A: KNIGHT AND SERGEANT UNIFORMS
1: Brother-in-arms, c.1160. In addition to an undecorated iron helmet and a mail coif, the brother-at-arms is protected by a mail hauberk. His monk’s black cappa has a simple cross sewn to the breast. His large leather-covered wooden shield is undecorated except for a painted cross, as is his sword, scabbard and horse-harness. This was the ideal of ‘simplicity’ which the Hospitallers attempted to maintain for several centuries.
2: Brother sergeant-at-arms, c.1250. Apart from some modernisation in his arms and armour, the main change in this man’s appearance is the abandonment of a cappa for a black surcoat. The cross on the surcoat is also of the eight-pointed type which became a Hospitaller’s badge. His armour consists of an early cervelliere helmet worn beneath a mail coif, a hauberk with one integral mitten, a quilted gambeson beneath this hauberk, and mail chausses on his legs. He holds a brother knight’s horse which is covered by a quilted caparison with a chamfron to protect its head. There is also a small heraldic escutcheon on its saddle, which was allowed at this time.
3: Brother knight-at-arms, c.1275. By the 1270s the Pope permitted Hospitallers to use different coloured surcoats to distinguish brother-knights from brother-sergeants. Shown here is a quilted version with short sleeves, probably known as a jupell. To support his almost flat-topped great-helm, he has a leather arming cap with a padded squab around the brows. The mittens of his mail hauberk are thrown back to his wrists, he has a modern form of buckled sword-belt and iron poleyns are attached to quilted cuisses to protect his knees.
4: Brother knight-at-arms, c.1305. The red surcoat or partially padded jupon was now worn by all Hospitaller brethren-at-arms. There is also a strongly Italian influence in this man’s armour, ranging from his one-piece, deep-brimmed war-hat to the jupon itself, the dagger hung from his belt, and the hardened leather greaves over the mail chausses on his legs. He also wears an unusual form of fabric-covered scale cuirass plus comparable gauntlets. These are based on an effigy of a northern Italian knight who is believed to have been a member of a Military Order.
B: TREATING WOUNDED IN THE HOSPITAL, EARLY 12TH CENTURY
The wards of the domus infirmorum in Jerusalem could get crowded after a battle when injured men would be added to the long-term sick already there. Yet the number of physicians, surgeons and Hospitaller brother-sergeants on duty remained small. There would, however, have been a larger number of paid servants, and in times of crisis other brothers would presumably have helped. The methods used to treat war-injuries in the 12th century are illustrated in a number of sometimes graphic manuscript illustrations, as reconstructed here.
C: ARMS AND ARMOUR C.1140
This knight wears a one-piece iron helmet (1), that has leather chin-straps (2) and a nasal made from a separate piece of iron (3). Beneath the helmet is a padded mail coif. His outermost layer, a broad and loose-fitting monk’s cappa of black cloth, has a very large hood, and is tapered with a white cord worn around the waist. Note also how the left side of the cappa has been gathered up over the sword and scabbard so that the weapon can be drawn. Beneath this he wears a mail hauberk (4), slit at the front and back, with long hems and broad untailored sleeves. Under the hauberk, mostly hidden from view, is a stiff, quilted aketon (5), whose half-length sleeves would ‘bulge’ the shape of the black cappa around the elbows. Beneath the aketon he wears a long, white linen tunic. On his feet are soft leather shoes (6), under which are cotton hose. Attached to his feet are plain iron spurs (7).
The hauberk is shown laid out (4), with an integral mail coif (8). The mail ventail (9), a flap used to protect the lower face and chin, is shown hanging open and ‘untied’. The interior of the largely unlined coif is also shown, together with the linen-covered padding in the skull (10). Note the slit in the left side of the hauberk for the sword hilt (11), and how the hems are split at the front and back to facilitate movement. The padded aketon is also shown laid flat (5). It has leather edging around the sleeves, neck and hem (12): it has vertical stitching in doubled rows; and horizontal stitching in single rows. It has a rectangular neck opening, and a rectangular slit in the front and back of the hem. Note also that at the armpits it has an unquilted filet (13).
