Posts: 89 Location: Santa Barbara
Wed 30 Dec, 2015 11:24 pm
Since this thread began, I've been having a bit of an epiphany regarding darkened armor during the high middle ages. Whenever I thought of darkened armor, my mind drifted to an image of Edward the
Black Prince. There is of course the debate as to how Edward got his nickname as to whether it regarded his penchant for black armor, or his alleged nasty disposition or his conduct toward his defeated (commoner) foes.
As we discussed the topic, I began to look at the issue of darkened or blackened mail as one of utility before fashion. Then as now, fighting men wanted to survive long enough to have a reputation, or just plain survive the battle. Then however I started looking more toward the practical.
There is another thread that is delving a little bit into the cost of armor. Whether the figures being tossed around are accurate isn't what interests me, but it does remind me of how expensive armor was back in the day. I'm sure that good armor was a wise investment and that it was also wise to look after one's investment.
I'm now even more convinced that darkened or blackened mail was present in the middle ages, but perhaps not for the reasons I thought. I'm thinking now that perhaps, blackened mail wasn't so much to do with looks as with preserving the mail over time. Not a big epiphany, but another track I want to take as I research the matter.
Thanks, Mike.