A History of Fashion and Costume The Medieval World Philip Steele
The Medieval World World
Library of Congress Cataloging-inPublication Data
Copyright © 2005 Bailey Publishing Associates Associates Ltd Produced for Facts On File by Bailey Publishing Associates Ltd 11a Woodlands Hove BN3 6TJ Project Proje ct Manager: Roberta Bailey Bailey Editor: Alex Woolf Woolf Text Designer: Simon Borrough Artwork: Dav Davee Burroughs, Burroughs, Pet Peter er Dennis, Dennis, Tony Morris Picture Researc Research: h: Glass Onion Pictures
Steele, Philip Steele, Philip,, 1948– A history of fashion fashion and costume costume.. The medieval world/Philip Steele. p. cm cm.. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-5945-4 1. Clothing and and dress—History— dress—History— Medieval, Mediev al, 500–150 500–1500 0 GT575.S84 2005 391/ 39 1/.0 .009 09/0 /02— 2—dc dc 22 2004 20 0406 0608 0891 91 The publishers publishers would like like to thank thank the following follow ing for per mission to use their
Printed and bound in Hong Kong
pictures:
All rights reserv reserved. ed. No part of this book may may be
Art Ar Arch chiive: 7, 8, 9, 10 10,, 11 11,, 14 14.. 15
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
(both) (bo th),, 16 16,, 19 19,, 21 21,, 22 22,, 25 (bo (botto ttom), m), 26,
means, electro electronic nic or mechanical, including
27,, 28 27 28,, 30 30,, 32 32,, 33 33,, 34 34,, 35 35,, 36 36,, 37 37,, 39 39,, 40 40,,
photocopying, photocop ying, recordin recording, g, or by by any information
41,, 43 41 43,, 45 45,, 47 47,, 48 (top (top), ), 49 49,, 51 51,, 53 (top (top), ),
storage or retrieval retrieval systems, systems, without permission in
54 (b (bot oth) h),, 55 55,, 56 56,, 57 57,, 58 58,, 59
writing from the publisher. publisher. For information
Werner Forman Arch Archiv ive: e: 12, 13, 25
contact:
(top), (top ), 38, 48 (botto (bottom), m), 53 (botto (bottom) m)
Facts On On File, File, Inc. 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for busines bus inesses, ses, asso associat ciations, ions, inst instituti itutions, ons, or sale saless promotions. promot ions. Please call our Special Special Sales Department in New York at 212/967-8800 or 800/322-8755. You Y ou can find Facts On File on the World World Wide Web at: http://ww http://www w.fact .factsonfile.com sonfile.com
Contents Introduction
5
Chapter 1: Europe 500–1000
6
Chapter 2: Europe 1000–1400
16
Chapter 3: Europe 1400–1550
26
Chapter 4: Africa and Asia 500-1550
36
Chap Ch apte terr 5: 5: Oce Ocean ania ia an and d the the Am Amer eric icas as 50 5000-15 1550 50
50
Timeline
60
Glossar y
61
Fur ther Information
62
Index
64
Introduction The costumes of the Middle Ages still fascinate us. Children Children’’s fairytale books are filled with fanciful pictures of European princesses in tall “steeple” hats, of honest woo woodcutters dcutters in homespun cloth, of knights knights in shining armor, armor, and colorful colorful court jesters. Mediev Medieval al costume inspired romantic romantic poets and artists of the nineteenth century, century, as well as the makers makers of fantasy films in the twenty-first.The reality of medieval costume is every bit as interesting as the fantasy.
Finding Out How do we discover the truth about the way people dressed in the medieval period? Firstly, Firstly, actual items of jewelry, jewelry, cro crowns, wns, shoes, suits of armor, and the remains remains of textiles have have survived. survived. The latter may be fragments of cloth uncovered by archaeologists, archaeolo gists, or they may be whole garments now now preserved in a palace or museum. Secondly Secondly,, there are visual visual references references supplied supp lied by statues, statues, memo memorial rial brasses in churches, churches, pain paintings tings,, or illustrated manuscripts.Thirdly, manuscripts.Thirdly, we have have descriptions of clothing in medieval medieval literature, or references references to it in other written records records such as laws, tax receipts, receipts, or trading accounts.
When and Where? The term “Middle Ages” strictly refers to the period of European Europ ean history between the classical and the modern age. It begins with the fall of the Roman Roman Empire in the west, west, in 476 CE, and may may be said to end with with the fall of the eastern Roman, Rom an, or Byzantin Byzantine, e, Empi Empire re in 1453. 1453. It is sometimes sometimes extended to include the Renaissance, the cultural reawakening reawakening which began in southern Europe and continued into the midsixteenth century. This book deals broadly with the period 500 to 1550 CE and looks beyond beyond the frontiers of Europe Europe to the Silk Road, the ancient trading route between China and the West. West. It visits the dye pits of Kano in West Africa and crosses the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It describes the dress of the Incas in Peru Peru and the feather craftworkers of Aztec Mexico. Costume does not just reveal ideas about beauty or fashion. It tells us about craft, technolo technology gy,, politics and po power wer,, social classes, classe s, reli religion, gion, cust customs, oms, child childhoo hood, d, and the the world world of work. work. It is the key to a bygone age.
Chapter 1: Europe 500–1000 Raiders and Riders
W
hen the Roman Empire finally collapsed in 476 CE, Ge German rmanic ic tribe tribess such suc h as the Ang Angles les,, Sax Saxon ons, s, and Franks Franks were already invading much of western Europe.The incomers were warriors and their dress was practical pract ical,, desig designed ned for riding and battle bat tle,, for farming, farming, or for for build building ing new ne w set settle tlemen ments, ts, rat rather her tha than n for affairs of of state state,, busi business, ness, or leisu leisure re.. Troubled Times
This AngloSaxon ceremonial cerem onial helmet, helmet, from Sutton Hoo in England, dates from about 625. It shows Roman influence in
The early Middle Ages Ages in Europe have sometimes been called the Dark Ages.There was almost constant warfare, lawlessn law lessness, ess, and a lack of stable government. gov ernment.This This led to the disruption of education, and only only limited limited historical records have survived. Howev How ever, er, the artistic inspiration and high craft standards of peoples such as the Angle Angles, s, Saxo Saxons, ns, Irish, or Viki Vikings, ngs, seen for example in their surviving jewelry jew elry,, suggest that this age was far from barbaric.