He carries an iron-headed spear (14), which has a plain wooden haft: also shown is a detail of the cross-section of the head (15). His sword (16) has a leather-covered wooden grip (16a), and an undecorated, disc-shaped iron pommel (16b) and quillons (16c). It has a gold cross inlaid in the blade (16d), and a fuller-groove down the blade, which can be seen more clearly in the cross-section detail (16e).
The scabbard (17) is made of wood and covered in leather, with a copper chape at the base (18), a detail of which is shown (19). It is attached by a knotted leather sword-belt. Two details of the top of the scabbard are shown: the first shows the leather sleeve around which the belt laces or straps are tied (20), and the second shows the rear of this, with the straps attached (21).
He also bears a shield. This is of wooden construction and covered in leather, with an iron boss in the middle on the front. The interior of the shield with its vertical ‘keel’ shape is shown (22). It has a leather guige with an iron buckle (23) for securing it across the shoulder and chest, a leather covered padded squab (24), and hand straps (25): these are secured with rivets and rings (26). Also shown is a section through the centre of the shield (27).
D: DEFENDING PILGRIMS C.1150
The Hospitallers were created to care for sick or injured pilgrims in the Holy Land, but they were soon involved in protecting those who wanted to visit isolated or dangerous shrines. The threat came not only from bandits but from semi-official raiders at a time when the frontiers of the Crusader States remained vulnerable. Here a group of pilgrims have been ambushed by raiders from the isolated Fatimid Egyptian garrison at Ascalon which finally fell to the kingdom of Jerusalem in 1153.
E: CLOTHING ALLOCATION ACCORDING TO THE HOSPITALLER STATUTE OF 1206
1: White linen or cotton breeches (x 3 pairs).
2: White linen or cotton shirt (x 3).
3: Linen cotta (x 3).
4: White hose (x 2 pairs, one linen, one wool).
5: Cotton coif (x 1).
6: White cap, probably of felt (x 1).
7: Black woollen garnache and hood (x 1).
8: Black woollen mantle lined with fur for winter (x 1).
9: Black woollen mantle, unlined for summer (x 1).
10: White linen bedding sheets (x 4).
11: Linen bag for bedding (x 1).
F: CARAVAN RAID C.1250
The Hospitallers not only provided local expertise when Crusader forces launched a raid against neighbouring Islamic territory. They also provided some of the most disciplined units. The regulations which governed the behaviour of brethren-at-arms on active service were highly detailed and specified when men could drink or water their horses. Here, a unit of Hospitallers is on a raid, but they are having trouble maintaining discipline amongst non-Hospitaller troops and European Crusaders, some of the latter having broken ranks to drink at a spring.
G: ARMS AND ARMOUR C.1230
The knight wears a fluted iron helmet with a face-mask riveted to the front. Next to this is shown the quilted linen coif (1), which was worn under a separate mail coif (2): the mail coif has leather edging around face, and the mail ventail is shown laced at the left temple. Note the rectangular lower outline of the coif. On top of the mail coif is a padded leather squab for the helmet (3), and also worn is a leather brow-band tied at the back of the head (4). The helmet is also shown in front view (5).
His outer layer is a heavy woollen cappa, with a large hood and broad, long sleeves: there are no slits in the hem. Sewn to the front of this is the new style of cross, and tied around the waist is a white rope. The long sleeves of the cappa are partially rolled back.
Beneath the cappa he wears a linen covered, quilted, sleeveless gambeson (6): the collar is secured by wooden buttons and leather loops. A narrow leather belt with an iron buckle tapers it to the body.
Beneath this he wears a long-sleeved mail hauberk (7) with integral mittens (8) but no coif. At the front of the neck is an overlapping opening for added protection. The mittens have a soft leather palm, which are slit sideways. Note also the laces for tightening the wrists of the hauberk, these were probably attached permanently. Linder the hauberk he wears a quilted cotton covered aketon (9).
