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shows a deep red russeted background with scalloped and gilded bands over it, whereas the portrait of the Earl clearly shows a black background. Other than that, the design matches the armour perfectly, including even the maille shoes. Several of the garnitures in the album feature an identical design – a series of gilt bands in a snaking S-shape pattern overlaid with interlacing diagonal lines in an X pattern, sometimes described as representing lightning, over a background of deeply russeted steel of a purplish colour.
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289:. Finally, russeting imparted a dark-red or purple hue to the steel, which was also typically used in conjunction with gilding. All of these base colours would be applied uniformly to the steel of the armour, and then strips of differently coloured steel would be laid across to create patterns, or etched sections of the armour would be gilded. The Earl of Worcester's armour is one striking example of a scalloped design which was originally gilded over dark blued steel.
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54:. The armoury was formed by imported master armourers hired by Henry VIII, initially including some from Italy and Flanders, as well as the Germans who dominated during most of the 16th century. The most notable head armourer of the Greenwich workshop was Jacob Halder, who was master workman of the armoury from 1576 to 1607. This was the peak period of the armoury's production and it coincided with the elaborately
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decorated depended on the wealth of the buyer, and ranged from wildly elaborate and artistic pieces such as George
Clifford's famous gilded garniture to relatively simple harnesses of "white armour" overlaid with intersecting patterns of darker-coloured strips. In either case, the use of contrasting colours became a hallmark of the Greenwich style.
435:
218:
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When compared with extant examples of the armour to which they correspond, the drawings in Jacob Halder's album are nearly exact representations of the designs of the finished product. There is only one major difference, which is that the drawing for the armour of
William Somerset, Earl of Worcester,
280:
Greenwich did not produce the highly modelled figurative designs of some
Continental centres, but specialised in bold designs using different colours to form vibrant, striking patterns. Colour contrast became extremely important, as it was in civilian fashion. The extent to which a suit of armour was
277:, emphasized the shaping of the metal itself, such as fluting and roping, to create artistic designs in the armour, rather than using colour. The Greenwich style, however, came at a time when complicated decoration of the metal with colour, texture and embossed designs was fashionable across Europe.
229:
After the reign of Henry VIII, the
Greenwich armour began to evolve into a different and unique style. There were several defining characteristics of this second wave of armour. One was the mimicking of popular fashions of the time in the styles of the armour to reflect the individual wearer's taste
234:
which was immensely popular among gentlemen during the reign of
Elizabeth. This type of cuirass curved outwards in front at a steep angle which culminated at the groin, where it tapered into a small horn-like protrusion. All-over gilding or silvering was replaced by strips of blued or gilded steel,
312:
helmet which would be worn open-faced for a parade or ceremony, or with a removable "falling-buffe" visor for combat; a grandguard, which would reinforce the upper portion of the torso and neck for jousting; a passguard, which would reinforce the arm; and a manifer, a large gauntlet to protect the
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There were three main ways in which the steel of the armour was coloured: bluing, browning, and russeting. Bluing the steel gave it a deep, brilliant blue-black finish. Browning, as the name would suggest, coloured the steel a dark brown, which contrasted vividly with gilding as in the harness of
92:
armour for the nobility; relatively mass-produced government orders for the military mainly went elsewhere. The book of
Greenwich armour designs for 24 different gentlemen, known as the "Jacob Album" after its creator, includes many of the most important figures of the Elizabethan court. In this
173:. The lines of these armours were typically not much different from Northern German designs of the same time period; the decorations, though, were often more extravagant. A good example of this early sort of Greenwich style is the harness which is thought to have belonged to Galiot de Genouillac,
493:
Another design is for a man named Bale Desena, the identity of whom remains a mystery to this day. This man was likely not an
Englishman, as his name (which is probably misspelled in the album) suggests Spanish or Italian origin. It is unknown how he commissioned a Greenwich armour, though these
363:
retained some of the distinctive touches of the last century; the breastplates were still shaped in the peascod fashion and the pauldrons had the same graceful and rounded curves (while those of
Continental armours tended towards square shapes). The "ship's prow" form of the close helmet also
142:
was still an important royal residence, birthplace of both Henry and his two daughters. By 1515, there were six German master armourers, with (perhaps working separately from) two apparently
Flemish masters, two polishers and an apprentice, all working under the English King's Armourer, John
296:
with a very high visor perforated on one or both sides by vertical slits, in the case of a field visor, or with small round holes in the case of a visor for the tilt (most
Greenwich armours came with both types.) The rim of the upper bevor juts out forward gracefully, giving the helmet a
513:
to Queen Elizabeth, each had two suits of armour, in addition to large garnitures with many extra pieces. Several of the armours depicted in this album survive to the present day. The armours of Robert Dudley, William Somerset, and William Herbert are all at the
340:. This transition can be seen in the styling of the post-Jacobean Greenwich armour; gilded decoration and etching is now absent, and the steel is no longer russeted, polished "white" or boldly colored in any other way but is uniformly a simple blue-gray shade.