Kingdoms and Empires In eastern and central Europe, Europe, there were invasions by Slavs from southe sou thern rn Ru Russi ssia, a, and Magyars Magyars (Hungarians) from from Asia. Ho Howe wever ver,, the city of Constantino Constantinople ple or Byzantium (modern (mod ern Istan Istanbul bul), ), capit capital al of the Byzantine Empire Empire,, did not fall to invaders. inv aders.The The empire offered all the pomp and glitter of an imperial court and provided a living for all sorts of people, peop le, inclu including ding offic officials, ials, lawy lawyers, ers, teachers, teach ers, mer merchan chants, ts, priests, labor laborers, ers, and organi organizers zers of horse horse races. races. By the seventh and eighth centuries, new,, small kingdom new kingdomss were were bein being g founded across across western Europe, Europe, and in 800 the Frankish ruler Charlemagne was crowned ruler of an empire which stretched from the Pyrenean Mountains, Mountains, on the borders borders
Europe 500–1000
of Spain, to central Europe.W Europe.Western estern Europe Eur ope,, no now w mostly Christian, Christian, was becoming a more settled society.
The Social Background To understand how people dressed in the Middle Ages, we need to know know how ho w society was organized.The feudal system was developing at this time—a social order based on oaths of service. service. Kings granted large areas areas of land to their nobles in return for their loyalty loyalty and military support. Workers prom promised ised to supply labor, military milit ary servic service, e, and pro produce duce to the the nobles in return for military protection or a roof over their heads. Increasingly Increasin gly,, the superior status of the nobles was emphasized by their dress, quality of cloth, cloth, and styles of of fashion.
Early Medieval Textiles Woolen cloth was processed by hand. Raw wool was carded (combed out) and then wound onto a handheld cleft stick,, called a distaff. stick distaff. Fr From om here here it was drawn out with the fingers onto a drop spindle, spindle, a suspended rod about about eight inches (20 cm) long, fitted with a disk called called a whorl.The whorl.The whorl kept kept the spindle revolving evenly.The pull of gravity drew drew the thread downwar downward d as it was twisted by the spindle.Thread could then be wound into a skein, for coloring with natural dyes. The woody stems of the flax plant wer eree strip stripped ped,, drie dried, d, and then then soaked soaked in water to extract the fiber inside. This could be spun and woven to
make linen, linen, which was was cooler and smoother than wool. wool. Another plant, hemp,, could be processed hemp processed to make a cheaper cheap er,, scrat scratchier chier cloth, som sometime etimess used by poor poor people. Cotton was was still a rare import import for most of Europe. Europe.
A recon reconstructio struction n at Jorvik, Jorvi k, the Viking Viking settlement settle ment of York, York, in England, Englan d, shows the vertical warp-weighted loom in use at the time.
A Vi Viki king ng Loom Loom The Vikings were were Scandinavian Scandinavian sea sea raiders, who attacked and settled the coasts of western Europe in the ninth century. century. Their looms, looms, or weaving weaving frames, leaned upright against the walls of their houses. The upright,, or warp, upright warp, threads were were kept kept taut at the base base by stone or clay clay weigh weights ts and were separated separated by by a horizontal horizon tal bar called a heddle. heddle. The horizontal, horizontal, or weft, threads were passed through the gap in the warp and then beaten upwards with a long batten made of wood, iron, or whalebone. whalebone. Weaving Weaving was done done in the home.
State and Church
The Frankish emperor Charlemagne, Charlem agne, who lived lived from 747 747 to 814, is shown shown here both as crowned head of state and as a man of action.
The Byzantine emperor Justinian Justi nian I, who died died in 565, 56 5, we wears ars a cr crow own n wi with th pendants and a purple robe.
The warrior bands of the early Middle Ages would be led by a chieftain or warlord, warlord, who might own own better weapons or armor than his followers, follow ers, but who wore wore no special clothes to indicate his rank. Ho Howe wever ver,, when kingdoms and empires were founded, the descendants descendants of those those chieftains had much grander ideas of their own importance.The tombstone of Cadfan, sev seventhenthcentury ruler of of Gwynedd, Gwynedd, a small kingdom in North Wales, describes him as “the wisest and most renowned of all kings.”The high statuss now statu now enjo enjoye yed d by ev even en minor minor royalty was reinforced by their costume.
Crowned Heads The royal crowns of the early Middle Ages derived from royal circlets or diadems worn in Persia, which were were adopted adopted by the Byzantine emperors and empresses. These crowns included pendants, jewe jeweled led pieces hanging down on each side of the face. Kings of the Visigoths, a Germanic Germanic people who ruled Spain in the 600s, wore circlets of thick gold set with pearls and precious stones. Two centuries later, later, Charlemagne Charlemagne’’s crown was made up of gold plaques set with sapphires and emeralds and decorated with enameled figures from the Bible. Many crowns were topped with crosses, emphasizin emphasizing g that that the the king ruled by the will of God.
Europe 500–1000
Robes and Jewels Western European kings looked eastward to the splendor of the Byzantine Empire. Empire. Its powerful powerful emperor wore a long under-tunic with a looser, looser, shorter outer tunic.The cloth was was of silk, embr embroidered oidered with gold thread.The Byzantine empress wore a long tunic with a richly embroidered embr oidered collar and stole, stole, studded with gems. As in ancient Rome, Rome, purple was the color reserved for the imperial family. family. Other European European rulers also began to wear long robes for state occasions, and decorated decorated their clothes with jewels.
Regalia Mediev Medie val rule rulers rs wor oree or carrie carried d all sorts of emblems, called regalia (royal (royal things), to emphasize emphasize their status as representatives of the state.These included inclu ded cloak cloaks, s, rings, scept scepters, ers, orbs orbs,, swor sw ords, ds, brac bracelets elets,, glo glov ves and, most importantly,, cro importantly crowns.The wns.The full royal costume would be worn at coronations coro nations and important state occasions. Mediev Medieval al kings were were frequently frequen tly in the saddle, saddle, hunting or fighting battles, battles, and at such such times their long robes would be replaced by mo more re pr prac acti tica call tu tuni nics cs,, cl cloa oaks ks,, or shirts of mail.
Religious Dress Early Christian monks and priests wore similar tunics and cloaks to everyone ev eryone else. else. How Howev ever, er, religious costume,, like ro costume royal yal dress, soon developed dev eloped symbolic symbolic meanings. In Rome and Constantinop Constantinople, le, bishops and popes dressed to show that their authority came from God.Their God. Their dress
became very grand. grand.Wide Wide,, T-shaped tunics called dalmatics were of the same design as those worn by kings for their coronations. coronations. Bishops in the the Celtic Church wore wore crowns. crowns. Clergy woree long, white tunics called albs wor beneath sleeveless mantles called chasubles. Long stoles or scarves would be embroidered with the sign of the cross. The appearance of the clergy led to many man y heate heated d debates debates in the early Middle Ages. Monks in the Catholic Church of Rome shaved a circular patch from their hair as a symbol of the cro crown wn of of thorns thorns worn worn by Je Jesus. sus. Howev How ever, er, monks in the Celtic Church shaved a band across their hair from from ear to to ear, ear, a cust custom om which which probably dated back to the druids, the Celtic priests of the pre-Christian age.The Catholic Church ruled that this tonsure tonsure (method of of shaving) shaving) was was unholy.. Between the seventh and unholy twelfth centuries the Celtic Church was absorbed into the Roman tradition.
