Tudors

England, Europe.

The rondel dagger gets its name from the two disk shaped guards on either side of the handle to protect the hand. It was worn on the hip of most noble men and was often used as a backup weapon on the battlefield if they had been unhorsed. According to the University of Leicester, a rondel dagger may have caused a wound to the top of Richard III’s skull during the Battle of Bosworth. This particular dagger was excavated from the bed of the Thames in 1976. It has a 495mm long blade and is made from iron.

England, Europe.

Whilst called a ‘peasant knife’ this knife was not necessarily owned by a peasant. Instead, it simply means that it was a multipurpose domestic implement. This knife may well have been used for cooking and eating, but also could have been like a modern day pocket knife for a number of different tasks. The blade is now bent but would have had a single curved cutting edge with a mostly straight back used for cutting and slicing. The handle is made from bone and time has been taken to decorate it with rings and dots.

Europe.

Falchion swords, with their single edged blade are designed specifically for slashing the enemy. Although this type of sword had been in use since the 13th century, it was not until the mid-15th century that some developed knuckle guards to protect the hand. This sword was probably used as a sidearm for an infantryman or ‘Bowman’. However, this type of sword was also used by the cavalry.

Greenwich, England.

This armour was made for Henry VIII to be worn at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. However, just three months before the tournament, the French clarified the specification for the armour, so Henry could not wear it. Therefore, this armour was left unfinished and undecorated. It is made from 235 separate moving parts to completely enclose the wearer and fully protect them. A true feat of engineering. From this armour, we are able to know 28 year old Henry VIII’s measurements of around a 38 inch waist and just over 6’ in height.

Greenwich, England.

Created to replace the disallowed Foot Combat Armour and actually worn by Henry VIII at the Field of Cloth of Gold. The suit was made in just 3 months and created from multiple suits of armour put together and a few new pieces (the shoulders (pauldrons) and tonlet (skirt). It is possible the suit would have been blue (due to a metal heating method called “blueing”) with gold gilding, making the suit a spectacular visual to show off the English king’s wealth and prestige.

Flanders.

This Barding, known as the ‘Burgundian Bard’ was probably given to Henry VIII as a gift by Maximilian I. Although it is likely that Maximilian originally had this highly decorated barding made for himself or his son, it is expected it was given to Henry as a diplomatic gift to secure an alliance. Some of the decorations depict pomegranates, which were the badge of the House of Aragon, and Maximilian's personal emblem, symbolising the alliance between Henry VIII and his wife Katherine of Aragon and Maximillian.

Innsbruck, Austria.

This helmet, originally a part of a full armour, was commissioned in 1511 by Maximilian as a gift for Henry VIII. It would have been worn by the king for court pageants. It is designed in the form of a grotesque mask with lifelike details like stubble and wrinkles. It would appear that the spectacles are to create the character of a fool, a figure commonly found in late 15th- and early 16th-century imagery, suggesting that everyone, however noble or lowly, has elements of foolishness in their character.

England, Europe.

This weapon is said to have belonged to Henry VIII. There are tales of the king carrying this weapon around London with him whilst in disguise. By the 1830s, Tower of London Guards were relaying a tale of the King being imprisoned during one of these outings, which resulted in him congratulating his captor for their vigilance. However, there is no evidence of this actually happening. Henry VIII is known for enjoying ingenious combination weapons, and this one actually worked both as a mace and a firearm.

England.

This bow is one of the 172 bows found in the wreck of the Mary Rose warship which sank in 1545. It took such strength and training to use these weapons that deformities can be found on the skeletons of longbowmen in their shoulders, arms, wrists and fingers. Like the others found in this wreck, this bow is over 6 foot long, making it taller than most of the men who used them. Bowmen tended to be of lower social status as richer persons could afford the equipment and training to fight in the cavalry ranks.

England.

This lance is said to have belonged to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, friend, brother-in-law and jousting companion of Henry VIII. At 8.87kg in weight and 4.36m in length, it is much heavier than most lances from the period. This combined with it’s beautiful decoration means it would have been impractical for the traditional sport. Instead it would have been used by an exceptionally skilled jouster to show their expertise while riding the length of the tiltyard. Showing sporting prowess and pageantry was a huge part of Henican court entertainment.

Greenwich, England.

