7i 



here. The tactics of fighting in the Crusades were generally for 

 ranks of mounted knights to charge on the active cavalry and bow- 

 men of the Saracens in order to cut them to pieces with their swords, 

 and at the same time to be so protected themselves by armour and 

 shield as to avoid wounds. For this purpose they needed the lightest 

 armour they could obtain, as long as it was effective, so that their 

 freedom of movement was not hampered. It is true that during these 

 centuries the knights quarrelled with those of other nations or 

 amongst themselves, and that they constantly held tournaments or 

 jousts for training and amusement, but these were secondary to the 

 great matter of fighting the Infidels, and so the armour remained 

 only such as was required for that purpose. We will now see what 

 were the chief items of this light and pliant armour at the end of 

 the Crusades, but as time has dealt hardly with the early figure in 

 Wimborne Minster, it will be better first to consider a more perfect 

 effigy, that we may become acquainted with the different parts and 

 then compare them with the Wimborne knight. 



The man was cased from head to foot in chain mail, that is, 

 armour made of steel rings linked together in a regular manner, the 

 upper portion being so shaped as to cover the head, arms and body 

 in one piece, and the lower portion the two legs and feet in the form 

 of stockings. This armour was worn over a body garment of leather, 

 padded and quilted, so as to prevent the steel from pressing on the 

 flesh or staining the linen under-garments, and below the knees was 

 a leather thong tied tight so as to take the strain off the legs. The 

 knight put on the upper garment or hauberk, as it was called, over 

 his head, and it was then tightened behind and a lappet of varying 

 size was tied securely at the side of the head to protect it securely in 

 all parts except the actual face. The mail sleeves ended in mittens 

 with separate receptacles for the thumbs, just like the woollen gloves 

 worn by young children of to-day There was a hole in the palm 

 through which the hands could be passed to allow the mittens to 

 hang from the wrists when the bare hand had to be used. Thus 

 covered in his armour of chain mail, the knight had little to fear 

 from the attacks of his opponents amongst the Saracens who were 

 armed with light arrows or short daggers. To prevent, however, 

 the steel mail from getting rusty in the damp climate of England and 

 to modify the heat of the sun's rays on the mail in eastern climes 

 the knight wore over his armour a loose, sleeveless garment called 

 the surcoat, which was made of wool or linen, reaching nearly to the 

 feet behind and fastened by a narrow belt at the waist. AboutA.D. 1300 

 small additions were made to this protective armour, because it was 

 found that the arms and legs of the knight when fighting on horse- 

 back were exposed to serious danger from wounds. The knees were 

 therefore further protected by knee-caps and a light covering was 

 also introduced for the elbows. These were made of cuir bouilli, 

 which was thick leather boiled in oil and then dried to form a strong 

 guard. The fighting with the Saracens being finished, and the 

 nobility of the different nations having to maintain their possessions 

 or their lives in their own countries, changes in armour began to be 

 made to meet the new conditions. The fights now took place 



