Medieval helmet: How is the shape of a helmet designed to protect? (testing it with a lance)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Jason discusses further details about the shape of a medieval helmet and how it might save a life on the battlefield and tries striking it with a lance from horseback at speed. #knight #lance #medieval
Credits:
Warlord, Talos
Direction, Camera, Sound, Editing Kasumi
Presenter Jason Kingsley OBE
@ModernHistoryTV
@RebellionJason
Music licensed from PremiumBeat.
Jason to helmet: "I'm going to keep hitting you, hope you don't mind"
Helmet to Jason: "It's fine, mate, it's just me head"
heehee
'tis but a scratch
Come back you coward,
"Eh... It's a living."
Helmet:”In that case,I rather you leave me where I was found.”😁
02:22 AM, watching a man on a horse wondering if the cheap replica of a medieval helmet doesn't mind him hitting it with a wooden sword
Here I am a year later watching the same man hit a helmet, only its 2.39am.
@@shonamcwilliam2842 5:16 here. lol
@@ChrisSunHwa ha ha Wer'e the KNIGHT watchers.
@@shonamcwilliam2842 Ha! Yes!
We’re doing god’s work.
Honestly love the passion in your explanations and theorizing.
Glad I subscribed.
That brasswork on the helmet is not a decoration. It's to reinforce the top edge of the visor, where it folds up. Because if that gets bent, you can't operate the hinged visor. Since it's a low-quality 'reproduction', they haven't put bevels on the edges, so as to make the lance slip past it, instead it has square edges which catch the lance.
Also, I'd like to ask you @Modern History TV . Would you consider having a Discord server for the Modern History TV channel?
Possibly, what’s your thinking?
@Ed a place for us all and @Modern History TV to talk about and exchange knowledge and impressions about the medival knight, battles etc. would be awsome
I am not so sure about the brasswork being more than decoration. Brass, especially as thin as found on historical pieces, would not serve any reinforcing purpose.
+
They were just as bright then as we are now. They saw what worked and what didn't work and adapted their designs.
I wonder what a war hammer would do for damage.
considering that a war hammer is usually a really sturdy hammer, it's easy to guess what an average hammer could to to you. now imagine one more solidly made to crack skulls. reckon even plate armor won't save you from a nice whack without at least bruising and broken bones. positively fatal to heads in most cases as with anything remotely similar to hammers and mallets.
now, if you mean a BIG hammer for war about the size of a sledgehammer (the Maul), one swing of that to the head and nothing will save your head from being turned to human bolognese sauce. that helmet's prolly just there to keep your head from being turned to instant coloured rain
Mauls made of metal didnt really exist
They would be made of wood...
On the other hand pollaxes...
What's funny is for a time they switched from this style of helmet to a flat top.
Then they went on a crusade and found that climbing up ladders and getting pelted with rocks was a bad combination with a flat top, as the rock would hit them squarely with full force - either caving in the flattop and cracking the user's crown or snapping their neck.
This channel is amazing
Some armour is better than no armour...unless of course you fall into the river :) As always, superb information and a joy to watch.
Thanks for the new episode always look forward to learning more about the history of the knights and medieval times.
I just want to say that this channel is awesome. It came up as promoted content and I kind of expected it to be shit, but this guys is super passionate, and seems pretty reasonable.
I really like it...
He's got a zoology degree from Oxford, started a gaming company in the early 90s, is now worth 8-9 figures and does awesome stuff like this.
That's the first time I've topically brought up Oxford while omitting the Oxford Comma, I'm stoked.
Anyway, he's the man. Super humble, always learning, very knowledgable and extremely pleasant to listen to. One of my favorite UA-camrs. We should be grateful for him and whoever else funds this content.
A fantastic mix of knowledge and entertainment, from a person with a passion for what he's presenting. A nice break from the high tech gobbledygook entertainment world.
