KNIGHTS TEMPLAR: What Weapons and Armor did they use?
scholagladiatoria・2 minutes read
Knights Templar were a prominent knightly order with evolving arms and armor from the early 12th to the early 14th century, showcasing changes in equipment trends over time, including the emergence of Great Helms and plate defenses. Despite some variations, Templar knights likely had superior arms and equipment due to their wealth and position within the order.
Insights
- Templar knights, wealthy and influential during the crusading era, likely possessed superior arms and armor, evolving alongside the rapid developments in Medieval Europe from the early 12th century to the early 14th century.
- The evolution of Templar arms and armor showcased a transition from conical helmets and mail shirts in the early 12th century to the prevalence of Great Helms, plate defenses, and specialized weapons like maces and poleaxes by the early 14th century, reflecting a continuous adaptation to combat needs and advancements in protective gear.
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Recent questions
What were the Knights Templar?
A wealthy knightly order during the crusades.
What weapons did Templar knights use?
Swords, lances, shields, and armor.
How did Templar armor evolve?
From mail armor to plate defenses.
What were the key weapons trends in the 1200s?
Increased use of maces, axes, and daggers.
How did Templar helmets develop?
From conical to Great Helms.
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Summary
00:00
Evolution of Templar Arms and Armor
- Knights Templar were a wealthy and important knightly order during the crusading period, alongside other orders like the Knights of St. John.
- Due to their wealth, Templar knights likely had superior arms and equipment, either brought with them or provided by the order.
- The Templars existed from around 1119 to 1312, a period witnessing rapid development in arms and armor in Medieval Europe.
- The Templars were not separate from other knightly orders in terms of arms and armor, likely using similar equipment.
- Evidence of Templar arms and armor comes primarily from artistic sources, showing a chronological evolution of equipment.
- In the early 12th century, Templar knights likely wore conical helmets, mail shirts, teardrop shields, lances, and swords.
- By 1166, Templar knights had longer mail sleeves, mittens, and leggings, covering them head to foot in mail armor.
- In the late 1100s, helmets started to have a somewhat flat top, shields became flatter, and swords had longer cross guards.
- By the 1180s, helmets were mostly flat on top, with occasional face protectors added to nasal helmets for increased defense.
- Around 1200, face plates became more common on helmets, showing an evolution in head protection for Templar knights.
14:01
Evolution of Medieval Knight Armor and Weapons
- Great Helms, associated with the Crusades, emerged after the Third Crusade, with faceplates appearing around the time of the Third Crusade.
- Knights during the time of Saladin and Richard the Lionheart mostly wore flat-topped helmets with nasals, not Great Helms.
- Helmets in the early 1200s started to resemble the Great Helm shape, with Knights depicted with male coifs attached to their mail shirts.
- The use of a padded gambeson, mail, and possibly a coat of plates under the surcoat was common in the early 1200s.
- Leather garments like a cuirass or breastplate were possibly worn on the chest area in addition to mail armor.
- By the 1220s-1230s, Great Helms became prevalent, coexisting with rounded topped open-faced nasal helmets.
- Shields maintained their typical heater shape, while mail armor predominated, with the coat of plates becoming more common by the middle of the 1200s.
- Knee defenses, likely made of hardened leather or metal, started to appear before 1250, protecting a vulnerable target during combat.
- The use of maces and axes as impact weapons increased due to the effectiveness of armor against cuts and thrusts.
- Daggers began to be used more in warfare around 1250, possibly due to the need for weapons to overcome heavily armored opponents.
28:26
Evolution of Medieval Armor and Weapons
- In the 1290s, Greaves started to appear as leg protection, initially with gutter-shaped plates on the front of the shin, while the arms and legs were still mostly covered with mail.
- By the year 1300, arm defenses began to be seen under or over mail sleeves, with some instances of upper arm defenders and elbow plates, although the majority still wore only mail sleeves and trousers.
- Helmets continued to develop, with the great helm remaining a principal choice, often worn over a coif that included a Sevilla, a steel skull cap underneath, evolving later into the bassinet.
- Weapons trends from the 1200s continued into 1300, with increased use of maces, axes, and early forms of poleaxes, while swords evolved with more tapered shapes and acute tips for thrusting, and long swords with two-handed grips started to appear.
- Plate defenses on arms and legs were not yet universal by 1310-1320, with many knights still predominantly covered in mail, although the Knights Templar likely had more advanced armor depending on their location and rank within the order.
