The bascinet, bascinet or bacinet is a medieval European helmet with a visor which appeared around the beginning of the 14th century. It derives from the cervelière by extension of the iron pieces on the cheeks and the neck and gradually replaced the great helmet of the 13th century.
Origin
The small bascinet, first version related to the cervelière, without visor, was worn under larger helmets. After the first spear thrusts, the great helm was often removed for hand-to-hand combat, during which it interfered with breathing and vision. Wearing a smaller helmet underneath brought a definite advantage.
To protect the nose and part of the face, once the helm was removed, a small nose was developed and then an increasingly complete mask. From the middle of the 14th century, most of the knights of Europe abandoned the great helm as a whole, too heavy for the bascinet, now equipped with a folding hinged leaf.
Characteristics and shape
The shape of the bascinet was designed to deflect lance blows and to better resist cutting blows from swords and maces. The primitive design of the helmet was intended to deflect blows down and away from the skull and face. At the turn of the 10th century, the bascinet evolved from a short shape to an increasingly pointed cap (to the point that the rear fell vertically). In Germany, a more bulbous version also appeared at the beginning of the 15th century.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the large bassinet appeared by adding more plates to better protect the throat. The cap and the ventail became less angular and rounder, until at the end of the 15th century, the large bassinet evolved into an armet.
The beak of the mézail du bassinet à bec of passerines allowed the fighter better comfort than the previous great helm.
The spout of the mézail of the passerines-beaked bassinet allowed the fighter better comfort than the previous great helm.
Visor
The visor or fan was often conical, giving it the appearance of a snout or beak. We then sometimes spoke of a "helm with a dog's head". It made it easier to breathe, especially since hinges allowed it to be raised.
Two types of attachments exist for the visor. The "klappvisor" was a unique hinge in the middle of the forehead, encountered mainly in Germany. The visor with two lateral pivots was mounted on two hinges placed on each side of the helmet and whose lack of parallelism was compensated by pivots. This second system was common on Italian armour.
Some records claim that some seasoned knights wore their bascinet without a visor for better visibility and breathing in hand-to-hand combat, and to avoid heat stroke.
Additional accessories
On older versions, the neck was protected by a camail, a piece of chain mail falling on the neck and shoulders. The camail was attached to a leather strap held on the lower edge of the bassinet by a series of staples (the vervelles). A waxed cord, passing through holes in the straps, fixed it to the vervelles.
From the end of the 14th century, basinets were combined with a gorget in plates to protect the neck. This improvement led to the large bascinet. (see above)
A series of small holes pierced the lower edge of the helmet and the edge of the face. A padded trim was sewn to it. This lining was made of linen or a fabric mixed with linen and stuffing of wool or horsehair. The top of the trim consisted of a series of lobes held together by a cord to adjust the height of the helmet on the head.
Although no chin strap was ever used, the bassinet could not lift too easily if the camail was attached to a surcoat or armour.
Usage
The bascinet was the main military helmet from the 14th century, when the great helmet of the 13th century went out of use. The bassinet was notably used extensively during the Hundred Years War. The period illustrations represent the majority of fighters wearing this helmet.
It remained in use until the end of the 15th century, in competition with the toad-head helmet, before disappearing in favor of the armet and the salad.