Templar Helmet: XIII-XIV Century Greathelm

XIII-XVI century greathelm

The glorious greathelm, the true pinnacle of knightly regalia! In literature, a greathelm is often depicted with glorious plumes and magnificent heraldic crests representative of the knight wearing it. These crests were secured to the flat top of the helmet and were made from leather, balsa wood, feathers, fabric, and any other materials that fit into the heraldry. It can be thought of as a piece of medieval advertising and branding for a knight, displaying their coat of arms and heraldic devices for all to see in jousts, knightly tournaments and ceremonial occasions. Think about it – in full armor, a knight’s face is not visible, so this is an excellent way to set you apart from the crowd and ensure onlookers know who you are. It was the greatest honor for a squire to carry their knights greathelm!

Historically, the great helm was not worn on its own. It was often the finishing touch after a knight was already wearing a close fitting bascinet, for the purpose for additional face protection as well as added height and visibility of their heraldic crest. They have been documented as being used in a time when the visored bascinet was not entirely common, meaning that without a great helm a knight would likely not have adequate face coverage. They were often removed in close combat to increase visibility and reduce bulk.

This greathelm will be a solid addition to your collection, as this piece of armor is functional, robust and reliable. Padded and ready for combat, it does up with a leather strap at your chin. Constructed from stainless steel, this helmet is rust resistant and will take minimal polishing and labor to stay lustrous and shiny – just ensure you give it a quick wipe down after it has been exposed to moisture. Solid rivets have been used in construction meaning it can take quite the beating and will last you for many melees in your future! It has narrow slots for your eyes as well as a strong but perforated front, adding a little bit more vision and also allowing for adequate air flow while you fight.

We have two options for surface finish for you to choose from. The mirror polish is your typical, super shiny finish that you can basically use as a mirror. It reflects light beautifully and truly makes you look like a knight in shining armor. For the less ostentatious we have a satin finish, which is much more matte and doesn’t have quite the same reflective surface. It is completely up to you which finish to go for – perhaps you should be asking yourself what kind of knight you want to be.

To check how to measure yourself please click here. If your intention is to wear this helmet over top of your bascinet or other helm, please ensure you provide measurements with your other helmet on and leave a corresponding comment to your order.

Please contact us if you have any additional questions.

Safety disclaimer: Sword-fighting and fencing is a dangerous sport. Fencing, historical fencing, medieval reenactment and martial arts as well as other related types of activity, are inherently connected to a certain risk level of injuries or death. The Company declines all responsibility for any traumas or harm done to oneself or to the third person, along with any material or consequential damage, impaired during the products usage. We admonish that all acts with armour, weapons or their components have to be performed before designated person who is responsible for safety of the particular event and accredited to supervise armour and sport weapon conformance to the event’s standards.