This is an awesome video! I never stop learning! As always there is a detailed explanation of the topic. Please keep these fantastic videos coming. Warlord is as always behaving like the extraordinary partner he surely is. Love him! :)
I took so many screen shots of the lance impacts on the previous video. Great follow up!
Love watching you play knight with your four legged friends and learned a lot from it! Now I can tell my son he can become a knight these days when he grows up :).
I truly appreciate how he reflects
Greetings from nova Scotia,I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying this video series. I do so very much enjoy the fact you do not come off snobby or smug. Thank you for your time and attention to this comment.
So love how he put Warlord in the credits. ❤️
Warlord is so patient! So precious when he leaned over towards you! Also- very scary how the helmet came right off!
I just love your channel and the way you test everything :D
I imagine that the horse could be terribly injured in such a strike! It's a very well thought-out analysis of that inexpensive helmet!
Warlord being good, patient boy
Its lovely to see the way you take care of your horses, and even the helmet you use for hitting.
In my opinion chivalry is the lesson that horses teach us by letting us ride them: that we don't all need to be the same to make a good team- that we can appreciate others both for our differences with them as well as our commonalities.
Seeing you appreciate the helmet, the wooden sword and the horse makes me think of you as a very good embodiment of these virtues.
Thank you for adding such a lovely comment. It's appreciated by us all.
This is epic!!
Awesome Video.. Keep up the good work..!!
Thanks for watching.
What a cute horse 🐴
Warlord is sitting there listening to all this talk of arms and armour and the middle of the presentation gives a look that says "I could of hit that helmet harder, peace out!" I love your horses man, they have great personality!
Or is he imagining it made of hay and carrots? 🤔
WOW -- I've always wondered why those helmets were shaped that way - now I know the answer! Thanks! 😊
From the footage we saw, I think the lance impact which caught the brass was a deflected one higher on the brow.
The one which dented the eye plate seems to be the one which sparked on the last attack, none of the other attacks showed a visible spark, including the first strike which took the helm off the post and threw it some 30 ft.
At least this is what I see, unless you inspected the damage between passes, and saw the eye-hole damage on the first hit.
I want you to replicate the famous feat of Robert the Bruce immediately before the battle of Bannock burn in which while riding a palfrey he struck the English Knight DeBohun in mid charge with his axe, cleaving the helmet and skull while also snapping the inch thick axe shaft. I'd like to see (using strain gauges) how much force this action took, and predictions of King Robert's size and strength.
Love this video. Keep up the good work.
I think thee should be dubbed Sir Galahad for the purehearted kindness you bestow on the helmet
I’d like to know what rubbish bins you’re looking in that holds armour. You are a time traveler!
The ending string theme always gets "Friend of the Devil" stuck in my head
Aftertaste his video I am quite curious on the different styles and types of helmets that were used and the effectiveness.
Richard III wore a circlet over his helmet when he rode out to the battle of Bosworth. When he was killed, the circlet came off and may have been found under a thorn bush (historians disagree, some say yes, some no). That the tale was believable at the time, though, suggests to me that loose decorations were common. And for good reason, I'd think!
Your argument has a flaw. He wore a circlet because he was the king. How many of the others who fought at Redesmore wore circlets?
Why the heck you haven't got your own TV series is beyond me.
Oh, but he does. Doesn’t he? Right here on UA-cam.
howard1707 would be a great series on the history channel for sure!
@@Motor-City_Ben-Diesel he could get a show on history channel if he can possibly work in an ancient alien angle somehow...
Much better on here. They’d screw it up on tv.
@@philipmalaby8172 medieval armour is actually replicated from alien space suit blue prints
Thank you.
I rang the bell again!! Everyone-34k people are missing out on a bounty of awesomeness.
I think bascinets are one of the most intimidating medieval helmets, second only to horned and/or winged Teutonic helmets.
"It's quite fun to have a wooden sword and real horse." The best of both worlds!
You should make a T-Shirt with that phrase «It's better to wear armor than no armor at all» I see a lot of meme material here!
