MAMLUK IN FULL ARMOUR

An extract from Armies and Enemies of the Crusades 1096-1291 by Ian Heath

58. MAMLUK IN FULL ARMOUR c. 1290

Mamluks in full armour appear only rarely in the sources of this era, though as mentioned above many probably wore similar body-armour to that depicted here but concealed it beneath their topcoats.

He wears a Mighfar helmet, with plume and solid neckguard, and a long lamellar Djawshan. (By the end of this era at the latest the term Djawshan could also be applied to a mail corselet reinforced with small tin plates called Teneke, as depicted in 58a; being of more expensive construction than either mail or lamellar this type was generally restricted to amirs.) The mail coif covering all but his eyes is taken from the Baptistère de Saint Louis; similar coifs are to he occasionally seen in other Moslem sources at least as early as c. 1200, sometimes worn without a helmet.

His arms consist of lance, bow, sword (with tasselled hilt - see also 36 and 40) and circular shield charged with an heraldic lion.