James Arlen Gillaspie

Artist Metalsmith       

Glossary of Medieval Armour and Armour-Related Terms

A - B
Armet to Burgonet

C
Campaign to Cullet

D - G
Early Middle Ages to Greave

H - K
Halberd to Knight

L - M
Lamellar Armour to Morion

N - R
Nasal Helm to Rondel

S
Sabaton to Sword

T - Z
Tang to White Armour

- C -

Campaign
In the military sciences, a military campaign encompasses related military operations during war, usually conducted by a defense or fighting force, directed at gaining a particular desired state of affairs, usually within geographical and temporal limitations.

Cavalry
Soldiers or men-at-arms who fought while mounted on horseback.

Centuria
Roman unit consisting, despite its name, of approximately 80 men.

Centurion
A professional officer of the Roman army after the Marian reforms of 107 BC. Most centurions commanded a centuria of 80 men but senior centurions commanded cohorts, or took senior staff roles in their legion.

Cervelliere
A round, close-fitting steel skull cap worn as a helmet during the medieval or renaissance period. It was first introduced during the late 13th century and was usually worn under a great helm. The helmet continued to develop over time and by the 1330s had evolved completely into the bascinet.

Chainmail
See Mail.

Chanfron (shaffron etc.)
Helmet for a horse.

Chausses
Armour for the legs, usually made from (chain)mail. They could extend to the knee or cover the entire leg. Chausses were the standard type of metal leg armour during most of the European Middle Ages.

Closehelm
The standard helm used by heavy cavalry of the 16th and 17th centuries. With the visor down, it completely encased the head.

Coat of Plates
A form of torso armour used during the European Middle Ages consisting of metal plates sewn or riveted to a cloth or leather backing, with constructional differences from the later brigandine.
[also Pair of Plates]

Cohort
A sub-unit of a Roman legion, consisting of 600 legionaries from its introduction by Gaius Marius, and of 480 legionares after the reign of Augustus, and including six centurions. The cohort itself was divided into six centuries of 80 men, each commanded by a centurion.

Couter
Plate armour defense for the elbow. Was initially just a curved piece of metal but became an articulated joint as plate armor developed.

Crinet
Horse armour to protect the neck.

Crossbow
A weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles called bolts. Very effective against (chain)mail; the use of this weapon may have led to the decline in the use of mail and the development of full plate armour.

Crupper
Rear part of the bard, protecting the horse's croup, hindquarters, and upper legs.

Cuirass
Plate armour for the front and back of the upper body, but often also incorporating a fauld and cullet.

Cuirassiers
Mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval knights. The term is derived from cuirass, the breastplate armour they wore.

Cuisses
A form of armour worn to protect the thigh. The word is the plural of the French word cuisse meaning 'thigh'.

Cullet
A piece of plate armour consisting of narrow, horizontal lam�s that protect the small of the back and sometimes the buttocks.

 

 

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