Deacons of the Church lead the Byzantine empress Theodora (500–548) to worship. She wears a crown and imperial robes under a gem-studded collar collar..
Chie Ch ieft ftai ains ns,, Lo Lord rds, s, an and d Ladi Ladies es In the early Middle Ages Ages the upper classes were chiefly distinguished by the quality of the cloth they they wore, wore, by embroidered embro idered hems hems and cuffs, and by fine dyes. Broad bands bands of color were popular among nobles of northern Europe.
Byzantine noble, nob le, 600
Tunics and Trousers The linen or woolen tunic was the basis of dress across most of Europe for all social classes and both sexes. The long tunics and robes of the Roman Empire were still seen at the royal ro yal court or in church, but shorter, shorter, knee-leng knee -length th tunic tunicss were were no now w wo worn rn by noblemen, noblemen, often with breeches. breeches. These might be bound around the calves with crisscrossed thongs or worn with knee-length laced boots or shoes of soft leather. Most noblewomen also wore tunics, with designs that varied with time and place. In seventh-century seventh-century Spain
Byzantine Silks Silk was the most luxurious cloth of all. The breeding of silkworms and the spinning and weaving of this shimmering textile had originally been a secret of the Chinese, but had gradually spread spread southward and westward across Asia. The Greeks and Roman Romans s knew knew about about silk, but the first first serious serious attempt attem pt at creating creating a European silk industry industry bega began n at Constantinople in the reign of Justinian I (c. 482–565
CE ).
Manufacture took place under high
security secur ity,, within the palace palace walls, walls, and was was of a very very high standard. The best quality cloth was reserved for the the emperor emperor,, but the the courtiers courtiers also wore wore fine fine silk. Manufacture and trade were strictly controlled by the imperial court.
the tunic might be more more like a dress, dress, shaped and close-fitting with long sleeves. sleev es. In eighth-century eighth-century France a looser loos er,, calf-l calf-lengt ength h tuni tunic, c, with threethreequarter-length sleev sleeves, es, might be worn over over a long shift. shift. Long stoles or scarves could be draped gracefully over the shoulders or head. Noblewomen wore delicate shoes of soft leather or embroidered linen.
Girdles and Cloaks Tunics for both sexes were generally gathered with a girdle or belt, which might be a strip of fancy leather or embroidered embro idered cloth. cloth. Men might wear wear an ornate buckle or a sheath for a knife on their belt, while a woman’s woman’s girdle often supported a satchel, as theree we ther were re no pock pockets ets in their garments. garment s. Some Sometimes times wome women n wore wore a broad sash around around the hips, knotted and hanging down at the front.
Europe 500–1000
French ladyy, 850 lad
Even the finest palaces of the early Middle Midd le Ages were were draft drafty y places, and the wooden halls of a prince or chieftain in northern norther n Europe must havee been bitterly cold in winter. hav winter. Warm cloaks of woo wool, l, fur, or hide were a necessity.
Jewelry
Anglo-Saxon noble, nob le, 950
high degree of craftsmanship. The Viking chieftains of the ninth century had some very fine examples made for themselves, themselves, and they also traded or plunder plundered ed jewelry jewelry on their sea voy voyages. ages. Hoards of Viking treasure, treasur e, buried for for safekeepin safekeeping, g, rev reveal eal high-quality gold jewelry jewelry from all over Europe and the Middle East.
Cloaks for men and women were generally fastened at the shoulder or the chest by a round brooch secured with a long pin. The brooch was was often the most elaborate and beautiful item worn. worn. One of the most most splendid examples is the “Tara” brooch, broo ch, made in Ireland Ireland in the early eighth century. century. It is crafted from silver silv er,, br bronze onze,, glass glass,, and ambe amber, r, and even the back of the brooch—which would wou ld not hav havee been seen when worn—is as lavishly decorated as the front. Brooches, Brooch es, buc buckles, kles, pins pins,, neck necklaces, laces, and earrings of of this period period show show a
Enamelled brooch used to fasten cloaks. It was found in the bed of the River Shannon, Shann on, in Ireland. Ireland.
Working Clothes In the Roman Empire, Empire, most laborers and slaves wore knee-length tunics, the most practical dress for plowing, fishing, fishi ng, or buildin building g a house. house. Fo For r greater mobility, mobility, the hem of the tunic could be drawn through the legs and tucked up into the belt, belt, similar to a baby’s diaper.This continued to be normal working dress during the early medieval period in southern Europe.
Cloths and Dyes Tunics for slaves, or the poorest in society,, wer society weree made of the coarsest woolen wo olen,, linen linen,, or hemp hemp cloth. cloth. Thes Thesee weree undyed. wer undyed. Ho Howe wever ver,, middle-class people, peop le, such as merchants merchants,, wore homespun cloth of a better quality. This might be dyed with the extracts of flowe flowers, rs, lea leave ves, s, ro roots, ots, or bark. bark. Natural dyes included a plant called woad, wo ad, whic which h gave gave a blue color; color; a wildflower wildflow er called weld, or dyer’s dyer’s
rocket, which produ rocket, produced ced yello yellow; w; and madder,, an evergreen madder evergreen shrub of the Mediterranean region, region, whose root produced a crimson dye.
Heavy-duty Heavy-d uty Clothing The waterlogged clay of northern Europe required heavier plows than the lighter soils of the south. Northern farming was generally muddier mud dier,, we wetter tter,, and colder colder,, so people people dressed accordingly. accordingly. As well as the tunic, short breeches breeches or longer longer trousers trous ers were were generally worn, worn, the latter often tied with thongs. Shoes of calfskin or or goatskin goatskin were were tightened with leather laces. Soles would would be replaced when worn worn out, and sometimes shoes wer weree fitted with wooden wo oden soles, soles, lik likee clog clogs. s. Knee Knee-leng -length th boots boo ts and gaiters gaiters tied to linen linen trous tr ousers ers wer eree als also o worn, worn, alt althou hough gh bare legs and feet were common among the poorest citizens.
