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Abrigandine (sometimes spelledbrigantine),[1] also called abrigander, is a form ofbody armour, in use from the lateMiddle Ages and up to theearly modern era. It is a garment typically made of heavy cloth, canvas, or leather, featuring small oblong steel platesriveted to the fabric such that the fabric and rivets were present on the outside,[2] sometimes with a second layer of fabric on the inside.[3]
Protective clothing and armour have been used by armies from earliest recorded history; theKing James Version of the Bible (Jeremiah 46:4) translates the Hebrewסריון,siryon[4] orשריון,śiryon "coat of mail"[5] as "brigandine".
It is speculated that brigandine armour originated fromMongol-stylelamellar armour known askhatanghu degel, which was a type of scale-lined fabric or felt coat. This type of armour was introduced to Eastern Europe, where they were adopted, possibly leading to the rise of brigandine armour in Europe during the 14th century.[6]
Medieval brigandines were essentially a refinement of the earliercoat of plates, which began appearing during the 13th century. These were typically of simpler construction with larger metal plates[7]. Early brigandines appeared towards the end of the 14th century, but survived beyond this transitional period between mail and plate, and came into even wider use in the 15th century[7][8], continuing into the 16th century. 15th-century brigandines are generally front-opening garments with the rivets arranged in triangular groups of three, while 16th-century brigandines generally have smaller plates with the rivets arranged in rows.
The brigandine is sometimes confused with thehaubergeon, while the name is often confused with thebrigantine, a swift small sea vessel.[9]
The form of the brigandine is essentially the same as the civiliandoublet but sleeveless; it features a wasp-waisted silhouette with a slightly rounded chest. However, depictions of brigandines with sleeves are known. The small armour plates were sometimes riveted between two layers of stout cloth, or just to an outer layer. Unlike armour for the torso made from large plates, the brigandine was flexible, with a degree of movement between each of the overlapping plates. Many brigandines appear to have had larger, somewhat L-shaped plates over the central chest area. The rivets attaching the plates to the fabric were often decorated, beinggilt, or oflatten, and sometimes embossed with a design. The rivets were also often grouped to produce a repeating decorative pattern. In more expensive brigandines the outer layer of cloth was usually of silk. The contrast between a richly dyed silk cloth and gilded rivet heads must have been impressive and, unsurprisingly, such armour was popular with high-status individuals.
Modernflak jackets andballistic vests are based on the same principle.
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A brigandine was commonly worn over agambeson andmail shirt and it was not long before this form of protection was commonly used by soldiers ranging in rank fromarchers toknights.[8][10][11] It was most commonly used bymen-at-arms. These wore brigandines, along withplate armour arm and leg protection, as well as a helmet. Even with the gambeson and the mail shirt, a wearer was not as well-protected as when wearing a complete harness of plate armour, but the brigandine gave the soldier a greater degree of mobility and flexibility and its design was also simple enough that a soldier or knight could repair his own armour or have it repaired without needing the services of anarmourer. Brigandines, in the lower end of quality, were generally cheaper than abreastplate and/orplackart: In France during the 15th century, archers had to at least bring a brigandine to battle while a man at arms had to at least bring a breastplate.[8] But more expensive versions were made for the higher nobility.[10][11]
A common myth is that brigandines were so-named because they were a popular choice of protection for bandits and outlaws.[12] This is untrue: originally, the term "brigand" referred to a foot soldier, and a brigandine was simply a type of armour worn by a foot soldier. It had nothing to do with its alleged ability to be concealed by bandits. In fact, brigandines were highly fashionable and were ostentatiously displayed by wealthy aristocrats both in European and in Asian courts.
A similar type of armour was thejack of plate, commonly referred to simply as a "jack" (although this could also refer to any outer garment). This type of armour was used by common medieval European soldiers and the rebel peasants known asJacquerie.[13]
Like the brigandine, the jack was made of small iron plates between layers of felt and canvas. The main difference is in the method of construction: a brigandine uses rivets to secure the plates, whereas the plates in a jack aresewn in place. Jacks were often made from recycled pieces of olderplate armour, including damaged brigandines andcuirasses cut into small squares.[14]
Jacks remained in use as late as the 16th century and were often worn byBorder reivers. Although they were obsolete by the time of theEnglish Civil War, many were taken to theNew World by English settlers as they provided excellent protection from Native Americanarrows. One dating back to 1607 was found atJamestown in 2008.[15]
Themedieval Indian equivalent of the brigandine was thechihal'ta hazar masha, or "coat of ten thousand nails", which was a padded leather jacket covered invelvet and containing steel plates which was used until the early 19th century. The skirt was split to the waist, allowing the soldier to ride a horse. Matchingvambraces and boots containing metal plates were also used. These were often elaborately decorated with gold lace, silk and satin and are highly prized by European collectors.[citation needed]
Tipu Sultan wore armour of this type during his wars against theEast India Company. TheTurks used similar armour during theRusso-Turkish Wars.[citation needed]
Two complete suits of armour are preserved in theHermitage Museum,Saint Petersburg.[16]
A type of armour very similar in design to brigandine, known as cloth surface armorbumianjia (Chinese:布面甲;Pinyin: Bù miàn jiǎ), or nail (fastener, not finger or toe nail) armordingjia (Chinese: 釘甲;Pinyin: Dīng jiǎ), was used in medieval China.
