I'm wondering about the "chapel de fer" helmet and whether it was considered a knightly armour option.
I see plenty of manuscript illustrations with infantry or men-at-arms on foot wearing them- seems to make sense with the brim adding additional defence from attacks from above, but I also see it on mounted soldiery.

[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]

So, my question is, was the "chapel de fer" style helmet a good choice for a knight or was it a poor/ under-dressed for a knight but fine for a retainer or soldier?

Although mounted, well armoured warrior doesn't have to be a knight, I don't doubt some knights wanted more visual and breathing freedom and chose open faced helmets, chapel de fer or something else, doesn't really matter...

http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture...272259.jpg
Looks like it made it through...

I haven't seen those pictures before, and I like them a lot.

Thanks.

Here one can be seen in a lead seal of John II of Castille from 1422:
[ Linked Image ]

And even better:
[ Linked Image ]
From the Real Armería de Madrid, attributed to Philip the Handsome...probably the same one depicted in this portrait:
[ Linked Image ]

Ooops, you said knight, not king or emperor :p

At the Battle of Mansourah, Joinville mentions knights switching to kettle hats because of the heat. Hoffmeyer gives other examples as well.
http://books.google.com/books?id=QmQFYZSMs-EC...mp;f=false

Mildenhall's 1344 account of the English Wardrobe includes a rather richly ornamented kettle hat, which was not made for your average burger.
38 kettle hats, one of hardened leather for the tournament, one of iron with a border of silver, embossed with gilded animals, and 36 of iron,

Then there's the parade version for Charles VI, minus it's enameled badges, retrieved in pieces from a well in the Louvre.
http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/gilded...charles-vi