I’ve been looking into various medieval armour types, using some of the books I had at home (some of them are older than my parents!). I decided against writing a long-winded essay, as it would get really boring really quickly, so I did a list of important facts:
- Used as both practical protection and a symbol of chivalry, knightly virtue, and military prowess
- Early armour designs utilised more chainmail and leather-based construction, while later designs became more focused on plate-mail designs
- Common armour materials included metal rings, cuirbouilli (leather treated with hot wax), and interlocking metal plates
- Heraldry was commonly displayed on flat surfaces such as helmets and shields; heraldic art became more complex in the later centuries
- Knightly armour worked as follows:
- First, there are the wearer’s undergarments
- Then goes the cuirbouilli leather (used to prevent chafing)
- Then the chainmail, which can be worn as is, and the knight would wear a surcoat with their heraldic designs emblazoned or embroidered on to it
- After that, the plate mail armour was worn over the top
- Helmets initially were made out of singular metal pieces, and later became more complex constructions. Several of the most recognisable helmet designs were the great helm (as worn by the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the nasal basonet worn by Gondorian soldiers in the movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King)
Hopefully this should be helpful, and could possibly influence my choice of character designs.
Bibliography:
Wilkinson, F. (1971). Arms and Armour, illustrated by John H. Batchelor & Arthur Gay. Feltham: Hamlyn, pp.30 – 59.
European Armour. (1965). London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, pp.3 -12.
SLGameDesign FMP 