Women at Work
A simple tunic tunic remained remained the working dress dress of the plowman during most of the Middle Ages.
A wom woman’ an’ss work in a ninth-century ninth-century Viking settlement was fairly typical of this age. age. It might include include cooking, fetching water, water, and looking after after livestock.When liv estock.When summer came and the men sailed off to raid foreign shores, the women women stayed stayed behind to run the household and often the farm as well well.. A lot of time time wa wass spent spent spinning spin ning,, we weavi aving, ng, and making making clothes for the family f amily.. A Viking woman would wear a long shift of wooll or linen, with a sleeveless woo sleeveless woolen tunic over the top.This was secured with shoulder straps fastened by br brooc ooches. hes. Ke Keys, ys, pins pins,, or othe other r useful items items were were often kept kept on
Europe 500–1000
chains which hung from these brooches.
Everyday Accessories Clothes were not made with pockets. Instead, pouches or purses of cloth or leather were attached to belts in order to hold money money,, hair combs, combs, or other small or precious precious items. items. Not all jewelry was made of costly silver or gold.. In northern gold northern Europe Europe,, antle antler r horn, ho rn, wa walrus lrus tusk, tusk, bo bone ne,, woo ood, d, gla glass ss beads, bead s, and stones stones such such as jet, rea readily dily found on some some beaches, wer weree made into very very beau beautiful tiful ornaments ornaments.. Hats were a rare sight in the early Middle Ages. Simple cloth caps in the “Phrygian” “Phry gian” style of the ancient ancient Greeks were sometimes worn.These weree conical, with the peak flopping wer flopping forwar forw ard d in the fr fron ont.The t.There re wer eree also also broad-brimmed straw sunhats.
All Wrapped Up Most people who wished to protect themselves from rain or
Viking women’ women’s dress was home-made, homemade, simp simple, le, practical and often colorful. Hair was worn long or tied back. Married women wore headscarves.
snow would simply raise their cloaks to cover their heads. The cloak could also be wrapped around the body to serve as bedding for a weary traveler or a Viking seafarer seafarer.. Woo Woolen len cloaks cloaks soon became soaked through with rain or or spray, spray, but cloaks cloaks of hide could offer some waterproofing. waterp roofing. Iceland, colonized by Vikings Vikings in 874, 874, bec became ame famous for exporting shaggy woolen cloaks. In eastern Europe, Bulgarian sheepskin coats coa ts becam became e popula popularr, worn with the fleecy side against the body.
Viking shoes were generally made of goat- or calf-skin and were either slippers or laced around the ankle.
Dressing for War This decorative helmet, with an iron iron cap, cap, would have been a highly prized possession. It was found in a burial at Vendel in Sweden, Swed en, and probably probably dates from the second half of the seventh century.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west, west, large standing armies rarely took to the battlefield. Much of the military action was now carried carr ied out by small, small, mobile bands bands of mounted warriors. Most wer weree ordinary working people who owed allegiance to a local chieftain or lord.
They wore simple jerkins or tunics with breeches. breeches. A leather belt belt carried a scabb scabbard ard for for the the sword sword.. Little armor armor was worn. worn. Some stitched stitched metal plates onto their clothes for protectio protection, n, but only the leaders owned helmets or mail shirts.The early Franks piled up their hair in braids to provide padded protection for their heads. It was much the same with the Viking raiders of the ninth century. Their simple, simple, conical helmets were were made of iron or hardened leather.. Some had leather had nasals (bars to pro protect tect the nose) nose).. A few leading warriors had helmets with cheek guards or ornate prot protection ection for the face.The f ace.The elite Viking shock troops were known as berserkers, or “wear “wearers ers of bearskin shirts.”They would work themselves up into a blood-crazed frenzy before battle.Wee still talk of people in battle.W a rage “going berserk. berserk.”
Armies of Empire The more orderly, orderly, large-scale military milit ary acti activitie vitiess familiar familiar to the ancient Romans lived on in the Byzantine Empire, which succeeded in recapturing former Roman territory in Italy and North Africa. Ho Howe weve ver, r, the old Roman-style legions—large units of well-trained professional soldiers—had been disbanded. The Byzantine Empire was really a land of merc merchant hants, s, and its rulers rulers preferred pre ferred to hire hire mer mercenaries cenaries to
Europe 500–1000
Shirts of Mail Mail was a form of armor invented by the Celts sometime before the fifth fifth century BCE. The Roman Roman legions, legions, who adopted the use of mail, called it became the French word
maille.
macula
(mesh), (mes h), and this
Mail was was made made up of small, small,
interlinking iron rings, rings, riveted or pressed pressed together together and shaped into shirts, and later other other forms of garment. garment. In the the early Middle Ages only a few few warriors could could afford shirts shirts of mail, but from the the ninth century onward it became increasingly common.
fight for them rather than raise their own armies.The Byzantine foot soldiers sold iers wo wore re scale armor—t armor—tunic unicss of sewn metal plates—over breeches. By the reign reign of Basil II (976–1025 (976–1025), ), the emperor was protected by an elite bodyguard bodyguard of Rus Rus (Swedish (Swedish Vikings who had settled in Russia). They wer weree known as the Varangian Guard Guar d and wore elabo elaborate rate armor armor.. In the early ninth century, century, the armies of the Frankish emperor emperor Charlemagne marched into battle wearing tunics with cloaks or kilts, similar to the style of the old Roman legions.Their legions. Their helmets were were either rounded or conical with a ridge along the crest.
Rise of the Knight In the eighth century, century, a new invention called the stirrup reached Europe, Euro pe, which had originated three centuries cent uries earlier earlier in China. By securing secu ring a horse horse rider’ rider’ss foot foot,, the stirrup allowed him to stay in the saddle during the shattering impact of a cav cavalry alry charg charge. e. By the the tenth tenth century,, heavy cavalry century cavalry was becoming increasingly important in
warfare.The age of the knight was about to begin, and with it would come many man y socia sociall change changes. s. These altered the way people dressed, and not not just on the battlefield.
Carolingian soldier soldier,, c.800
Angevin knight, c.1125
Chapter 2: Europe 1000–1400
T
he feudal system in Europe reached its high point from the eleventh to the thirteenth thirtee nth cent centuries. uries. Incr Increasin easingly gly,, the manners, mann ers, cost costumes, umes, and ev even en lang language uage of the nobility differed from those of the common people who served, labor lab ored, ed, and fough foughtt for them them.. By the the 1300s,, feudal 1300s feudalism ism had had begun begun to decline.. Bankers and merchan decline merchants— ts— especially those engaged in the cloth trade—often became wealthier and sometimes more powerful than their feudal lords.
