The glossary is meant as a growing resource for students, re-enactors, and anyone interested in knighthood, chivalry, or the medieval tournament. The current page is but a brief listing of what we would like to have on the page; if you would be interested in helping with a given area, such as in heraldry, transcribing tournament accounts, translations, or research, drop the author an email at brion@chronique.com. Additionally, we would like to expand many of the definitions here; if you want to try one or more of them send your submissions to the email address above--we can use the help!
Gambeson: (An arming coat; see Aketon)
Gamboised: A padded defense made of linen, flax or other fabric, sometimes reinforced and studded. Gamboised cuisses were often worn as an early addition to mail chausses during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
Garniture: During the 16th century a concept was introduced by which a field harness was fitted with an additional 20 - 40 pieces of equipment so that the same armour could be used for war, specialized tournaments, and the joust. Specialized armour for the tourney became increasingly expensive during the 15th and 16th century, although there are records of specialized armour pieces in wardrobe accounts of the 14th century.
Gatlings: The small joint defense on a finger gauntlet, usually attached to a leather or canvas base by sewing or by rivets. They might have been of iron or latten; there is evidence for both. Some of these gatlings might have been cast into creature heads or other forms, such as the acorn, which was a very popular motif. See the gauntlets in the Bargello collection and numerous brasses for more detail.
Gauntlet: The armour to defend the hand. Prior to the 14th century, the hand was defended with a mail mitten. During the first half of the 14th century, gauntlets were introduced formed of small plates riveted to leather or cloth, what we call a brigandine gauntlet. Only a few examples survive, all from the Battle of Wisby find dating from 1361. By the middle of the 14th century, the "hourglass" gauntlet had been developed, where the cuff flared to allow some wrist movement. Often the metacarpal (back of the hand) and the cuff were decorated with additional pieces in brass or bronze, and also by engraving. The fingers were defended either by scaled defenses and sometimes by gatlings, which were like poleyns for the finger knuckles.
There are some references, most notably the Battle of San Romano, which indicate that this style of gauntlet might have been used, at least in Italy, into the second or even the third quarter of the 15th century. During the 15th century, this "finger gauntlet" style was replaced in the Milanese style with a three-piece "mitten" gauntlet that replaced the finger scales with two articulating lames that provided more protection but less mobility. The cuff was extended and straightened, losing the flare of the hourglass gauntlet. In the German style, the cuff was also extended, but the plates were ornately fluted and decorated with piercework. The Gothic gauntlet is made from many small plates intricately articulated together with a mixture of sliding and pivoting rivets. The fingers were still articulated using gatlings and scales.
During the 16th century, this style was generalized into a more international style where the gothic cuff was shortened, the metacarpal created from as many as fifteen plates, and the fingers done in scale. A minor variant, the "locking" mitten , was designed for tournament use during the 16th century. No earlier examples survive, though there are references in manuscripts from the middle 14th century that mention such locking gauntlets.
Gisant: (See Brass, Funerary Brass)
Gladius: The short thrusting sword of the Romans, developed originally in bronze but more effective in the later iron examples. These blades were short yet a little heavy, designed both for thrusting and for cutting in close-in combat. The gladius was modified for horseback into another, longer sword, the spatha, to which medieval swords owe most of their design qualities.
Gorge, gorget, collar: The defense for the neck, a plate defense usually hinged on the left side and affixed on the right side with some kind of latch mechanism. These elements were unpopular until the late 15th century; 16th century examples were often fitted with a pin by which the pauldrons were attached. During the 14th century, the aventail defended the neck. During the 15th century, bevors were used in conjunction with sallet helmets and the face piece on the armet was fitted with a very short ventail.
Gothic armour: The Victorian term for German armour from the 15th century, characterized by fluted surfaces in fan-shaped patterns, construction from small thin plates, with a linear design to the pieces. Gothic armour was generally cap à pied armour, very light for full harness, featuring a sallet and bevor for the defense of the head. Contrast this with the more curved and softer Milanese armour produced on the Italian peninsula.
Grapers: lance against the body at the moment of impact, often cited in inventories but which are rarely seen. These are seen in an illumination elsewhere on this site dating from the 15th century.
Gratz Armoury: The armour collection at Gratz, Austria, featuring one of the most extensive collections of 16th and 17th century armours in existence. The armoury represents a nearly intact municipal armoury, the only one of its kind. Only the Tower of London has maintained a similar arsenal.
Great bascinet: A late 14th early 15th century version of the bascinet where the mail aventail was replaced with two steel plates, one in the front and one in back. During the middle 15th century these helmets were still in tournament use, fitted with grilles, adorned with brilliant torses, mantles and crests for the pageants sponsored by rich noblemen such as King René d'Anjou. See Chronique, The Journal of Chivalry #10.
Greaves, shynbalds: Plate defenses for the lower leg also called. They first appear on brasses during the second quarter of the 14th century, and remain a standard defense for the lower leg for more than two centuries. The greaves were shaped, flared and dished to match the shape of the calf and ankle. One of the more difficult pieces of armour to create, the greave adds a very elegant look to any reproduction harness.
Grille: A rare form of visor, a defense for the face, most commonly used on tournament helmets of the 15th century. The only surviving grilles are fitted onto great bascinets; such are amply described in King Rene d'Anjou's book on the tournament. There is a single example of a center mount bascinet from the middle 14th century on a Bohemian altarpiece, c. 1360, the bears a grille as defense. The grille has become a standard defense in the SCA, where modern re-enactors prefer the vision and breathing capability, not having to worry about sheared lances or the points of swords.
Guige: The strap affixed to the back of the shield by which a shield could be carried over the shoulder. See also Chronique: The Journal of Chivalry #8.