The Ailettes
The ailettes are a typical element of the armour of a knight during the period 1260 till
1350. They are often rectangular in shape en mostly carry the knights blason.
Ailettes
There is a lot of discussion going on about these ailettes. It is almost generally
accepted that they only served a purpose as heraldic display, without having any defensive function. This
proposition is made because there is some mention of ailettes made out of parchment in accounts from tounaments.
|
It is however our firm believe that these ailettes indeed had a defensive function and
were made out of strong material. Several miniatures seem to agree with this while they show a structure on
the underside that suggests a padded backing. There was probably a difference between ailettes for the
tounament and ailettes for warfare. Their purpose was to protect the shoulders and the collarbone.
|
Our own reconstruction departs from iron plates on a thin wooden base and wrapped
in linen. The underside is padded and has eyelets for the strapping on the shoulders by means of leather straps.
Experimentation showed that the most comfortable way of wearing them is by fixing them onto the jupon and then
lace them on the hauberk with a single knot.
|
|
 Back to the top of the page.
 Go to the next page.
 Go back to the previous page.
|
|


































Send us an email!
Bekijk deze pagina in het Nederlands.
|