Arms and Armour
Glossary of Terms


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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!

Indirect Reduction: A process through which steel is obtained from iron ore, used in northern France at least as early as 1451. The hotter fire of a stuckhofen would reduce the iron to a liquid, which could be collected on a bed of charcoal where a portion of the carbon would be oxidized and run off; the resulting material is steel. Also known as the Walloon method. See Chronique: The Journal of Chivalry #13.

Insurance: (See Armour, as insurance)

Iron, as a material for armour: Surviving in a limited form after the fall of the Roman empire, until the 12th century the use of iron was restricted to weapons, mail hauberks, and casques or spangen helmets. During the 13th century sources for iron became more plentiful, and during the 14th century it became commonly available for use by armourers.

Recent tests by the Swiss Institute for Arms and Armour have shown that during the 15th century the use of steel, iron strengthened by the addition of carbon, was mastered by both Italian and German craftsmen. After the middle of the century most armour was made from steel rather than iron, making it more durable, resistant to rust, and more easily heat-treatable.

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