His legs are protected on the front by mail chausses (10), kept up by a knotted leather suspender to a narrow leather belt around the waist. On his feet, inside the chausses, are leather shoes (11). Around his middle leg are plain soft leather quilted cuisses (12): these are laced around the upper and lower edges. Beneath the chausses are linen hose (13) kept up by leather laces, and under these he wears cotton breeches (14), with a drawstring around the waist.
One of his weapons is a single-edged faussar-type weapon (15) with a wooden grip. This is also shown in an ‘exploded’ view. He also bears an undecorated iron sword with a hazelnut-shaped pommel (16). When not in use this is carried in a scabbard (17) attached to a slit and knotted sword-belt: both the front view and a rear view (18) of the lacing system of the sword-belt to the scabbard is shown. Also shown is an example and detail of tooled decoration for the front of the leather-covered wooden scabbard (19).
BELOW The half round tower which forms the corner of the outer wall of Marqab was rebuilt by Sultan Qala'un after he captured the castle in 1285, but behind is the main keep erected by the Hospitallers. (Author’s photograph)
ABOVE Most of Acre mas rebuilt following the end of the crusader occupation. Nevertheless part of a Frankish tower still stands at the end of a wharf built on top of the medieval quay. (Author’s photograph)
His shield (20) is wood covered in leather: in this form of shield the internal nails cannot be seen on the front. It has a leather guige with iron buckle (21), for attachment over the shoulder, and a padded leather squab (22). Note that only two of the inner straps over the squab are buckled.
H: A MEETING OF THE CHAPTER C.1270
This gathering is taking place in the Hospitaller castle of Krak des Chevaliers. There were strict regulations about not carrying arms or wearing armour in chapter, presumably to avoid intimidation. A ‘non-brother’ sergeant is present to maintain order and is evicting an over-enthusiastic petitioner. Nearby, a brother-sergeant is passing a petition to the Conventual Prior, while the Brother Cellarer, distinguished by his bunch of keys, listens.
I: THE BANNER OF THE ORDER OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST JOHN AND THE COATS OF ARMS OF ITS MASTERS TO 1306
The supposed coats-of-arms of the earliest masters were drawn up in later years in the belief that such notable men must have had them. Other early arms are similarly unreliable, having been based upon those used by families claiming some association with the families of the first masters. This illustration also shows a Hospitaller standard bearer from c. 1260.
1: The Blessed Gerard (1099-1120)
2: The Blessed Raymond du Puy (1120-60)
3: Auger de Balben (1160-62)
4: Arnold de Comps (1162)
5: Gilbert d’Assailly (1162-70)
6: Cast de Murols (1170-72)
7: Jobert de Syrie (1172-77)
8: Roger de Moulins (1177-87)
9: Armengaud d’Asp (1188-90)
10: Gamier de Naples (1190-92)
11: Geoffrey de Donjon (1193-1202)
12: Alfonso de Portugal (1203-06)
13: Geoffrey le Rat (1206-07)
14: Garin de Montaigu (1207-28)
15: Bertrand de Thessy (1228-30)
16: Guerin (1230-36)
17: Bertrand de Comps (1236-39)
18: Pierre de Vieille Bride (1239-42)
19: Guillaume de Chateauneuf (1242-58)
20: Hugues Revel (1258-77)
21: Nicholas Lorgne (1277-85)
22: Jean de Villiers (1285-93)
23: Eudes des Pins (1293-96)
24: Guillaume de Villaret (1296-1305) and Foulques de Villaret (1305-1319)
J: THE FALL OF ACRE, 1291
The Hospitallers, the Templars and the Teutonic Knights played a heroic role in the final defence of Acre but the Hospitallers emerged from this disaster with the greatest credit, partly because they were more successful in helping refugees to escape from the doomed city. There must have been terror and chaos in Acre’s narrow streets, particularly near the harbour, as panic-stricken people tried to get aboard the few ships available to carry them to safety.