The Age of Knights A German manus manuscript cript of of 1305– 40 shows a grand tournament. Even the fashions of the noble women spectators are outshone by the gaudy coats-of-arms and crests displayed by the knights.
Land and Power In the eleventh century, century, as the power of the Byzantine Empire began to wane,, the Holy Roman Empire—a wane Empire—a loose federation of Germanic states which had replaced the eastern part of Charlemagne’ss old empire—prev Charlemagne’ empire—prevailed ailed in Europe.The Holy Roman Empire extended from Bohemia and Austria to the Netherlands. Warfare still dominated all aspects of life.The mounted mounted warriors, the knight kni ghts, s, forme formed d a new soc social ial elite. elite. Tournaments, which were were mock battles between betw een knights, knights, became a colorful showcase sho wcase for the latest fashions. Long wars were fought to enlarge existing kingdoms or to conquer neighboring states. stat es. Oth Other er wa wars rs were fou fought ght between kings and rebel barons, barons, who wanted regional power.
Textiles and Technology At the height of the Middle Ages, textil tex tiles es became became a mains mainsta tay y of the European Europ ean economy economy. In England, England, more and more land was given over to sheep pasture pasture for wool wool production. production. Flanders (modern Belgium) saw rapid growth in the woolen and linen trade, bringing huge wealth wealth to its merchants. merchant s. High-quality linen linen was also produced produced in France, France, and silk in Italy.. Cotton appeared Italy appeared in Moorish Spain,, and by the fourte Spain fourteenth enth cent century ury it was also being woven in northern Europe. All commercial aspects of the textile indus ind ustry try wer eree man manage aged d by tra tradin ding g organizations called guilds.These representatives of the craftspeople and merchants controlled controlled pr ices,
Europe 1000–1400
marketing, and the training marketing, training of apprentices.The Guild of Weavers in London was founded in the early 1100s.At 1100s. At this this time, time, spinning was considered to be woman’s work and weaving was left to the men. By the eleventh eleventh century, century, looms were mostly horizontal frames rather than uprightt posts. uprigh posts. In the 1100s, 1100s, tre treadles adles were added.These were footoperated levers, levers, a Chinese invention invention which moved the heddle mechanically and raised alternate warp wa rp thr threads eads in sequence sequence.. The yarn yarn was passed through through the gap, gap, or shed, by a hand-operated hand-operated shuttle, shuttle, which contained a bobbin or reel of thread. Spinning wheels, originally an Indian Indian or Chinese inven invention, tion, first appeared in Europe in about 1200 and were in common use from the 1300s.They had a fixed distaff and wheel-driv wheel-dr iven en spindle.
adopted Asian dress, wearing long tunics and robes robes,, pointed slippers, slippers, cloth-of-gold and silk, and turbans turbans on their heads.This exotic dress influenced tastes back home in Europe, Europ e, as did imports from from Moorish kingdoms in Spain and North Africa, Africa, and from the Byzantine Empire.
Eastern Luxury The high Middle Ages were marked by conflict betwe between en Christianity Christianity and Islam.. Beginn Islam Beginning ing in 1095, 1095, rel religious igious orders of knights were formed to fight against Muslims in a long and brutall series of wars bruta wars called the Crusades.These clashes did have have some unexpected unexpected outcomes, with Muslim and Christian cultures frequently influencing each other. This happened in the Middle East, where Christian knights knights founded founded the Crusader states of Outremer in the eleventh elev enth century. century. In the Kingdom of Jerusalem, you young ng knights from from northern Europe first came across the luxuries lux uries of Asi Asia. a. Man Many y of them them
A French illustration illustration of the high Middle Ages shows women women carding wool, spinning and weaving. By 1400 the knight's mail was covered in sections of plate armor armor.. Here it is being adjusted by the knight's squire, squire, who is training to be a knight himself.
Ermine and Miters
During the Middle Ages, religious dress for men and women became a series of of uniforms, uniforms, which were rich in symbolic meaning.
The kings of the high Middle Ages continued to wear long tunics and robes in the Byzantine tradition.The style of royal dress varied within this period. For example example,, ro royal yal robes became extremely long in the early 1100s, and had to be gathered gathered up up at the waist. Long cuffs cover covered ed the hands. Queens wore wore state robes robes of the richest cloths and finest furs.The fashionable headdresses of the day were combined with circlets or full crowns.
The Royal Mantle A large cloak or mant mantle, le, trimmed with fur, was an emblem of royalty royalty and noble noble status. One of the most most highly rated furs was ermine, made from the fur of the stoat.The coat of this little animal turns white in winter,, except for the black winter black tip of its tail.The white fur with spots of black was much much admired, and from the the reign rei gn of King Edwar Edward d III (1327–1377) (1327–137 7) onward, only the royal royal family was allowed to wear it in England. Scarlet cloth cloth trimmed in
ermine was later adopted by European dukes as part of their ceremonial dress.
Princes of the Church The Roman Catholic Church— which split from the Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Empire in 1054—was at the height of its power during this period. period.T To most western Europeans, Euro peans, the popes in Rome were were God’s representatives on earth.They dressed in splendid robes and jewels, and wore a kind of crown as a symbol of their power.This papal tiara had evolved from the central part of the ancient ancient Persian Persian diadem diadem and was worn by all popes from the ninth century. century. By the time of Pope Benedict XII XII (died 1342), 1342), the tiara was ringed by three three crowns, crowns, arranged in tiers. For religious religious ceremonies, ceremonies, the pope and all all bishop bishopss wore wore a mit miter er.This .This developed from a small crown with points poin ts at the side, side, wo worn rn in Asia. Asia. By the end of the twelfth century, century, the
Europe 1000–1400
miter had become a large, large, clothcovered cov ered cylinder, embro embroidered idered and beribboned, which split into points points at the front and back.
Monks and Nuns Some objected to the earthly riches of the Church Church and preferred preferred to liv livee their lives lives in spiritual retreat. From the tenth cent century ury onw onward ard,, thes thesee monks and nuns formed different “orders,” “orders, ” communities devoted to a religious life.The life. The orders favored favored very simple dress and each had its own uniform.The uniform. The Dominicans wore wore white gowns gowns and black caps. The Francisca Fran ciscans, ns, who took took a vo vow of poverty pov erty,, wore a brown brown habit with a cowl, co wl, or hood, hood, and a girdle of rope rope,, whose knots reminded them of their vows as monks.The Carmelites wore white and bro brown wn stripes, and the Carthusians Carthu sians wore wore whit whitee only. only. Nun Nunss had simple habits with a cloth worn over th thee hea head. d. By da day y th theey wor oree a cloth covering for their head and neck called a wimple.
