hey,

would it be possible for soldiers of about 1320 to wear steel gloves or would they wear a pair of maille or leather?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Greets,

Patrick

A little more info would be helpful. What area? What social class? 1320 is nice and specific. Are you using these for reenactment, or you writing a book? (That last one was just me being nosy ;) )

Patrick Gilbers wrote:

hey, would it be possible for soldiers of about 1320 to wear steel gloves or would they wear a pair of maille or leather? Thanks in advance for your answer. Greets, Patrick

We are making a re-anactmentgroup about the Scottish Galloglass. Norwegian-Scottish mercenaries who fought all over Europe.

The shift from plate to mail began much earlier than 1350..... by about 100 years. You see plate- greaves, poleyns, pairs of plates etc by 1270. plate- Gaunts, small spaulders and couters also appear pre 1300 but to a lesser degree and almost always on a knight.

The earliest artwork of plate gauntlets I can think of it late 13th. This is of a knight so not what you are looking for sadly.

Now that said by 1320s plate gauntlets are fairly common in artwork. Once more though seemingly on knights and men at arms.

During this time period Edward II often required iron plate gauntlets for his soldiers in general. This was one part of many that led to men becoming upset with military service as requiring so much plate was expensive for those outside the noble/knightly class.

By 1330s though hobelars, armed men and archers are required to have them as well according to various arrays both in royal and civic archives (London for example).

In the Holkham (1326) some of the infantry fighting have plate gaunts as well.

These are likely not great as sources as they are English and not geographically the same.

From what I know of Galloglass not likely by 1320s. My guess is your be using perhaps mail gauntlets (perhaps mittens or with fingers have seen hat before as well) or hauberks with mail mittens integral but I am not an expert on the other (outside) Gaels and somewhat looking at Scots in general. Looks from what I have seen that they were often in lots of mail and heavy aketons in this period... usually with mail coifs as well. The Manessa Codex has some interesting infantry kit but German not Scot or Irish. http://diglit.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/cpg...d0f3a2742b

In the end it partially depends on how well of Galls you wanted to portray and where and who you have served. Some of the betters perhaps drawn from wealthy families might have pairs of plates but since outside the Lowlands Scots seem to have progressed slowly with arms and armour I think you likely should shift back a few decades if looking at English or Lowland info.

Hope that helps.

RPM