The Armour Archive

Hello chaps,

Did they have sugar loaf helmets in the HYW/Agincourt? I also like the Black Princes helmet, are there any other non bascinet helmets for that period with face guards?

OK, the Hundred Years War lasted quite a while - that's why they call it that. Over that century there was a considerable evolution in arms and armour. What was worn at the beginning of the HYW - in 1337 - was by no means what was worn at the end in 1453. Agincourt was 1415.

To get some idea of the change in styles, see http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?c ... &offset=27 and http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?c ... offset=108 and for Agincourt, http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?c ... &offset=72 - keeping in mind that these memorials were usually done some years after the death of the guys concerned, so the armour may be from a little later than the given date.


The Black Prince has a bascinet and a tilting helm - the second of which survives, but it's not a sugarloaf. For a thread that deals with the time period sugarloafs were in use, see http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... =sugarloaf

So - short answer, no sugarloafs at Agincourt. And really, the only battle helmet worn by knights at the time seems to be the great bascinet. The tilting helm seems to have been consigned, by this time, to the tilting field alone, and the armet and sallet were yet to make their appearance.

Hope this helps.

Many thanks old boy!