The fourteenth century witnessed a late medieval arms race; an era that began with knightly combatants armed in mail—and ended with them dressed head-to-toe in the complete plate armour that is commonly associated with knights. Although well documented in art and effigies, only a very few examples of this early plate armour survive.

In this series of four planned volumes, Douglas Strong brings together three decades of research to offer a lavishly illustrated catalogue of these surviving pieces with a detailed record of their provenance, characteristics, construction details, and current whereabouts. Filled with colour and black-white photos, line-drawings, this book is a piece of artwork in its own right.

Volume One focuses on the bascinet, the ubiquitous helmet of the period. Developing out of a small skull-cap worn beneath the great helm, it quickly evolved into a complete head defence of its own, becoming the helmet that defines the knightly harness of the second half of the fourteenth century and which survived in common usage into the early decades of the fifteenth century. Organizing the surviving examples into broad, morphological categories for both helmets and visors, Douglas Strong not only creates a catalogue of surviving pieces, but presents a basic typology, the first of its kind, into which future discoveries can be placed.

Colour and b&w illustrations.

Forthcoming volumes include:

Volume II: Additional Head Defenses

Volume III: Limb Defenses

Volume IV: Body Defenses