Hi I'm doing a project on medieval warfare currently, what are your sources on broken neck injuries in medieval warfare? I'm inclined to have a look at that and include it in my project
Research the battle of Pavia.
Another great video.
I’m curious what keywords you look up on PremiumBeat to find such epic musical tracks...?
Should have a patreon, I'd throw a few bucks a month. Some great videos
Considering he is a multimillionaire owner of a video game/comic/book publishing company, I think he is doing alright with money. I think this more of a passion project for him.
those knights have also worn a chainmail cowl under the helmet, right?
Today I found your channel and this is the 3rd video of yours which I watch and I'm greatly enjoying it! I used to love the middle ages when I was younger, I have several encyclopedias regarding life in the middle ages, as well as some about the Roman legionaries, however completely lost interest 3-4 years ago. You, sir, are reviving my interest.
Probably no maille coif under that type of helmet, but a maille aventail, or mantle hanging from it.
Ah, my previous comment got referenced now. Of course something like the lance snagging on that decoration and the effects of the whiplash it would cause wouldn't fly under this man's radar.
You don't always need to stop force; redirecting it is usually just as effective and takes less energy than stopping.
You generally want to redirect, rather than stop. If the weapon stops, rather than glancing off, all the force is directs into your body, which is very bad in a time period when even setting bones was a crapshoot.
Great Video! WHat mouthpieces do you use for your horses? Just curious, cause I saw these beautiful kerbs...
Fantastic
Cracking historic facts once again ;)
My left ear can live again!
Even with a deflected blow I reckon its a pretty hard knock on your head. You could get a concussion for sure.
While an image search of bascinets returns a lot of examples of this riveted decorative band, they're all reproductions; I've never seen a real period bascinet (nor any piece of real armor) with anything similar. Real period armor does have gilding and decoration, but it is always flush with the surface precisely so that it doesn't catch a point in the way it did in your example.
Really enjoy this series and I wish it was more popular. One comment, the helmet is cheap, not because it's poorly formed or has poor-quality steel, but because the non-historical (inauthentic) construction method (quickly welded rather than hammered out) is much cheaper. So, the protection may be OK (thickness of metal, curvature, etc.) , but it's manufactured in a way that a re-enactor can't use (plus it's not a custom-fitted for a particular wearer's best protection). So, cheap to make, but doesn't mean that it has significantly less protection for the purposes of a test.
The deflection of the lance would have been better I think it they had moved the conical shape at the front up slightly, less pronounced, to the eye slots, and then molded into the shape of the conical helmet itself at the top, helping to deflect but also to make it harder for a direct hit to the eye slot. What do you think? You're target is also man-standing size, but doesn't seem to be the same height as another knight on horseback.
You should have that helmet as a giveaway when you're finished with it your loyal viewers I know I for one would like to own a helmet it's actually seen battle
great idea, it's even more bashed up now, lol.
What a pretty horse
Warlord says thanks.
Factoid: in 1559, Henri II of France recieved a lance fragment driven through his eye due to a lance strike on his helmet.
he died due to complications caused by a severe infection.
It should be called Wilson i think
Sir Wilson, that is ^^
I would have some relatively thick armor honestly. I'm a very big and strong dude, so I would probably it that way honestly. Just maybe 1 or 2 gauges thicker on certain bits.
The thickest armours had about 8mm thickness. Some were so thick, you could hardly fight in them. If you're a bigger and stronger guy, that means you could get away with thicker armour, so long as your endurance is up to it.
@@vanivanov9571 I think you're thinking of dedicated jousting armor. Field armor was almost, if not always, not that heavy so as not to wear out the wearer. Jousting or tournament armor, on the other hand, was thicker and heavier because the wearer was not going to fight very long on it and was only going to be jousing in it too, so they could afford to make it thicker and heavier.
I used to take lances through the eye
But then I took an arrow to the knee
I've got that reference
🤭
I used to be an Men-At-Arms, but then I took a Lance to the face.
