[M. Eversberg II]

What century would spaulders be making an appearence on men-at-arms? I bought a pair from Stonekeep armoury simply because they looked good, but was considering using them in my 14th century kit.

M.

P.S. I'll see about pics -- I doubt these will be too useful as the lames have a medial ridge.

[Chad Arnow]

Spaulders do appear in the 14th century. Whether they're appropriate for your kit depends on what part of the 14th century you want to portray. If it's an earlier kit (before 1350 or so), spaulders would range from inappropriate to a bit of a stretch. Later in the century, they get more likely.

[M. Eversberg II]

Thanks for the info. What would have been the style of these spaulders? Very simple, or did they vary?

M.

[Randall Moffett]

It somewhat depends on the type of spaulders as well. As far as I know the number of spaulders from the 14th century could be listed on two hands, the earlier the less likely it still exists. That said in artwork they depict a wide variety of spaulders. On knights they are fairly common during the second quarter of the 14th. The term men at arms is somewhat a misnomer in the 14th as opposed to knightly armour. A knight is a man at arms but a men at arms is not always a knight. Squires and other armed and usually men expected to fight mounted were men at arms. Soooo are you a knight, squire, retainer or just a baker who is required by the commission to go to war?

That said your armour could vary from very little to a more or less complete suit no matter your station but more your wealth. I have seen inventories from the 2nd qrter of the 14th of townsmen with substancial gear for war, including plate. The min. req. in the 1330's for a men at arms per a statutue by Edward III was, Pair of Plates, (h)aketon, gauntlets, bascinet with visor (could be code for a aventail???) no limb armour or mail is required but the better off you are ( the knightly class still do tend to be the wealthiest percent of society in general but there are exceptions) the more you likely would have. Spaulders are possible for even a townsmen or other such commoner form a commission of array but this would by determined by wealth.

Let me give some quick artwork to look at for example. Pistoia Alter (1361)- has little round discs to more or less, developed spaulders, The Taymouth Hours (Yates Thompson 13-1325-35) has single piece ones that are fairly large and some small disc ones as well-no lames though, The Wisby find (battle 1361, armour was older then that then) had some small shoulder attachments but rare, Sir roger de Kerdeston who dies in 1337 (though his effigy might be alittle older) has a nice one piece spaulder top with three narrow lames, John de Northwood (c. 1330) single piece dish like spaulders,Humpery de Bohun (d. 1327- perhaps a bit later date of effigy) what seems to be a soldi one piece spaulder w/out lames but the aventail covers the top.

Comes down to what social strata and the level of wealth you would like to portray in the end. Though earlier the spaulders tend to not have lames on the more common illustrations and other forms of art except the very wealthy Humpery Bohun for example. hugh le despencer (1340's). The more common Men at Arms likely would have a very simple solid one piece type of just a deep disc like shape one pre 1350 or none at all. After 1350 the multilamed ones appear fairly common on knight effigies but in artwork often are concealed by aventails, gambesons or jupons.

The spaulders like Stoenkeep sells depends on which ones you have gotten he hs a few availible but more likely later 14th than earlier.

Hope that helps,

RPM

sorry forgot- one thing that gets hard in medieval artwork with shoulders ar that the aventail often covers the shoulder defences as does the surcoat, jupon or gambeson.