On Pilgrimag Pilgr image e Great cathedrals were built across Europe at the height of the Middle Ages. These and other holy shrines were visited by pilgrims in order order to pray pray or ask for a blessing from a saint. Popular destinations included Rome, Rom e, Je Jerus rusale alem, m, Can Canter terbu bury ry Cathedrall in England, and the Cathedra Cathedral of St. James at Compostela in northwest Spain. A typi typical cal pilgrim pilgrim carried carried a staff staff and a satchel satchel and wore a tunic, tunic, a travel-stained trave l-stained cloak, and a broadbroadbrimmed hat for protection against sun and rain. Each shrine had its own small badge made of lead, which pilgrims pilgrims could could wear wear on their hats or cloaks to show where they had been. The badge for Compostela Compostela was a shell, the emblem of St. James.
This statue of St James is dressed as a Compostela pilgrim. Note the shell emblem.
Courtly Fashion
The fashions of royalty and nobility were by now a world apart from the everydayy dress of everyda common people.
Fashions changed repeatedly between the twelfth twelfth and fifteenth fifteenth centuries, as wealthy young nobles experimented with outrageous costumes and hairstyles.Young nobles shocked their elders and were were often often criticized criticized by the Church. At the beginning of this period, men’s robes were becoming longer and shoe shoess were were elon elongated gated,, with pointed poin ted or curled toes. toes. Hair Hair,, cr croppe opped d at the back of the neck in early Norman time times, s, was no now w worn far beyond bey ond the length of a wom woman’ an’s, s, and long beards came into fashion too.
Later, men’ men’ss hair was worn much shorter, with a central central part and no beard. From the 1340s onward, onward, noblemen’ noblemen’ss garments went to the other extreme, becoming shorter and shorter, shorter, with the exposed legs covered in fitted hose. One leg of the hose hose might be red, the other blue blue.. Sleev Sleeves es almost almost touched the ground. From the From the 1360s, 1360s, a wide go gown wn with with flared sleeves sleeves and a high collar also became popular. popular. Know Known n as a houppelande , it was was gathered gathered into
Europe 1000–1400
pleats with a belt at the waist. waist. Glov Gloves es weree often worn by nobles. wer nobles. Hats weree also now worn, from round wer round caps trimmed with fur, to separate or or collared hoods with a long point at the back, which could could be wrapped wrapped around or tucked in.
Sleeves and Veils Noblewomen’s dress remained long throughout thro ughout the Middle Ages, with a variety of tunics and fitted overgowns, gow ns, kno known wn as bliauds coming in and out of fashion. fashion. Some were were lined with furs, and wool wool and silk of the the finest quality became increasingly available.The av ailable.The luxury of the cloth might be shown off in a long train sweeping the ground behind the body,, or in rich undergarments body revealed through slashes and laces in the gown. gown. Sleev Sleeves es might be so tight that they had to be detached and resewn resew n after each wearing. Women’ omen’ss hair might be rolled or braided and coiled around the ears. Hair was generally covered with a linen veil, veil, and in the twelfth twelfth century the neck and chin were also covered by a cloth called a barbet.The two cloths were later joined to form a single head cov covering, ering, the wimple. wimple.A A net of silk or beads, often supporting supporting a stiff linen veil held held with with pins, pins, was popular in the late fourteenth century.
The Age of Romance This was the age of “courtly love,” love,” a code of behavior that idealized the lovee of a knight lov knight for a usually marr married ied noblewom noble woman. an. Courtly love love dictated how ho w ladies dressed dressed and walked walked and and
looked at men. men. All sorts of hidden meanings could be read into such details as the color of a dress being worn. A lady might give a sleeve or a scarf to a knight who offered to be her “champion” at a tournament.
The fashion for ladies to wear we ar very very hig high h headdresses and hats began at the end of the fourteenth fourteent h centu century ry and reached its most extreme forms in the fifteenth.
Sumptuary Laws Decrees which regulate the spending of the consumer are called sumptuary laws. They were introduced in most European countries during the later Middle Ages in order to limit the the purchase purchase of luxury goods. The The aim was sometimes sometimes to curb excess, excess, but more often often it was to prevent pre vent wea wealth lthyy merc merchant hants’ s’ wives wives,, or other others, s, from dressing in clothes reserved for the nobility. A French decree of 1294 1294 does both, banning ordinary ordinary people from wearing wearing certain furs and jewel jewels, s, and limitin limiting g the amount of clothes a lord or lady might buy in a year. However Howe ver,, the rising middle classes were were so determin determined ed to show off their newfound wealth that such laws rarely had any lasting effect.
Villeins, Merchants, and Mummers Peasant Dress From the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, there were were few few changes in the dress of the lower lower classes. Some weree reasonably provided wer provided for, but most were desperately poor. Common Comm on laborers laborers,, or villeins, villeins, wo wore re a kneeknee-length length tunic tunic or blouse blouse of of homespun cloth with breeches and coarse hose. On their feet they wor woree shoes sho es of clo cloth, th, felt felt,, or leath leather er,, or gaiters or wooden wooden clogs. clogs. Men of alll class al classes es wor woree a ca capu puch chon on,, a lo long ng hood which dangled at the back but fitted closely around the head, extending over the shoulders as a collar col lar or cape cape.. A ro round und,, lin linen en cap, cap, which could be tied under the chin and worn under another hat, was also popular. popular. Poo Poorr women wore a long gown of homespun cloth and hose.
A fou fourteen rteenthth-cen century tury English Englis h manuscript, manuscript, the Luttrell Luttre ll Psalt Psalter er,, shows farmers wearing belted tunics, tunic s, hoods and brimmed hats.
An English poem called Piers Plowman , dating from the late fourteenth fourteen th century, century, describes a poor peasantt family: the man wears peasan wears rough clothess full of holes; clothe holes; his wife has bare,, bleed bare bleeding ing feet; feet; and the the baby baby is
wrapped in rags. wrapped rags. In fact, by that that time, time, life was beginning to improve a little for some of the poorest people.The decline of the feudal system was leading to a freer life in western Europe and the payment of regular wages. wag es.The The Black Black Death, Death, a terrible plague that devastated Asia and Europe between 1347 and 1351, reduced the workforce to such a degree that the survivors had more bargaining pow power. er. Better-quality woolen wo olen and and linen cloth, cloth, cloaks cloaks,, hose hose,, boot bo ots, s, or shoe shoess were were no now w mo more re commonly worn.