358:
Tassets are now frequently knee-length, in the cuirassier fashion. Also, in keeping with innovations in the field of armouring, the inner elbows are often fully protected by articulated lames. Nevertheless, the Greenwich armours even into the period of the
522:, and Christopher Hatton's armour is at the Royal Armouries gallery in Leeds, along with the half-harness (the only one in the album) of a notable soldier, tactician and military writer of the Elizabethan era named John Smythe. The complete garniture of
308:, with the same design which could be arranged to form a suit for either mounted combat such as jousting, or combat on foot in the tournament. A garniture would typically include a full plate harness plus an extra visor specially meant for tilting; a
335:
The Greenwich workshop continued producing armours into the reign of James I and Charles I, although the heyday of grand tournaments and exaggerated chivalric pageantry which characterized Elizabethan England had largely passed after the death of
113:; afterwards, it was to disappear more or less completely. Therefore, the Greenwich workshop represented the last flourishing of decorative armour-making in England, and comprises a unique genre of late-Renaissance art in its own right.
388:, was drawn up by Jacob Halder which contains full-colour illustrations of twenty-nine different Greenwich armours for various Elizabethan gentlemen of high rank; many of the armours are part of large garnitures with the additional
108:
By the mid-17th century, plate armour had adopted a stark and utilitarian form favoring thickness and protection (from the ever-more-powerful firearms which were redefining battle) over aesthetics and was generally only used by
553:
in a piece, are often different from the finished work – perhaps suggesting that the makers of the basic pieces were more free or ready to improve on designs as they worked than those working on the decoration.
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in London, it seems that they were both unable to cope with large volume orders, and not able to produce work of the finest quality, and in the latest styles, found in Europe. A payment to
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characteristic "ship's prow" appearance. It also typically has a high raised comb from the rear of the skull extending up to the top of the visor, a feature influenced by the French style.
169:
The first Greenwich harnesses, created under Henry VIII, were typically of uniform colouration, either gilded or silvered all over and then etched with intricate motifs, often designed by
93:
period a distinctive Greenwich style developed, marked by imitating aspects of fashionable clothing styles, and extensive use of gilded and coloured areas, using complex decoration in
19:
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404:
600:
269:
Another defining characteristic of Elizabethan-era Greenwich armour is the extravagant use of colour in general to decorate the steel. Older styles of armour-making, such as
509:
Twenty-three of the twenty-nine armours in the album belong to different individuals; Robert Dudley, Christopher Hatton, and Henry Lee, probably owing to their status as
737:
246:
Some armours were provided with an extra pair of tassets for use at the barriers which were very wide, not unlike the form of a pair of trunkhose. The extant armours of
138:
of wine, was made in July 1511; they were under contract for two years from March 1511, and other payments record the setting-up of a mill and the purchase of tools.
81:
a highlight of the court's calendar, focused on hyperbolic declarations of loyalty and devotion in the style of contemporary verse epics. Even late in her reign,
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The armet shown was made by restorer Daniel Tachaux in 1915 to replace the missing original, and faithfully reproduces the style's distinctive high visor.
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As the use of full plate in actual combat had declined by the late 16th century, the Greenwich armours were primarily created not for battle but for the
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also depicted. The album displays a picture of each customer standing in the same stylized pose, with right hand on hip and left hand holding a
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In 1516, the workshop moved closer to London (but still outside the city itself, where guild regulation might have been an issue) to a mill in
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549:, and Thomas Sackville. However, comparison with surviving pieces shows that some details of the construction, such as the number of
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502:, was given a gilded Greenwich armour which remained in the family of the Dukes of Brunswick before ultimately being purchased by
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hand. It might also include a shaffron, which would cover the head of the knight's horse, and a set of decorated saddle steels.
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The wearers listed in the album include some of the most illustrious and powerful nobles of Elizabeth's court. Among them are
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style. Very similar in design, but ungilded, is another tournament harness made for Henry VIII which now resides at the
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Sir Anthony Mildmay, a young knight, in a partial Greenwich harness. Peascod shape is highly pronounced.
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remained, and can be seen in many portraits of important military figures from the English Civil War.
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The Greenwich helmet for the field and tilt has a distinctive form. The typical Greenwich helm is an
486:. One of the armours in the album is labeled as being for "John, Duke of Finland" – the future king
635:
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490:, who visited England in 1560 to promote a marriage between Queen Elizabeth and his brother Eric.
427:, the Queen's second official champion and also an important naval commander who briefly captured
243:, which emulated the strips of colourful embroidered cloth that were popular in civilian fashion.
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in civilian clothing. From 1560 cuirasses were designed to imitate the curving "peascod" style of
703:
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419:, who succeeded Bromley as Lord Chancellor and was also rumored to be Queen Elizabeth's lover;
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Although there were certainly English armourers at work before 1511, indeed they had their own
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to support the weight of the burly king's large stomach. This harness also has very wide
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898:(Volume v. 52) – The Royal Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 1895
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was a favourite pastime of Henry VIII (at dire cost to his health), and his daughter
177:, but was initially created for King Henry. The armour, currently on display at the
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35:
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European Weapons and Armor. From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution
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The garnitures with this design are those belonging to Sir James Scudamore,
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and tilting champion who was the basis for the character "Sir Scudamour" in
301:
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Other notable figures whose suits of armour are displayed in the album are
304:, which meant a large set of interchangeable armour pieces, referred to as
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Surviving armour of Sir John Smythe, nearly identical to its pattern
433:
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18:
650:
Armour of Sir John Smythe, soldier and writer, in the Jacob Album
638:, 1590s. Jousting was crucial to Scudamore's reputation at court.
