CHAPTER XXXI
CLOSE HELMETS OF THE XVIth CENTURY
In considering the various forms of close helmet that in diminishing
favour were worn throughout the XVIth century, we have
to remember that, like the other helmets of this era to which
we shall allude, they were evolved from earlier forms of the
various classes of head-piece. In our notice of the salade and
armet, as in that of the tournament helm, we considerably overstepped the limit
of the XVth century, to which period—generally speaking—we assigned those
head-pieces, and in each case traced its progress well into the XVIth century.
For a better understanding of how all these types combined to form the
ordinary close helmet of the second quarter of the XVIth century, we must
refer our readers to our previous chapters. When we were describing
the complete suits of the XVIth century we endeavoured to class them
in progressive order according to their styles:—first, the plain Maximilian,
then the Maximilian with the channelled surface, and then the grotesque
Maximilian. Next we were concerned with the style which we classed as landsknecht.
We then came to the mid-XVIth century Italian forms which we have
named Milanese, and finally we dealt with that mixture of styles which the
second half of the XVIth century introduced. The author admits that he has
perhaps made a new departure in classification, but his experience has led
him to think that the history of armour is best dealt with in this manner
rather than by classing it according to the countries of its manufacture. We
shall deal therefore with close helmets on similar lines, not necessarily dividing
them into separate groups under national headings, as can be done in the
case of the more distinctively pageant armour of this century. At the same
time we desire to explain to our readers that, as close helmets nearly always
formed part of a complete apparel, we are giving only a few illustrations:
since most types of these helmets may be seen represented in the illustrations
of the full harnesses of the different periods.
We shall commence our description of close helmets of the Maximilian