Professions in Gowns The merchants and middle classes tended to live within their means, and generally generally dressed dressed more more sensib sensibly ly than their their superiors. Docto Doctors rs had to wear long gowns, gowns, while surgeons, who were were seen as workmen workmen with with lower low er status, wor woree short costumes. Lawyers Lawy ers and university professors also wore wore gowns, gowns, and their students were expected to dress soberly too, even if they did sometimes brawl and drink too much wine.
Europe 1000–1400
Jugglers, Jesters, and Actors One group of people who chose to wear brilliant colors were traveling acrobat acr obats, s, jugg jugglers, lers, and musicians. musicians. From the twelfth century onward, when fairs began to sell a wider variety va riety of fabrics, f abrics, entert entertainers ainers began began to wear multicolored outfits in bright red, yello yellow w, and blue. blue. They wer weree blamed for spreading a taste for such outfits at court. Such garish garish costumes (known as “motley”) became the uniform of the jester, jester, a joker who who was paid to fool around and make fun of people in the great hall of the castle. Jingling bells were were attached to his cap. There were no theaters at this time, but religious sho shows ws called miracle plays wer weree often performed performed outdoors. outdoors. The actors—all men or boys—were
elaborately costumed costumed as angels, angels, devils, saints, saint s, and martyrs. martyrs.
May Day and Mummery There were many religious festivals during the Middle Ages, including some pre-Christian celebrations. On May Day, Day, both nobles and peasants would wear green or adorn themselves with leaves and flowers, and dance to the music of bagpipes, drums,, or fidd drums fiddles. les. Carniv Carnival, al, the period before the the fast of Lent, took on many many of the customs of an old Roman winter festival called Saturnalia, during which servants and masters swapped swap ped roles. Rev Revelers, elers, kno known wn as mummers, banged drums and and wore wore masks and grotesqu g rotesquee costumes.They costumes. They mocked mock ed the upper classes, classes, dressing a goat as a bishop to preside over the “misrule.”
A docto doctorr demonstr demonstrates ates how to take take the pulse. pulse. He wears a cap and a long gown, as a mark mark of his his profession.
Mummers shown in a fourteenth-century Flemish manuscript.
Knights and Foot Soldiers Hauberks and Coifs In the 1060s 1060s the Normans, who were were based in northern France, inv invaded aded the British Isles and southern Europe. Europe. The Norman knight wore a hauberk, a knee-length coat of mail weighing weighing about 30 pounds pounds (14 kg), ov over er a padded tunic. tunic. His head was protected protected by a mail mail hood, hood, or coif, coif, and a conical conical helmet with a nasal. Metal points points called spurs, for urging on his horse, horse, were strapped to his heels.
Coats of Arms A thi thirteen rteenthth-cen century tury manuscript shows knights clad in mail and surcoats. Four knights in the background wear the great helm.
During the Crusades, Crusades, Christia Christian n knights in the Middle East adopted the Muslim Muslim Saracens’ habit of wearing a surcoat.This light ov overergarment helped protect the armor from heat heat and dust. Emblems on on the
surcoat identified the knight. Crusaders joined religious orders, orders, like thosee of the monks. thos monks. One of these these,, the Knights Templar, wore a white surcoat with a black cross.The Hospitallers wore a red surcoat with a wh white ite cro cross. ss. Across Europe, Across Europe, surcoats began to carry the emblem emblem,, or charge charge,, of the wearer’s family.The garment became known kno wn as a coat of arms. A code of rules was developed to regulate the colors, colo rs, patte patterns, rns, and emblem emblemss used. used. These rules were were kno known wn as heraldry, heraldry, for it was the task of a royal official called a herald to identify knights by their charges. charges. Colorful and and elaborate heraldic patterns also appeared on shields, shie lds, stan standar dards, ds, and the clothes clothes of retainers and servants.
Plate Armor and Great Helms By the thirteenth century century,, the knight’ss legs, hands, and feet wer knight’ weree also covered covered in mail. Mail was effective, effectiv e, but it could still be pierced pierced by arrowheads or smashed by maces and axes, axes, so knights began began to strap on plates of hardened leather or steel for further protection. protection. By the 1400s, 1400s, beautifully made and jointed plate armor of steel, weighin weighing g about fortyfivee to fifty-fi fiv fifty-five ve pou pounds nds (20–25 (20–25 kg), often covered the whole of the knight’s body. The helmet changed changed too. too. By the 1200s it was a flat-topped fl at-topped cylinder with the nasal extended to protect cheeks and eyes. eyes. By 1250 it was the great gre at hel helm, m, a lar large ge,, bu buck cketet-sha shaped ped
Europe 1000–1400
The Tour Tour nament The mock battle, battle, or tournament, began as a way way of training knights. knights. It included included free-for-all free-for-all fighting (the mêlée) and one-to-one horseback contests, in which one rider had to unseat the other with his lance. Tournament Tournament armor was heavier than field armor, armor, and more padding was worn underneath. Even so, this was a dangerous dangerous sport. Knights began to wear more fanciful fanciful armor at tournaments tournaments,, their helms decorate decorated d with with crests, crests, plumes plumes,, scarves, and ribbons ribbons.. It was the knights’ chance chance to achieve fame and fortune, and perhaps even a good match in marriage. The ladies of the court watched from pavilions pavilions and galleries, dressed in all of their finery.
helmet, padded inside and and covering covering the whole coif. Slits and holes holes in the helm allowed for vision and breathing. breathin g. As plate armor ar mor developed, developed, so did a close-fitting, close-fitting, all-enclosing helmet called the basinet. basinet. From about 1300 this was fitted with a movable visor,, which could be visor be raised for improved improv ed vision. vi sion.
Fighting on Foot Foot soldiers and archers still wore simple tunics tunics and hose, but many many gained protection from padded jerkins or from from mail mail shirts, armor, and helmets helmets plundered from the battlefield.