239:
at the edge of each lame, and vertically down the cuirass and
918:, by Thom Richardson, online as PDF from the Royal Armouries.
143:
Blewbury, and a "Clerk of the Stable". All were given damask
396:, and wearing the armour which was to be furnished for him.
300:
Finally, Greenwich armours were often made in the form of a
423:, Queen Elizabeth's first official jousting champion; and
328:(1599–1626) wearing a Greenwich armour given to him by
38:
in a distinctively English style produced by the Royal
85:
gained favour by participating and dressing the part.
494:
armours were sometimes given to foreigners as gifts.
254:, currently display these tassets. The armour of
58:and sometimes coloured decorated styles of late
458:but is perhaps best known as the co-author of
450:(then "Lord Buckhurst", which survives in the
165:wearing an early Greenwich armour of 1532–33.
8:
104:Gilded Greenwich harness of King Henry VIII
235:typically running horizontally across the
134:armourers at Greenwich, of £6 2/3 and two
916:"The Royal Armour Workshops at Greenwich"
622:Fauld and tassets of the Sackville armour
690:William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
547:William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
464:, one of the first tragedies written in
885:Christopher Gravett and Graham Turner,
813:
573:William Somerset, 3rd Earl of Worcester
561:
530:in New York, along with the armours of
425:George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
287:George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
256:William Somerset, 3rd Earl of Worcester
50:near London, which continued until the
25:George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
838:Dean, 128–130 on the Scudamore armour
772:William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke
405:William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke
7:
608:Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
448:Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
401:Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
248:Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
912:from the Metropolitan Museum of Art
536:Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
252:Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
744:Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond
326:Christian the Younger of Brunswick
205:and which is famous for its large
14:
352:Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine
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500:Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
338:Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
330:Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
225:, as depicted in the Jacob album
223:Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
677:wearing the armour shown at top
1:
16:English style of plate armour
610:, Jacob Halder, c. 1587–1589
258:, is also similarly styled.
354:, in late Greenwich armours
185:, has a specially designed
963:
906:Metropolitan Museum of Art
896:The Archaeological Journal
528:Metropolitan Museum of Art
454:in London), who served as
386:Victoria and Albert Museum
348:Prince Rupert of the Rhine
179:Metropolitan Museum of Art
594:as it originally appeared
429:Fort San Felipe del Morro
380:as depicted in the album
910:available online as PDF
904:, Bashford Dean, 1916,
902:Notes on arms and armor
872:Ewart Oakeshott, F.S.A
498:, cousin and friend to
496:Christian of Brunswick
443:
417:Sir Christopher Hatton
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88:The workshop produced
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526:is on display at the
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384:An album, now in the
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22:
932:Western plate armour
634:Greenwich armour of
947:Early Modern armour
942:English Renaissance
636:Sir James Scudamore
590:The same armour of
532:Sir James Scudamore
470:Sir James Scudamore
456:Lord High Treasurer
175:Constable of France
79:Accession Day tilts
42:Armoury founded by
847:Dean, 58–59, 63–68
704:Sir Walter Raleigh
488:John III of Sweden
452:Wallace Collection
444:
442:in the Jacob album
409:Sir Thomas Bromley
390:pieces of exchange
382:
356:
333:
306:pieces of exchange
267:
227:
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106:
95:Northern Mannerist
29:
891:978-1-84176-970-7
479:The Fairie Queene
438:The garniture of
376:The garniture of
361:English Civil War
221:The garniture of
52:English Civil War
27:(1558–1605), 1586
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122:Henrician Period
32:Greenwich armour
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368:The Jacob Album
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731:John Farnham
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171:Hans Holbein
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36:plate armour
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786:Edward Hoby
466:blank verse
75:Elizabeth I
46:in 1511 in
926:Categories
864:References
606:Armour of
571:Armour of
511:favourites
271:Maximilian
213:Golden Age
199:Maximilian
67:tournament
44:Henry VIII
23:Armour of
302:garniture
237:pauldrons
152:Southwark
147:clothes.
136:hogsheads
83:courtiers
77:made her
48:Greenwich
461:Gorboduc
310:burgonet
207:codpiece
195:sabatons
183:New York
132:Milanese
97:styles.
71:Jousting
558:Gallery
518:at the
241:tassets
232:doublet
197:in the
191:cuirass
90:bespoke
34:is the
889:
876:
468:, and
275:Gothic
187:corset
145:livery
56:gilded
40:Almain
808:Notes
551:lames
294:armet
128:guild
887:ISBN
874:ISBN
799:Sir
534:and
472:, a
350:and
273:and
161:Sir
482:by
181:in
928::
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538:.
506:.
431:.
411:,
407:;
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209:.
69:.
62:.
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