Page 219 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

bow of approximately four feet in in other countries. It was vastly
length was used giving a range superior to the early bascinet as it
somewhere between 150-200 yards. was botb lighter to Wear and it gave
The Greeks developed a speciai better protection. The principal
tactic for the archer by mounting difference between the armet and
two on a chariot. At the tirne this earlier types of helm was that the
form of warfare had rremendous latter had to be put on by lowering
impact upon their enemies.
them over the head, which incident-
The Romans surprisingly enough ally had to carry rnost of the weight.
did not develop archery any further However, the lower parts of the
and in fact made little use of the amet were made to open out on
weapon. However. by the Norman hinges so that jt could be closed
era the bow had become popular around the head thus transferring
again though it was shortly replaced the weight to the shoulders.
by the cross-bow.
In 1272 Edward 1 introduced the Am Gnards - Various Qpes of
Iong bow, which had been developed protection were developed through
in Wales. giving his troops a weapon the ages to protect the arm. The
with greater fire power and a longer earliest of these being the ordinary
range and in later years it was rhe chain mail. which in various forms
English archers who were primarily was in existence until the 15th cen-
responsibIe for the victories of
tury. During the 14th century, plates
Crécy and Aginwurt.
were introduced to cover bolh the
upper and lower arm and these
Anned Cap&-pie - Virtuaily amed were strapped on top of the under-
from head to foot.
coat of mail. At the same rime
plated gauntlets were introduced
Armet - This was a type of helm with protection over both wrist and
originating in Italy spreadjng fïngers.
through other continental countries
From tirne to time additional
and eventually arriving in England pieces of armour were added to pro-
rect the elbow, the shoulder and the
various slits through which the lance
might penetrate when the arms were
bent. During the 16th century a
more cornplex system of plates was
developed. Lhough mail was still
used to protect the gaps between
the plates at vital spots such as the
bend of the elbow. This form of
protection Iasted until the decline
of armour.
Anning Cap - Initially this con-
sisted of a kind of skull cap of
leather reinforced with an iron
covering which in turn was pro-
Armet tected by a mail hood. Later, how-
ever, the same name was given to a
about 1450. It never became as kind of quilted roll worn around the
popular with Englishrnen as it was head under the helm and with a
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