Table of Contents

What Did Knights Wear Over Chainmail?

The most direct answer to the question, “What did knights wear over chainmail?” is a surcoat. This outer garment, often made of cloth, served multiple purposes in the medieval warrior’s ensemble. While chainmail provided essential protection against cuts and slashes, it had its limitations. Knights layered other garments both over and under their mail to enhance protection, comfort, and identification on the battlefield. Let’s delve into the details of what went over and around chainmail.

The Surcoat: A Knight’s Outer Layer

Function and Design

A surcoat, also sometimes called a cotehardie, was the primary garment worn over a knight’s chainmail. This outer tunic was typically crafted from linen, wool, or even silk depending on the knight’s wealth and status. Surcoats were essential for several reasons:

Sun Protection: Metal armor, especially chainmail, absorbs heat rapidly. The surcoat acted as a buffer, preventing the metal from becoming unbearably hot in direct sunlight. This was crucial for knights fighting under summer conditions, ensuring they didn’t suffer from heat exhaustion.
Identification: Surcoats were often adorned with the knight’s personal heraldry or the colors and symbols of their lord or faction. This made it easier to distinguish friend from foe on the chaotic battlefield. A knight’s heraldry would be readily visible thanks to the surcoat’s large surface area, making communication and tactical coordination much simpler.
Comfort: While chainmail was flexible, it could chafe and irritate the skin. The surcoat provided a layer of fabric, reducing direct contact between the metal and the knight’s body, thereby improving comfort during long hours of fighting or marching.
Weather Protection: Depending on the material, a surcoat could provide a degree of protection against rain and wind. It wasn’t waterproof, but it offered a barrier against the elements that would have otherwise soaked the knight’s mail.

Surcoat Styles and Evolution

The design of the surcoat evolved over time, going from simple, loose-fitting tunics to more tailored garments. Early surcoats were often basic, knee-length coverings. Later designs incorporated slits, which allowed for easier riding and sitting. Over time, surcoats might feature padded shoulders, extra fabric in the form of sleeves, and other functional modifications.

Layering Beyond the Surcoat

While the surcoat was the most visible garment over chainmail, several other layers were involved in a knight’s attire. Here’s a breakdown of what went under and sometimes over chainmail:

The Gambeson: Padding and Protection

Before putting on chainmail, knights typically wore a gambeson. This padded jacket, often made of layers of linen or wool quilted together, served a crucial protective purpose. Gambesons acted as:

Shock Absorption: Chainmail was excellent at preventing cuts and slashes, but it was poor at dispersing blunt-force trauma. The gambeson cushioned the body against the impact of blows, helping prevent serious injuries.
Comfort and Chafing Prevention: Like the surcoat, the gambeson reduced the friction between the chainmail and the wearer’s skin. This minimized chafing and discomfort, making the armor bearable for extended periods.
Temperature Regulation: The gambeson provided an extra layer of insulation, helping to regulate body temperature, both in cold and hot weather.

Additional Padding and Armor

Sometimes, additional padded or quilted pieces were added, especially around vulnerable areas like the shoulders or hips, to provide further protection. In the later medieval period, with the rise of plate armor, smaller pieces of chainmail could be worn in conjunction with plate, with padding worn underneath to aid comfort.

FAQs: Knights and Their Armor

Here are some common questions about what knights wore, providing further context:

Did knights wear chainmail under plate? Yes, chainmail was often worn under plate armor, especially during the 14th and 15th centuries. While plate armor became dominant, chainmail provided supplementary protection at the joints and areas not fully covered by plate.
Does chainmail go over or under a tunic? Chainmail was always worn over a tunic, typically a padded gambeson. Wearing chainmail directly against bare skin would be extremely uncomfortable and painful.
What do you wear under chainmail on the head? An arming cap was typically worn under a helmet or chainmail coif. The arming cap was often padded to help cushion the head and prevent discomfort from the heavy helmet and mail coif.
Was plate armor worn over chainmail? Yes, by the 14th century, plate armor was often worn over a layer of chainmail. This combination provided maximum protection.
Why did knights stop wearing chainmail? While chainmail was effective against cuts and slashes, it was less effective against blunt force weapons and the increasing prevalence of firearms. Plate armor eventually offered superior protection against these threats, leading to chainmail’s decline.
What was the cloth armor under chainmail? The cloth armor underneath chainmail was primarily a gambeson, which served as padding and protection against blunt-force trauma.
What is a chainmail skirt called? Chainmail skirts are simply called maille skirts. These were designed to protect the upper thigh and groin area and were frequently worn in combination with plate armor during the 14th century.
Did chainmail cover the legs? Yes, by the 12th century, mail was fitted to cover the feet and legs and hands in the form of mittens or gauntlets.
Were Chainmail Coifs real? Yes, chainmail coifs were a real form of defense, offering protection to the head, neck, and shoulders of elite warriors in the early medieval times.
What did soldiers wear under chainmail? Soldiers typically wore a padded gambeson under their chainmail. This provided comfort, insulation, and protection against blunt force.
Did knights actually fight in armor? Yes, knights engaged in combat while wearing armor, practicing in peacetime to stay in shape and hone their skills.
How heavy was a knight’s armor? A complete suit of plate armor made from steel could weigh anywhere between 33 and 55 pounds. Chainmail on its own was also quite heavy, weighing around 55 to 60 pounds.
What was the most effective armor in medieval times? Milanese plate armor was considered one of the most effective forms of armor in medieval times due to its strength and construction.
What are the weak points of medieval armor? Weak points included the armpits, the backs of the knees, the palms of the hands, and the visor of the helmet.
Did Templars wear chainmail? Yes, Templars wore chainmail armor along with breast plates, chainmail leggings, and a great helm, along with other accoutrements.

Conclusion

The layers worn by a knight were strategically chosen. While chainmail was a vital component, the surcoat provided essential protection from the sun, identification on the battlefield, and added comfort. Coupled with a gambeson worn beneath the mail, and additional padding where needed, this ensemble ensured a knight could engage in combat with protection, a symbol of his allegiance, and with reasonable comfort in what was a dangerous and uncomfortable profession. This layering system highlights the complex considerations that went into the armor of a medieval knight, far beyond just the metal itself.

What do knights wear over chainmail?