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Hauberk

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Italian hauberk from the late 15th century

A hauberk or byrnie is a shirt of mail. The term is usually used to describe a shirt reaching at least to mid-thigh and including sleeves.[1] Haubergeon ("little hauberk") generally refers to the quilted undergarment used with a hauberk, but the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.[1]

Etymology

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The word hauberk (c. 1300) comes from the Old French word hauberc, meaning "coat of mail", which originally derived from the earlier Frankish or similar Germanic word halsberg, literally translating to "neck protector". This word breaks down into two parts: hals, meaning "neck", which has counterparts in various languages like Old English, Old Norse, and Old High German, and bergan, meaning "to cover or protect". The root of bergan comes from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root bhergh- meaning "to hide or protect". Meanwhile, the word hals traces its origin to the PIE root kwel-, meaning "to revolve or move around".[2]

The term byrnie comes from the Old English word byrne, which is connected to the Old Norse brynja and the Gothic brunjō, all referring to a coat of mail. Similarly, in Old High German, the word brunnia carries the same meaning. It is also related to the Old Irish word bruinne, meaning "breast".[3]

History

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Scene from Bayeux Tapestry showing infantry fighting horsemen, with both sides wearing hauberks.

In the Hebrew Bible the shiryon, translated "habergeon" or a "coat of mail," is mentioned as part of the armor of Nehemiah's workers,[4] and one of the pieces of armor supplied by King Uzziah to his soldiers.[5] Goliath was also armed with a "coat of mail", weighing five thousand shekels (55 kg (121 lb)),[6] as he confronted David.[7]

Mail, consisting of interwoven metal rings, is credited by some, including Varro, as having been invented by the Celts. Archaeological evidence supports this, with notable finds like the Ciumești Celtic grave, containing a mail hauberk made of butted rings. This type of body armor was widely adopted due to its flexibility and ease of movement compared to other armor types. The Celts are said to have used mail armor, though it was expensive and likely limited to the wealthier members of society, such as chieftains and officers. The armor spread throughout Europe and Asia, becoming a popular form of protection, particularly among the Roman legions.[8]

The hauberk evolved from a simple neck guard in the 9th century into a comprehensive mail armor by the 12th century. Initially made of leather to protect the neck and throat, it gradually became more sophisticated, incorporating mail and extending to cover the head, neck, and shoulders. By the 10th century, it was common among well-armored warriors, often paired with a helmet. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the hauberk merged with the mail shirt, forming a single protective garment that reached the knees, offering better defense against weapons.[9] Such armor was quite expensive due to the cost of materials, such as iron wire, and the time and skill required for its manufacture. As a result, common foot soldiers were rarely equipped with it. By the mid-12th century, hauberks had expanded to include longer sleeves and more protection for the legs.[10]

The Bayeux Tapestry illustrates Norman soldiers wearing a knee-length version of the hauberk, with three-quarter length sleeves and a split from hem to crotch.[1] In the 11th century, men-at-arms likely did not wear full mail trousers, but the hauberk appears to have incorporated cloth or leather inserts that offered comparable protection. Additionally, it included a mail hood that covered the head, neck, and throat, leaving an opening for the face similar to a modern balaclava. Beneath this hood, padding made from cloth or leather was used for extra comfort and protection, while a pointed iron helmet with a nose-guarding bar, called a nasal, was worn over it. A Norman knight's defensive gear included a large, kite-shaped shield that stood almost two-thirds as tall as its bearer. Its considerable size reflected the partial protection provided by the hauberk.[11]

A hauberk stored in the Prague Cathedral and dating from the 12th century is one of the earliest surviving examples from Central Europe, and was supposedly owned by Saint Wenceslaus. In Europe, use of mail hauberks continued up through the 14th century, when plate armor began to supplant it. Some knights continued to wear chain hauberks, however, underneath plate armor.[10] It remained in usage until the Renaissance.[8] In parts of Central Asia, it continued to be used longer.[citation needed]

Construction

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David removing a hauberk, from the 13th-century Morgan Bible

Hauberks were typically constructed from interlocking metal loops forming a mail shirt.[1] The rings were riveted together piece by piece, forming a complete tissue of iron, and were called grains d’orge due to their resemblance to barley grains.[12] The sleeves sometimes only went to the elbow, but often were full arm length, with some covering the hands with a supple glove leather face on the palm of the hand, or even full mail gloves. It was usually thigh or knee length, with a split in the front and back to the groin so the wearer could ride a horse. It sometimes incorporated a hood, or coif. Per historian Kelly DeVries "the hauberk was probably worn over, but not attached to, a heavy, quilted undergarment, the haubergeon."[13]

Early versions of the hauberk existed in various forms, such as the ringed hauberk where metal rings were sewn onto leather or padded material. Other types included the "rustred" hauberk with overlapping rings, the "macled" coat made of metal plates, and the trellised coat reinforced with nail-heads. A larger, more complex version, the "jazeran" or "korazin", featured overlapping metal plates in an imbricated fashion. Eventually, mail hauberks, made entirely of interlocking iron rings, became common. These hauberks were crafted in either single or double mail, where each ring connected to four others.[12]

While lighter than plate armor, a hauberk could be quite heavy. William of Poitiers, the author of the Gesta Guillemi, praises William the Conqueror's strength by describing that "he carried on his own shoulders both his own hauberk and that of one of his own followers, William FitzOsbern, renowned for his bodily strength and courage, whom he had relieved of this iron burden."[14]

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  • German hauberk
    German hauberk
  • Polish hauberk
    Polish hauberk
  • Sudanese hauberk
    Sudanese hauberk
  • European hauberk
    European hauberk
  • Japanese hauberk
    Japanese hauberk

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d DeVries, Kelly (2012). Medieval Military Technology. Kay Douglas Smith (2nd ed.). North York, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-4426-0497-1. OCLC 782101074.
  2. ^ "hauberk". Etymonline. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  3. ^ "Definition of 'byrnie'". Collins Online Dictionary. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  4. ^ Nehemiah 4:16
  5. ^ 2 Chronicles 26:14
  6. ^ Tenney, Merril ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 5, "Weights and Measures," Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976.
  7. ^ 1 Samuel 17:5
  8. ^ a b Plessis, Jean Charl Du (2022-04-06). "Celtic Armour". The Seleucid Army of Antiochus the Great: Weapons, Armour and Tactics. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-3990-9180-0.
  9. ^ Oman, Charles (1937). A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century. E. P. Dutton. pp. 126–128. ISBN 978-0-598-49757-4.
  10. ^ a b Smith, Raymond (1992). The Art of the Sword in the Middle Ages. Catholic University of America. pp. 40, 42, 52.
  11. ^ "Military technology - Personal Armour, Protection, Combat". Britannica. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  12. ^ a b Demmin, Auguste (1894). An Illustrated History of Arms and Armour: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time. George Bell. pp. 309–310.
  13. ^ DeVries, Kelly (2012). Medieval Military Technology. Kay Douglas Smith (2nd ed.). North York, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-4426-0497-1. OCLC 782101074.
  14. ^ DeVries, Kelly (2019). Medieval Warfare: A Reader. Michael Livingston. University of Toronto Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-4426-3670-5. OCLC 1090427215.
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