Henry's Armour Lesson Trivia Quiz

Answer: Celts

The Roman author Varro credits the Celts with the invention of chain mail, and the discovery of a Celtic chieftain's burial in Romania, which yielded chain mail that is considered to be the oldest example, seems to support his claim. There are also examples of early Etruscan mail that date to approximately the fourth century BC.

Although the term "chain mail" is commonly used today, it is believed that the armour was referred to as simply "mail" or "maille", which describes the material from which the armour was made.

Many of the standard terms used for mail today are derived from French terms.

Answer: Gambeson

Jackets similar to the European gambeson, dating back to the fourth century BC, were worn by Scythian horsemen. The gambeson was a thick jacket that was made by quilting pieces of stuffed fabric, such as wool or linen. The stuffing used could be anything from scraps of cloth to horse hair. It is believed they were used by Europeans by the 900s AD, perhaps even earlier, and were typically worn two ways: either alone or over chain mail. Those worn alone, called padded jack, are typically thicker (some sources say between 18-30 layers) and reinforced with sturdier material such as leather.

Mitons were mail mittens, chausses are mail hose that protect the legs, and a jazerant is layers of mail that are between layers of fabric.

Answer: 4-1 pattern

Several patterns of mail links have been used throughout history. However, the 4-1 pattern dominated Europe during the Middle Ages. In this pattern each ring is linked with four others. The chain mail's resistance to weapons was determined by linkage type, material used, weave density, and ring thickness.

While a blow could often injure a knight, causing serious fractures or, at the least, bruising, the mail could reduce the risk of cuts. Infection, of course, could be life threatening.

Answer: Riveting

Usually wrought iron was used to make the rings that would be put together into chain mail. If the rings were butted, the weight of the garment could cause the rings to spread and open. Even welding was not always a sure way to keep the rings together.

The best method was to use was riveting. That way there was at least a bit of insurance that the rings would stay together in the case of a thrusting attack or being hit by an arrow. In Henry's time the armorer would usually alternate rows of solid rings and riveted rings.

The solid rings could be punched from a sheet of metal.

Answer: True

Look closely at the bottom of this picture from the Bayeaux Tapestry; chain mail is being stripped from the dead. Chain mail was so expensive and labor intensive to make, that it was not available to everyone. However, any knight that had a decent fighting technique and a chain mail suit would have a significant advantage over one who did not.

Answer: Hauberk

The term hauberk is generally used to describe a garment that is a shirt or tunic with sleeves that reaches mid thigh. Sleeves could be any length, but long sleeves offered the best arm protection. There was usually a slit in the front and back of the hauberk so that the wearer could ride a horse. The hauberk can also be called a haubergeon. However, the term can also mean "little hauberk", or one that has shorter sleeves and length. Used by many different cultures, including Goliath in the Bible, the ancient Romans, and Japanese samurai, this garment protected only those who could afford it, and was not given to the common foot soldiers.

A pixane is a mail collar, chausses are mail hose that protect the legs, and a gousset is mail that protects areas not covered by plate beginning in the 14th century.

Answer: True

Sources vary in information about as much as shirts varied in shape and size. Some had long sleeves; some had no sleeves. Some fall to the knees, while others stop at mid thigh. Sources say there is one in Edinburgh on display at Stirling Castle that weighs thirty pounds after being used! Reenacters claim that although this may sound heavy, the mail is flexible and is quite comfortable if well made.

Incidentally, the Bible says that Goliath wore a "coat of mail", that weighed five thousand shekels (1 Samuel 17:5), the equivalent of 125 pounds!

Answer: Bodkin

The Vikings used long bodkin arrows, and Europeans continued to use them throughout the Middle Ages. Experiments show that while the bodkin was efficient in penetrating chain mail, it might have not been able to inflict lethal injury. Even though the bodkin was better at cutting into chain mail, broadhead arrows were still used because they caused more serious wounds and damage.

Falchions were singled-edged swords, analaces were short knives with slender blades, and rondels were daggers.

Answer: Nasal Helm

There is evidence of the use of the nasal helm beginning in the ninth century in Europe. It seems to have replaced what is called the "pudding bowl" design, and the spangenhelm, which did not protect the central face. After nobles began to find better designs in the twelfth century, nasal helms were adopted by archers because they offered a wider range of vision.

The Great Helm, Templars' Helm, and Armet were all helmets from the later medieval period that featured almost total face coverage.

Answer: Coif

Although chain mail could protect from blows, it was probably poor defense against head trauma. Generally helms were worn over the coif for further protection.

The comb, gorget, and gauntlet are all found on a suit of plate armour. After the introduction of plate armour, knights continued to wear a coif because it helped serve as a buffer between the knight's body and the plate armour.