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Fig. 470. Helm
Italian, third quarter of the XVth century. H 11, Musée d'Artillerie, Paris
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Fig. 471. M. Viollet-le-Duc's drawing
Showing how the helm (Fig. 470) was worn
From this solitary Italian helm in Paris we will turn to those two splendid helms which, together with their tilting armour, are to be seen in the Arsenal at Venice. It is not unlikely that they were originally part of the armoury of the Doges' Palace, most of the armour and weapons now in the Arsenal having been formerly there; but Signor Mario Mocenigo, in his excellent work on the Venice Arsenal, states that he has found no former reference to these two wonderful sets, unless the simple entry of "Ancient Helmets, 3," in the inventory of 1548, is a note referring to these two helms and to the celebrated bascinet (see vol. i, Fig. 299). Gravembroch gives a rough drawing of the helm numbered C 5 in the Arsenal (Fig. 472), the more important of the two sets, stating that it is "a very heavy and large-sized iron helmet found among the wonders of the Venetian Arsenal." So much for what we know of its history. As to its original owner, we can only quote from Signor Mocenigo. He states that at the back of the skull-piece "there are engraved three interlaced rings, obviously the emblem of the Sforza family, and between them can be read the initials A. M., which leads one to surmise that this armour had belonged to Cardinal Ascanio Maria Sforza, the "Grand Elector"[1] of Pope Alexander VI (Borgia) at the end of the XVth century—a man more apt for war and intrigue than for the exercise of his priestly office."
- ↑ The term "Grand Elector" alludes to the fact that at the Conclave of 1492 the election of Cardinal Borgia as Pope (Alexander VI) was secured by the transfer to him (for a monetary consideration) of Cardinal Ascanio Maria Sforza's votes and those of his party.
