48884 m751

C2 Knight c. 1250—1300

By the mid-r2th century surcoats were commonly wora over the hauberk, but were still not wora by all knights. Between 1170 and 1200'they became morę common and by about 1200 were in generał use as a long, loose-fitting gown of knee or mid-calf length, with large arm holes as shown by Ci. They were still split at front and rear from hem to crutch. The emblem on the surcoat of this figurę is taken from a Spanish manuscript. Notę that here the arming cap is worn over the mail coif.

Two developments in armour during this period were the division of the mail mittens into separate ftngers c. 1250, although the rnitten form remained the most popular, and the introduction of the first plate-defence—for the knee. Known as poleyns, the piąte knee-defences first appeared c. 1230 and were in generał use by mid-century. These early poleyns were quite smali, as illustrated, and are shown here attached to the mail. The ends of the knight’s

ąuilted cuisses are also visible.

C3 Knight Hospitaller 1248-33 The Hospitaller is wearing his Order’s black mantle over a black surcoat; the mantle alone was worn until 1248, when the black surcoat was introduced. In 1259 the Order changed to a red surcoat with a white cross. Notę the fastening of the mentail to^the brow band and the combination of cuisse and poleyn in an attempt to overcome the dilficulties of secur-ing extra defences over mail comfortably.

Di Teutonic Knight c.i230-83 Unlike almost all other medieval campaigns, those of the Teutonic Knights against the Prussians were conducted in mid-winter, for only then could they negotiate the terrain relatively easily, with the

Arab horsemen, painted c. 1210 (Baghdad School), showing the flowing robę with tiraz (embroidered bands on the sleeves) worn over armour by the Saracen amirs.