Why Knights Wore Cloth Over Their Armor

Why did medieval knights wear a long piece of cloth over their armor? It wasn’t to stop swords or arrows, and historians still argue about whether it helped with the heat. In this animated story, you step into the boots of a crusader at the Battle of Arsuf in 1191, where King Richard the Lionheart marched his army under the arrows of Saladin’s horse archers. Along the way we travel back to Hastings in 1066, watch the great helm hide every face on the battlefield, and find out what that cloth was really for. Chapters: 0:00 Burning Steel 0:52 Hastings, 1066: The Bare Face 1:46 The Great Helm Problem 2:38 The Heat Theory 3:17 Rain, Rust and Mud 5:02 The March to Arsuf 6:29 The Charge 7:23 Dusk on the Field 8:21 After the Surcoat 9:01 The Coat of Arms Today Sources and further reading: Joan Nunn, Fashion in Costume 1200–2000 Michel Pastoureau, Heraldry: Its Origins and Meaning Ambroise, Estoire de la guerre sainte Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad, account of the Third Crusade Troop numbers are modern estimates. Events are told from a fictional knight’s point of view; the historical details follow the sources above. If you like animated military history, subscribe for the next story. #history #military #crusades