Non fluted Maximilian harness? -- myArmoury.com

Rodolfo Martínez · Posted: Mon 12 Mar, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject: Non fluted Maximilian harness?

Hello guys,
Take a look to the armours in this topic, i think they have something to do with Maximilian style armours,

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=9358&highlight=

Do you know how common this ¨flat¨ styles of armour were among Gendarmes?

Thanks.

Torsten F.H. Wilke · Posted: Mon 12 Mar, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject:

Here is an example of a non-fluted Maximillian style harness, about the same time period also (1510-1520, I believe). I have no clue as to just how popular this style was amongst the front-line fighting men.

The fluting on "Max" suits may have slowly disappeared due to the possibility that it was plain over-kill. The ever improving, stronger steels around that time were becoming more readily available, so a high strength to weight ratio was being achieved in itself. The excessive amount of fluting on these harnesses was also very time consuming to produce, and therefore a significant added cost. The military community may have come to the conclusion that plain metal defensive surfaces were adequate...

Rodolfo Martínez · Posted: Sun 25 Mar, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject:

I´m not specialist in Maximilian armours, but, Is this a Maximilian harness? Maybe an Italian manufactured one?

Torsten F.H. Wilke · Posted: Sun 25 Mar, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject:

That suit would most likely have been made around 1520-1530, during the late "Maximillian" era, but would not be considered a "Max" style. I would venture to guess that it was a German manufactured harness, since the Italians probably would not have put that squared-off mug on the helm...

Rodolfo Martínez · Posted: Tue 27 Mar, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

So, it´s possible that lancer Gendarmes in full regalia wore this plain variation of the Maximilian armour? Could this be one of the reasons of being painted with flat armours by artists?

James Arlen Gillaspie · Industry Professional

Armours in the 'Maximilian' style that were both fluted and unfluted existed side by side, and it appears that this was largely a matter of personal preference, although the unfluted stuff was cheaper. The use of tempered steels rendered the fluting largely irrelevant as far as strength goes. In fact, the real 'Maximilian' armour that I have cleaned/repaired is typically cracked on the engraved lines used to emphasize the flutes, if it's cracked or broken at all. 'Riefelharnisch' or 'riefelkuriss' as fluted armours are called actually outlive the 'Maximilian' style by decades.

Rodolfo Martínez · Posted: Tue 27 Mar, 2007 12:59 pm Post subject:

Were them Manufactured in other countries too?

Hisham Gaballa · Posted: Wed 28 Mar, 2007 12:33 am Post subject:

I'm pretty sure that they were also made in Italy and Flanders. In addition king Henry VIII set up an armour workshop in Greenwhich to produce high quality armours for himself and senior members of his court.

There is a picture of an early 16th century armour ("unfluted Maximillian armour") in Miles and Paddocks "Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight" which belonged to king Wladislas (?) of Bohemia.