I can imagine a neck or collar impact with a lance going straight through to the dome. Would the lance break before the head came off? Would the impact throw the lancer off his ride? They must have had insane confidence to fight in this way.
King Henri II of France was killed by a lance through the eyeslit while jousting. And Henry VIII of England was nearly killed. It was probably brain damage from that accident that made him such a psycho. Personally I'd rather be a little bored (or watch other people do it).
Would that cone shaped front piece not lead the lance tip to the eye slot as it slides along the helmet?
My thought would be your cheap replica Bascinet does not seem to have a opening, removable visor? Based on later Bascinet with side hinged visors, these were often removable. So I think if you lance point caught in decorative brass work at the “brow” it would flip the visor open, or tear off a removable visor, maybe even ripping away a non-removable visor, perhaps absorbing a fair amount of the kinetic energy, maybe enough to prevent breaking the wearers neck??
The visor is moveable, it’s just very rusty. The originals have a peg that holds the visor closed.
Modern History TV thanks - so rusted shut ? Could not really tell from the video. Research suggests the visor “peg” only became a thing on later 15th century Sallets, but that clever shaping and tightness of fit kept a visor closed on a Bascinet. Great video as ever , and thanks for documenting your experiment ! :-)
Excellent content! (youtube referencing)
I was also thinking the brass fitting might have broken the wearer's neck.
Im disappointed that for this episode the "Trusty Rusty Helmet" wasn't listed in the end credits lol.
Didn’t the eye injuries happen most from the lance breaking and splinters flying through the slots and into the eyes?
There's nothing better than seeing history in a practical sense. Why wear a steel bucket on your head? It stops lance blows even if you're standing perfectly still at the perfect height for galloping knight to lance you in the face.
I was rather interested at the fact the if i hit you round thevhead with a cricket bat, who ever was wearing it at the time would hear more than bells, but at the same time, i know that if you catch a cricket ball fair and square with a bat the shockwave that goes up your arm is to say the least just S capable of ringing your bells for you.
Does the same apply when using a lanc.???
LOL. My thoughts exactly
Did you re-upload this because of the sound on the original?
Yes, we had a technical issue with sound that happened on upload. No idea why. Seemed to be solved by reuploading, but we lost likes, comments and views sadly.
@@ModernKnight It is better this time, thanks for the reply, love the channel.I'm deaf in one ear and depleted in the other, audio clarity means a lot to me.
Was this video reuploaded?
Yes, we had a strange issue with audio.
A brit using inches rather than metric! I absolutely love this channel for yet another reason
I have an original bacinet helm and the shape is more pointed at the face and deflects very well. Theres no way to damage it using a sword, probably this is the reason why knights at war use maces and poleaxes etc.
The sword was rarely the primary weapon of any historical military, most militaries used spears and other pole weapons. Even the samurai didn't use their swords as their primary weapon, but instead used bows and or polearms.
Also, it's pretty much impossible to cut through any metal helmet unless it was out of sheet metal.
Looks like a dressage saddle over a pad that was used for a medieval saddle?
I think I need to know what rubbish bins you rummage through if you found that helmet in one! :P
What armour was historically accurate for the mount ?
How many a wealthy knight survived the broken neck? Surely a few had lived a painful life afterwards. But how would they cope back then? Broken pelvis or the sacroiliac must have been just as common too.
Are you going to start putting the helmet in the credits?
Yep, doesn't take as much force as one might think to crush neck vertebrae, snap a neck or to cause a traumatic brain injury.
Great review and yes that strip of brass would have broken you neck.
Rather interesting thoughts on attacking a helmet. The philosophy of any armour is better than no armour is surely justified by combat troops still wearing armour?
