the crown and the base, riveted together, making it very easy to make. Secondly, although blows didn't slip off, they also didn't hit their target, as they struck the L-shaped edge of the "pot" crown, which was more difficult to cut through than a smooth plate 1,5 mm thick. Then they added a face mask and... helmet decorations in the form of flags, upturned palms, and eagle claws.
Illustration depicting knights in cylindrical helmets with face masks and helmet decorations from the novel "Aeneid" by Heinrich von Veldeke, c. 1210-1200. Berlin State Library
The minnesinger knight Heinrich von Frauenberg (c. 1257–1314) wearing a helmet adorned with eagle claws. Codex Manescens, Heidelberg University Library
Another reason for the development of helmets with facemasks was the new tactic of spear fighting—cushing, in which the spear was no longer held in the hand but tucked under the arm. All that remained was to rivet the backplate onto the helmet, creating a helmet that was closed on all sides and nearly cylindrical in shape. As early as 1214, knights of England and Germany appeared wearing such helmets at the Battle of Bouvines. This was the origin of the early type of topfhelm helmet, known, in particular, from miniatures in the Aeneid of the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
The helmet of the minnesinger knight Otto von Botenlauben (1177–1245) was adorned with a single eagle's claw. And also gilded! "Codex Manescens," Heidelberg University Library
The next step in its development was the addition of a sharp longitudinal rib on the nose, which now took on a wedge-shaped form. A spearhead striking such a helmet would not have time to transfer the full force of its impact to the head and would simply slip off. The rib was further reinforced with a cruciform plate, the vertical rays of which extended from the forehead to the chin, while the horizontal ones formed the edges of the viewing slits, preventing the spearhead from slipping. The ends of the cross's rays were traditionally shaped like a trefoil or a lily. Similar helmets are found in miniatures from the "Matsiewski Bible" (mid-13th century) and in many other manuscripts of the period.
Because of their large size, these helmets began to be called "large," and they were indeed quite large and, importantly, also heavy. Among the most famous helmets available to historians today is the "Bolzano helmet," from a tower in the city of Bolzano in Italy. It is also known as the "Bozen helmet" (the German name for Bolzano). It dates back to the early 14th century. Weight - 2,5 kg. (Castle of Sant'Angelo, Rome). Next comes the "Aranas helmet" in Sweden, which also dates back to the early 14th century. The helmet weighs approximately 2,34 - 2,5 kg. (State Historical Museum, Stockholm). And, of course, the helmet from the Tower of London collection. Dating back to the second half of the 14th century. Approximate weight - 2,63 kg. (Royal Armouries, Leeds). All of them are of great historical value and therefore, naturally, extremely expensive, despite their rather modest appearance.
The Dargen Helmet. Perhaps the most famous of the surviving "great helmets." It was found in the ruins of Schlossberg Castle, near the German village of Dargen in Pomerania, after which it takes its name. It dates back to the second half of the 13th century. Similar helmets appear in medieval miniatures from 1250 to 1350. Average weight: approximately 2,25 kg. German Historical Museum, Berlin.
The Aranas Helmet. Discovered during excavations of the ruins of Aranas Castle in 1916, it is now known as the Aranas Helmet. It is heavily damaged by rust and fire. Despite this, it is of great significance as one of the only known helmets from the 13th century. Weight: 2340 g. Height: 300 mm. Width: 200 mm. Length: 330 mm. Diameter: 170 mm. Swedish History Museum, Stockholm.
"Aranas' Helmet." Interior view. Swedish History Museum, Stockholm
Cutting diagram for the "Aranas helmet" sheets. Swedish History Museum, Stockholm
Clearly, carrying such a heavy object on the head was simply impossible. And in general, head protection during this period had improved incredibly. First, a quilted cap or helm was placed on the head, then a chainmail hood, often covering the mouth, with a hinged nasal guard with breathing holes attached directly to the chainmail. It was secured to the face with a hook, hooked directly to the rings of the chainmail. Then, over the chainmail hood, they placed either a leather roll stuffed with bran, which acted as a shock-absorbing pad between the head and the "great helmet," or a hemispherical metal "cap," essentially another helmet-helmet liner—a servillier or "servant."
Two knights, one of whom is the minnesinger Heinrich von Tettingham, wearing servillier helmets. Codex Manes, Heidelberg University Library
Having protected his head with so many layers of metal and fabric, the knight could certainly hope to remain alive, healthy, and safe in battle. However, the price for such "safety" was quite high. The helmet was extremely stuffy and hot. Furthermore, he couldn't hear anything, and his field of view wasn't particularly good, which couldn't be helped, as widening the viewing slits was unsafe. But it was quite possible to breathe easier.