It consisted of rectangular metal plates riveted between the fabric layers with the rivet heads visible on the outside. Sometimes optionally its chest was reinforced by around mirror plateChinese:护心镜,hùxīnjìng, meaning "protect-heart mirror".
Russian orientalist and weapon expert Mikhail Gorelik states that it was invented in the 8th century as parade armour for the Emperor's guards by reinforcing a thick cloth robe with overlapping iron plates, but did not come into wide use until the 13th century, when it became widespread in theMongol Empire under the name ofhatangu degel ("robe which is as strong as iron"). He also argues that Eastern Europeankuyaks and, supposedly, Western European brigandines originate from this armour.[17]
Bumianjia were still used in China as late as theMing andQing periods. It was favoured by common soldiers and officers alike for its rich, expensive look and protection. Later Qing examples, however, often lacked iron plates and were merely a military uniform.[18]
InMuscovy, there was a type of armour known as thekuyak, believed to have Mongolian origins,[17][20] and analogous to Central Asian,[21] Indian and Chinese brigandines.[22] The word "kuyak" is itself a derivative from the Mongolhuyag, which means "armour" (of any type). No known intact examples of this type of armour survives, but historical depictions, textual descriptions and photos remain.[23]
The descriptions, while not offering any in-depth details of thekuyak's construction, suggest a textile body armour reinforced with iron plates, usually not specifying directly their placement, only mentioning the "nails" (rivets) which attached the plates to the cloth. This was often worn withfaulds,pauldrons and arm protection (rerebraces andvambraces), sometimes covered in expensive textiles likesateen,velvet ordamask and decorated with fur.[24]
Somekuyaks had large "mirror" plates or "shields" attached to the outside. Some descriptions also mentioncotton wool padding.[25]
There were also brigandine helmets called "kuyak hats" that used the same principle of construction as thekuyak body armour.[26]
Clothes with sewn in pieces of metal, used by the Serbian revolutionaries in the uprising against the Ottoman rule (1804–1813, 1814, 1815–1817)
Toke were also worn decoratively, in which case were made of silver and gold.
One of the notable leaders of the uprising,Uzun Mirko Apostolović, is shown wearing thetoke in his famous portrait byUroš Knežević
Kikko is the Japanese form of brigandine.[27]Kikko are hexagonal plates made from iron or hardened leather and sewn to cloth.[28] These plates were either hidden by a layer of cloth[29] or left exposed.Kikko were used only relatively recently, during the 16th century.[28]
Kikko comes in many forms including coats, vests, gloves, arm and thigh protectors, and helmet neck guards.Kikko armour was worn as a standalone defense or under other types of armour as additional protection.
The Koreandujeong-gap is the Korean equivalent of brigandine worn by theJoseon Army andNavy. In the late Joseon dynasty, thedujeong-gap became the primary form of Korean metallic armor and often reached below the knees when worn. The helmet assumes a conical shape and has three brigandine neck defenses attached to the sides and back of the helmet. The exterior fabric of thedujeong-gap varied; however, examples from the 18th century onwards show the usage of red cotton flannel, red velvet, and yellow cotton (often used for less decorated armors worn by lower-ranking officers and soldiers). The plates used within thedujeong-gap also varied and could be made of either iron, copper, or leather.[30]Dujeong-gap with metal plates were worn by thePengbaesu, and theGabsa, while thedujeong-gap with leather plates were part of a set of leather armor worn by peasants calledpigabju.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)This dress of the troops is clumsy, inconvenient, and inimical to the performance of military exercises, yet a battalion thus equipped has, at some distance, a splendid and even warlike appearance; but on closer inspection these coats of mail are found to be nothing more than quiltednankeen, enriched with thin plates of metal, surrounded with studs, which gives the tout-ensemble very much the appearance of armour.
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