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POLISH KNIGHT c.1340
An extract from Armies of the Middle Ages, Volume 2by Ian Heath
[Based on the Masovian Seal of Duke Trojden I of Czersk, Poland]
132. POLISH KNIGHT c.1340
As this figure from the seal of Duke Troyden of Mazovia (d.1341) would seem to confirm, Polish armour of the first half of the 14th century remained very similar to that described for the late-13th century in Armies of Feudal Europe, similar harness surviving in use in Lithuania and parts of Poland even as late as the 17th century. His corselet is of lamellar, buckled down the front, whilst his helmet is a kapalin, indicating Lithuanian influence. 132a shows the more usual variety of helmet to be found in use in Poland during the earlier part of this period, basically the old sugar-loaf heaume with a lambrequin and a painted, leather-covered wooden crest topped with peacock feathers. Winged helmets such as those shown in Armies of Feudal Europe also remained in favour during the early decades of the 14th century (being shown, for example, on the seal of King John of Bohemia), but were rather rare. His shield is a Lithuanian pavise (see figure 142), seemingly reinforced with vertical rows of small metal rings.