The lost helmet...of Merriadoc, Esquire of Rohan!!!😁❤🧙♂️
"Everything's back to normal " after being struck many times and been reset to be hit again...and again...🤣🍻
"The only test of the brave and truuuuuue, come from the Green Dragon!!!"🥰🥰🥰🍻
Intro makes you look like Neo William Wallace Jesus and chuck Norris rolled into one epic stuff
Sir Jason, have you seen the new series "Fight Knight " ? It's about knights is armour fighting in full contact with blunt weapons. It's the nearest thing that you would get to see how men use to fight toe to toe. After one and a half minutes they are done and exhausted. I think in reality knights on the battlefield could not of fight for long? These battles must have been short back in the days of blood sweat and steel ? Nice to see your channel growing.
Yes I’ve seen clips of it. It is very theatrical, and entertaining, but the equipment is very modified for TV, understandably.
I'd imagine that a historical knight/man at arms wouldn't get as tired since they would have been training for this since they were quite young and probably would have practiced daily as an adult. Plus, I imagine that they would have fought differently, I don't know how they do on this show but I suspect that there's a lot of swinging and bashing against the armor where as in a real fight they wouldn't have bothered and would have waited for an opening to show. That's not to say that they wouldn't have gotten tired, but probably just not as fast.
Knight fight looks more like bar brawlers in full plate than actual knights.
Lots of powerful blows wasted on armor, which is understandable given you don't want to kill anyone but it's not an analog for actual combat
@@ModernKnight You have to watch it because it is an interesting view to how knights use to fight on the ground and they are using less deadly weapons. Maybe you can do a review on it. I know that it is entertainment, but it gives you a close outlook on what they use to go through. They are using less amour but they are modern knights. Please check it out
Can Some body Make a video About mounted Crossbow Worriors .
wooden sword on a real horse - living the dream!!
The height of the helmet seemed to high for a foot soldier and to low for a mounted knight?
well it was just above my own height, so would have been on a foot soldier of 6ft.
You have a beautiful smile. I like it
I would say that the black riot face mask might be good to have on me sometimes, like in the cold, when you breathe, and it turns into an icicle experiment?, then I'd wonder if someone would make me put it back on for uniformity...? Or reassessed or voted on...? It could be good protection against tear gas... although I wonder how often that's gonna happen?, or just standing there, getting tired and wasting my breathe? Lol...? Fixing something thats not broken...?¿ or in real combat, with some real plastic helmets or something, where the general has a head set, and many of the other helmets on the field also look exactly the same¿¿¿¿ lol... so cool...? Good thing I quit smoking yesterday...
Better than a real sword on a wooden horse.
I bet if you were to wear the Frog mouth helmet/Jousting helm, you'd be incredibly difficult to kill via head trauma (I think) but then again, isn't it a specialized piece of armor?
I like these videos there great would you not be able to aim for the horse maybe? The knight would surely injure himself badly coming off a horse with all the armour on at the speed you go
Does the helmet have a name? :D
People sometimes name their swords, after all.
Try playing Bannerlord Jason
Wasn't the idea not to kill the other guy but to capture and ransom him? Especially if he's the type of guy who can afford decorated armor.
Yeah, okay, it's safe from getting an eye taken out, but how can you possibly see well enough to not have another body part taken out? Pray tell 😮. 🙏
If it was easier or just more likely that a solid lance strike would break the opponent's neck, then why bother with a sharp point? If the sharp point deflects more often than it digs in, your own point actually protects your opponent from injury. Why not treat the Lance as a bludgeoning weapon like a mace? Have a fat, flat-faced metal tip that is less likely to ricochet and more likely to smash. Hitting the head breaks the neck more often. Hitting anywhere else causes crushing injuries and deforms the armour. Is there any evidence for this, or are all Lance points sharp?
All lance points are sharp, apart from tournament colonels. The point makes it much more likely to transfer impact to the target than a blunt end.
@@ModernKnight Ah, now that you mention that, it seems obvious! Cheers 👍
Didn't they have hammer head lances? Those would work there.
Did houndskull helmets even have chin straps? I think I remember that some helmets didnt have straps, maybe exactly because of that. Better have your helmet fly off, than getting your neck broken.