This stake was used by armourers to hammer out pieces of armour when being made or adjusted. This particular stake is marked with a WP in a heart, which means it may have belonged to the Master Armourer, William Pickering. The offering of weapons and armour as diplomatic gifts was common across Europe. When Henry VIII set up the royal armour workshop in Greenwich in 1511, he opened up the option of giving his own gifts, made in England. The workshop flourished throughout the 16th century with armourers from across Europe and England alike.

Greenwich, England.

A basket-hilt is the complex cage of bars around the handle, designed to protect the hand. The handle itself appears to be English, whilst the blade seems to have been imported from Germany. It was found in the River Thames in 1979. Swords like this one would have been worn by those in Tudor high society, including those in Henry VIII’s retinue.

England.

A culet is armour that protects the small of the back and the bottom. This particular culet belonged to Henry VIII and is made up of three sheets of metal (or lames) to allow movement. It is beautifully decorated to match the rest of the armour with bands of foliage. By 1540, Henry’s bottom measured 51 inches, significantly larger than his earlier armours. This change in stature was partially due to a leg ulcer caused when he fell off his horse at a joust in 1536. After this he could not be as active as he once had been.

England.

This heading axe is believed to be one of four axes used for executions at the Tower of London. Beheading was reserved for the rich (and previously) powerful. Average executions would have included hanging, drawing and quartering. In England an axe was normally used, but in other countries across Europe, a sword was the weapon of choice. Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was executed with an axe, as were many other famous figures of the Tudor period. These include: Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Howard, 4th Duke Of Norfolk and Mary Queen of Scots.

England.

Bills like this one were weapons used by the people lower down in society as they are derived from agriculture. Polarms like this could be swung like an extremely long axe and the hook of the Bill could be used to pull riders off their horses. To assemble huge armies, Henry VIII called upon his noblemen to bring their tenants and for towns to send their citizens to serve him.

England.

This armour was made by the Greenwich Armoury for Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. This armour is thought to have been made to impress the queen at a tournament that Dudley held at his home in Kenilworth in 1575 during the queen's 19 day stay there. Able to be used for field tournaments and jousting, the armour is beautifully decorated with gilting, bluing, embossing, and etching to show a number of symbolic images including bears and collars.

Europe.

This leather case has a number of compartments full of different tools. These include knives, saws and needles. This kit was probably designed to be taken out on hunting trips. A number of these tools also have a coat of arms etched into them. Whilst hunting was an activity that many took part in to get food, it was considered a sport for the nobility. Queen Elizabeth I herself enjoyed going on hunting trips.

England.

This sword is said to have been a gift from Queen Elizabeth I to a member of the Weatherby family. It is one of the finest examples of an English sword from this period. The handle is highly decorated, with images of wild strawberries, corn and flowers. The act of giving a gift to her subjects shows the Queen's favour and highlights how the recipient relies on her favour.

England.

A Jack of plate is a doublet (or padded jacket) which has metal plates sewn into it for protection. This particular one also has sleeves which also have plates sewn in.  These were commonly worn by ordinary soldiers in England and Scotland from the middle of the 16th century.

England.

Although it is dubbed a ‘Spanish Morion’, this style of helmet was used across much of Europe, including in England. The outcrop of metal on the top is referred to as a pear’s stalk as it resembles its namesake. Helmets like these would have been worn in 1588, when the Spanish Armada attacked the coast of England

England.

The Welsh Hook (or Guisarme) likely evolved from an agricultural tool. It is about 2m in length and the curved blade was designed to cut. Compared to other similar weapons, it appears to be slightly more fragile but more closely linked to the poorer members of society based on its farming roots.

England.

This piece of armour has been used as a test piece against four small-arms shots and one cannon shot. The damage that these weapons can do is clear. Firearms were developing swiftly during the 16th century, moving from weapons which needed to be lit with a match, to mechanisms such as the flintlock which removed that obstacle. They were becoming more viable battlefield weapons and clearly were able to nullify much of the armour of the period.
 

England.

This rapier was found in the River Thames in 1976. The conditions helped to preserve the sword and the bronze basket weaving which can be seen on the handle. Rapiers were symbols of status and fashion, so would have been worn as a part of the social elites daily dress. Dressing well was hugely important in the court of Elizabeth I, especially if you wanted to impress her. The wounds left by a rapier would be extremely deep, meaning that many injuries led to death from infection and loss of blood.