Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VI

[Galloglaich]

Agree with Faholan.

The 8 in 2 mail is essentially double mail. It was called "doubled mail" or "kings mail". Several eyewitness accounts during the Crusades make it sound all but impenetrable, but it was very heavy (almost twice as heavy as ordinary mail)

Lorica Plumata was a kind of prestige armor worn by officers and standard bearers (Aquillifers and Signifiers). It's very painstaking to make, with each scale bent 90 degrees and literally wired into the mail behind it. Something you could only make a lot of with slave labor.




The Romans also had another type of scale armor called Lorica Squamata which was worn by cavalry and other special troops.

The oriental armor he was speaking of is called Khazaghand. I'm working on an RPG book on armor right now so I collected some data on it. It was also known as Jazerant or Jazeraint. It's mail sandwiched between to layers of textile armor, plus some padding, and silk was indeed a common material. This was invented by the Muslims but was imported to Europe where it was also used.

And that kind of cultural exchange went both ways. Here is an interesting descriptin of a double Khazaghand, made of one coat of Frankish mail, and one coat of Arab mail.

“Salah Al din (Saladin) stood in his place until a part of the army joined him. He then said, "Put on your armor". The majority of those did so while I remained standing by his side. After a while he said again, 'How many times do I have to say "Put on your Armor?'' I said 'Oh my Lord, surely thou does not mean me?' 'Surely' said he. I replied 'By Allah, surely I cannot put on anything more. We are in the early part of the night, and my quilted jerkin (kuzaghand) is furnished with two coats of mail, one on top of the other. As soon as I see the enemy I shall put it on.' Salah al Din did not reply, and we set off. ‘

In the morning we found ourselves near Dumayr. Salah-al Din (Saladin) said to me 'Shall we not dismount and eat something? I am hungry and have been up all night.' I replied 'I shall do what thou orderest.' So we dismounted, and no sooner than we had set foot on the ground, when he said 'Where is thy jerkin?' Upon my order, my attendant produced it. Taking it out from it's leather bag, I took my knife and ripped it at the breast and disclosed the side of the two coats of mail. The jerkin enclosed a Frankish coat of mail extending to the bottom of it, with another coat on top reaching as far as the middle. Both were equipped with the proper linings, felt pads, rough silk, and rabbits hair.'

Usama ibn Munqidh- Kitab al-I'tibar circa 1190 AD

Frankish mail was popular with the Arabs during the crusades because it was made of better quality iron.

Good thread on Islamic armor here:

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewto...er=asc&start=0

G