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Ancient Greek mythology: The legend of Hippolytus
Posted on June 19th, 2009 2 commentsThe Greek Legend of Hippolytus
According to the legends of Greece, Hippolyte, the Amazon queen, and Theseus had a son by the name of Hippolytus. He became known as a excellent hunter and a wonderful charioteer. Phaedra, Hippolytus’s stepmother, fell in love with her stepson, but when he turned her down, she killed herself and left behind a note that said Hippolytus had tried to rape her. Theseus threw Hippolytus out, yelling at him the whole time, and begged Poseidon, his father, to kill his son.` Hippolytus was driving his chariot beside the Troezen shore, when a huge sea-monster that Poseidon had sent came up out of the water and frightened the horses. The chariot tipped and Hippolytus was thrown out, where he got caught in the reigns and was dragged to his death. Read the rest of this entry »
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Medieval tournaments – Jousting Knights
Posted on June 19th, 2009 No commentsMedieval Tournaments
A style of staged combat in the Middle Ages is typically referred to as a tournament, or tourney. Roger of Hoveden gave the most definitive description of tournaments, as a way to carry out military exercises in order to sharpen one’s game and show off their skills to one another, instead of as a hostile act; it is practiced throughout the history of war. However, before the 11th century, Europe did not know the properly dictated style of tournament. A French baron called Geoffroi de Preulli seemingly invented tournaments – according to his peers’ testimonials – in 1066; multiple sources have his rather gruesome killing on record. Read the rest of this entry »
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Greek mythology – Helen of Troy history
Posted on June 19th, 2009 No commentsExploring the Various Accounts of Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy, or Helena, is a mythological figure of Ancient Greece. The wife of Menelaus, Helen is usually said to be the daughter of Zeus and Leda. However, there are different versions of the tale in which she is the daughter either Oceanus and Tethys, or of Zeus and Nemesis. She was the cause of the Trojan War, indirectly, in part due to her being the most beautiful and desirous woman in all of Greece. Read the rest of this entry »
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Medieval bascinet helmet and chainmail
Posted on June 12th, 2009 2 commentsThe Medieval Basinet
A basinet is a kind of headpiece or helmet, and the word itself is a diminutive form of the word ‘basin’. Originally, the small basinet consisted of a peaked, open cap made of light material. These were either used with the heavier ‘heaume’, or simply by themselves. A ‘heaume’ was a medieval helmet of significant size which was supported by the wearer’s shoulders and head. By the end of the 13th century, the gigantic heaume was phased out as the basinet evolved into a more complete headdress for battle.
The basinet was considered a ‘true headpiece’, as its weight was placed on the wearer’s shoulders and didn’t cover the head, as opposed to the heaume. This later form of the basinet was heavier and larger than previous forms, and it also included a fixed visor; later headdresses, like the armet, would include a pivoting visor and would come to international dominance in battle during the 15th century. The visor was adjustable to allow for better breathing and vision. The visor was closed during battle for protection. A mail hood, or a ‘camail’, connected the basinet to the gorget, which completely covered the vulnerable neck and head areas. The face was also protected by a complete, heavy enclosure. The front side of the basinet is sometimes compared to an animal’s muzzle. The peaked crowd distinguishes the basinet from other forms of headdresses. The word ‘basinet’ also has various spellings, such as ‘bassinet’, ‘basnet’, ‘bacinet’ or ‘bascinet’. -
Medieval Armor, a knight’s battle helmet
Posted on June 10th, 2009 No commentsA Helmet For Knight Combat
The origin of "helmet" stems from the extinct French word helme, now known in present day France as heaume or "helm" in English. This headgear is to protect the head from attack. This type of historic helmet has no brim, a sharp top and is constructed of anything from basic metal to leather or oddly, wood reinforced with steel. The most noticeable part of the helmet is by far the guard that stretches across the upper face to safeguard it from slashing injuries. The chin is used to secure the helmet to the head via a tight strap but the chin is usually not covered, and to protect the neck, ears and head a heavy quilted hood is worn. Read the rest of this entry »