As early as 1220, "great helms" with a visor that folded upward appeared in England, and by 1240, these same helmets in France and Germany acquired door-shaped visors, hinged on the left side and secured with a "lock" on the right. Unfortunately, no one has ever shown such helmets in film, otherwise it would be quite funny! And from 1250, the classic topfhelm, shaped like a slightly tapering cylinder with the front part hanging down on the neck, came into fashion. Its top was usually flat. Breathing holes were evenly spaced on both sides. To protect against rust, such helmets were painted, often in heraldic colors.
A 13th-century helmet on display in the Lucera Museum in Apulia, Italy. The helmet was discovered accidentally in one of the towers of the fortress's western keep, buried under layers of debris, during renovation work in late 1979.
By 1290, the shape of the "great helm" had changed again. Its upper portion now took on a conical shape, and the top plate became convex. This design enhanced protective capabilities, although the 9-12 mm wide visor slits did not provide a good view at close range. The ventilation holes located below the visor slits could be of various shapes. Sometimes they were pierced to create patterns or images (as was done, for example, on the helmet of Edward of Wales, the "Black Prince," where they were shaped like a crown), but more often they were simply pierced in a checkerboard pattern. On a later version of this helmet from the second half of the 14th century—the kübelhelm—these ventilation holes began to be placed exclusively on the right side as early as the 14th century, so as not to weaken the metal on the left side, which was most exposed to enemy spear strikes.
Images of similar conical helmets appear in large numbers in the miniatures of the Chronicle of Colmariens, 1298. British Library, London
Wearing a fully enclosed helmet was extremely difficult for long periods, and, as noted above, knights found a solution: they began wearing a hemispherical cervillier, and just before an attack, they would place a topfhelm on their heads. But then the cervillier helmet itself began to evolve. A occipital piece was added, making it deeper, and the domed top was made pointed. Thus, the bascinet helmet was born, over which "great helms" with pointed tops began to be worn.
A unique find – a “great helmet” from Dalečín Castle in Moravia
Since the early 14th century, the crown has often been forged in one piece and attached to a lower base assembled from a pair of plates. The fore-face plate and nape plate now descend from the front and back in a wedge shape onto the chest and back. At the very bottom, cross-shaped holes appeared for a button on the end of a chain, the other end of which was fastened to the chest. There was already an article about chains at the time on VO. Armor… and chains), so there's no point in repeating this here, but it should be emphasized that these chains weren't just decorative; they also prevented the helmet from being torn off the wearer's head or lost. Interestingly, depictions of one knight grabbing another's helmet to tear it off or push it to the side, obscuring their view, were frequently depicted in medieval battle scenes, including the famous "Manesque Codex."
The effigy of Edward "the Black Prince" (1330–1376) from Canterbury Cathedral depicts him wearing a bascinet helmet with a crown. His topfhelm, complete with a leopard figure, lies beneath his head. However, his helmet itself, which looks exactly like the one on this effigy, has also survived. Weighing 3,24 kg, it is heavier than similar helmets from Pembridge and Leeds. It is made of inferior steel, not tempered in water or oil, but slowly air-cooled. The quality of the steel suggests English manufacture. A carefully repaired dent, likely sustained in battle, was discovered on the front of the helmet.
Warriors wearing a variety of helmets from the Holkham Bible (c. 1320–1330). British Library, London
This helmet was finally abandoned at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, when the outcome of war was no longer decided solely in field battles and clashes between mounted men-at-arms, but rather during long military campaigns, where riders were required to fight both on horseback and on foot. The main adversaries of heavily armed cavalry now increasingly came from infantry, archers, and crossbowmen, and knights themselves began to dismount to engage infantry. Under these circumstances, bascinets, with their movable visors, proved more convenient, allowing for easy observation of the battlefield without relinquishing the weapon, without the need for a squire, and without burdening the wearer's head with unnecessary weight. Thus, the "grand helmet" completed its evolution as a means of protection on the battlefield, but was still used in tournaments, and where in the 16th century it was replaced by the so-called "toad helmet" or "toad head" helmet, which became the final result of its development.
Another very famous tournament helmet is that of Albert von Prank, dating from the 14th century. Dimensions: height with helmet figure – 76 cm, without figure – 36 cm, width – 24,2 cm, depth – 31 cm. Weight: total – 6,21 kg, including 5,2 kg for the helmet and 1,01 kg for the helmet figure. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
P.S. But they stopped attaching horsetails to such helmets. That fashion passed, along with the fashion for pointed helmets, so if Pushkin's Ruslan had been a medieval knight in a "great helmet," then... he wouldn't have even thought of attaching Chernomor's beard to his helmet...
To be continued ...
Information