The Armour Archive

On November 1, 1348, Louis of Taranto wrote to the Florentine Council, lamenting that Florence was allowing Hungarian auxiliaries to cross their lands from Lombardy and Romagna in spite the Hungarians being allied to their mutual enemies (aka, guelf/ghibelline was a deal). The troops coming up to support the Hungarian cause are referred to as barbuta. Elsewhere, I'd said that the mercenaries were referred to by their leather helmets. I do not have the original letter, but the translation I have is by Miskolcy, who, granted, none of you have heard of, but whose competence with Latin exceeds anything I will ever approach even with the aid of the Hubble.

Leading me to a couple of questions:
1. Are the early, more open-faced barbutes to be considered the same as the latter, since this term is clearly being used WELL in advance of the typical 15th-century dating?
2. While I don't yet have the original letter, I *do* know the troops in question. They are, commanders outstanding, infantry spearmen, and not social elites by any means. Now, obviously, this is the HRE and Italy we're talking about (as opposed to Germany/Italy), and heavy infantry are a thing, and a huge one. If they're not high-status, that would explain their absence from some sources, but they ought to be all OVER others, like Prato. Does anybody else know a similar reference from this time?

In regards to #1, I'd say that they (earlier open faced ones) to be considered interchangeable as the latter. The Italian accounts I have seen give very broad catagories to a variety of helmets that we would give different types to.

I'd also add, that the term is literally a reference to them being bearded...

Thanks, Chef. There are various odd examples here and there in wall-paintings that look barbute-ish, but this is the first time I've seen the reference for 14c, let alone right around 1450.

The Pistoia altarpiece shows several of what I would define as early barbutes, or basci-barbutes, in the second row in the judgement of Pilate scene (I think), there are two soldiers wearing deep helmets with no verveles or anything like them illustrated, as well as the fellow wearing the odd one in the front with the articulated tail, and again, no indicator of an aventail.

I think all three of those are early versions of the helmet. Some extant versions with verveles exist, what I think of as such have more substantial coverage to the cheek than most bascinets, and are deep in form.