In the 1300s 1300s there were were major major uprisings by peasants in western Europe.They were armed only with farm im imple pleme ment nts, s, kn kniv ives, es, an and d homemade homem ade weapons, weapons, and had little armor.Their rebellions were easily and harshly suppressed by the knights. Norman battledress 1070
conical helmet nasal coif
mail hauberk
belt
quilted under-tunic slit skirt skirt to enable enable riding riding kite-shaped shield
An illustration of about 1340 shows an English Englis h knight, Sir Geoffrey Geoffrey Luttrell, Luttrell, being handed his jousting helmet, lance and shield before a tournament. His family coat of arms appears on his surcoat and his horse’s trappings.
prick spur
Chapter 3: Europe 1400–1550 The Renaissance
R
enaissance
means “rebirth. “rebirth.” ” Historians use the term to describe the revival of learning that took place in Europe toward the end of the Middle Ages.The scholars of the day looked back to the literature of ancient Rome and Greece for their inspiration, but this was also a time of looking forward: forwar d: the start of the modern world. world. The Renaissance was at its most exuberant in the small city-states of Italy and across across southern southern Europe, Europe, but it influenced the north as well. Men of Action
Italian gentleman and lady lady,, 1540
This was an age of great artists, architects, sculptors, sculpto rs, poets, and inventors. They The y cele celebra brated ted human beauty and intelligence.Their intellige nce.Their patrons, patrons, often rich bankers bank ers and princes, wer weree individualist indiv idualistss with a love love of fashion and finery. finery. At this time, time, the gowns gowns and tunics of the Middle Ages gradually gradu ally gav gave wa way y to clothe clothess which, which, chiefly for men, men, offere offered d greater freedom of movement.
Nations and Trade The Byzanti Byzantine ne Empire Empire fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, and this led l ed to an increasing increasing adoption adoption of Asian costume,, such as a broad costume broad tunic called
the caftan, in eastern Europe. Europe. In western western Europ Europee it evolved evolved into a garment called the caban, whi which ch was was the first form of coat. The fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries were an age of exploration. The Portuguese sailed around Africa, opening up new trading routes to India and Southeast Southeast Asia, and new sources of imported textiles. Christopher Columbus, Columbus, an Italian in the service of Spain, sailed to the Americas in 1492. Trade was about to be organized on a global scale.Within centuries, this would would transform the production prod uction of fiber, fiber, the textile trade, and the kinds kinds of clothes clothes worn worn aroun around d the world.
Fifteen Thousand Tailors The Renaissance period offered a
Europe 1400–1550
wider range of textiles—imported or homemade—than had ever been available in Europe previously.There weree woolens, wer woolens, silks and taffetas, brocad br ocades, es, ve velv lvets, ets, dama damasks, sks, fust fustians, ians, cottons, and felts.The city of Milan alone had 15,000 tailors. By the early sixteenth century, century, looms were were the most complex machines used in manufacture, manufactur e, and linen had become become very fine.Women learned how to separate the threads into delicate patterns, making early forms of lace. lace.
Costume in Art The Renaissance produced many great artists. The patrons who paid for the paintings loved to see themselves displayed in the very latest fashions. Even Biblical subjects were painted in the costumes of the day. The Procession of the Magi, painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in 1459, 1459, shows the full full splendor of of a t, and includes includes portraits portraits of the Medici Renaissance cour court, family,, the rich bankers family bankers who ruled the Italian Italian city of Florence.. Renaissance ar tists delighted in capturing Florence the qualit qualityy of silks, velv velvets, ets, and pearls pearls on canvas. canvas. Some, such as Antonio Pisanello Pisanello (c. 1395–1455) 1395–1455) and Jacopo Bellini (c. 1400–1470) went further and
Palaces, Popes, and Protestants The traditional long costume and mantle man tle wer weree sti still ll worn worn at the the coronations of European kings and queens in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, and the the various various regalia appear on coins of the day.The courtiers at the enthronement of the elected doge (chief magistrate) of the republic of Venice shimmered with silk, sil k, dam damask ask,, and cloth cloth of gold, gold, the most costly fabric of the day.The doge himself wore wore an embroidered embroidered hornshaped cap rather than a crown.Venice derived its wealth from maritime trade, and each year the doge doge would throw his official ring into the waves as a symbol of the “marr “marriage” iage” between Venice and the sea.
A 1434 painting painting by Jan van van Eyck shows the dress worn at the wedding of wealthy Italian merchant Giovanni Arnolfini to his wife
designed textiles textiles themselves. themselves. They They could be seen as the first fashion designers.
Isabella of Portugal, Isabella Portugal, wife of Holy Roman Roman Emperor Emperor Charles V, wears pearls, jewels, jew els, velvet velvet,, and lace in this painting of 1548.
Palace Fashions In this age of moneymakin moneymaking, g, most kings and other rulers dressed to display their their wealth, rather than the the
old symbols of state power power.. Castles were beginning to grow obsolete during the later fifteenth century, partly as a result of the increasing firepower firepo wer of cannons, cannons, which could breach the the thickest walls. walls. By the 1500s, fine royal royal palaces were were being built instead, instead, their walls walls hung with with rich tapestries, tapestries, as a splendid setting setting for the endless fashion parade of the royal ro yal family and the court. court. Fifteenthcentury centers of high fashion included the royal courts of France and Spain, the court of the dukes dukes of Burgundy Burgund y, and the city-states of Italy, Italy, such as Florence,Venice, Florence,Venice, and Milan. Not all kings were were obsessed with fashion. fashio n. Henry HenryVII VII of of England England (reigned 1485–1509) 1485–1509) was thrifty and preferred simple dress. dress. How Howev ever, er, his son Henry VIII (reigned (reigned 1509–1547) loved to show off the latest fashions as he danced and played music at court.. He was a handsom court handsomee youth, youth, but as he grew older he became very fat, and the measurements for his costumes and armor became much wider.
The Church Divided During the Renaissance period, the papacy came under the control of the same wealthy wealthy families that ran the Italian Itali an city-states city-states.. Po Popes pes were were ofte often n very worldly worldly,, and richly jeweled rings and embroidered capes and robes became part of Church Church ceremon ceremonial ial dress. In the 1500s the Catholic Church came under criticism from Protest Pr otestants ants in in northern northern Eur Europe ope,, for
Europe 1400–1550
Field of the Cloth of Gold One of the most ostentatious displays of royal wealth took place at an encampment of lavishly lavi shly furnished furnished pavilions pavilions near Guines, Guines, in northern France, France, in 1520. Even Even the fountains fountains spouted wine. wine. The young King Henry VIII of England, England, and his first wife Catherine Catherine of Aragon, were guests of King François I and the French court. Each member of the royal party vied with the the others others in wearing wearing the most most extravaga extravagant nt costumes, costumes, furs, pearls, and jewels. jewels. The event became known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold. The expense nearly bankrupted both countries, but to no avail—they avail—they were soon at war with each other other..
being corrupt. Protestan Protestants ts despised despised the wealth and rituals of Rome.They liked their own churches to be plain and simple, simple, and this was was the fashion of their their clothes, clothes, too: simp simple le black black cloth and plain, plain, whit whitee collars.When Henry VIII quarreled with with the pope during the 1530s, 1530s, the English king broke with the Catholic Church and closed down down the monasteries. monasteries. Monks in their habits disappeared from England, as they also did did elsewhere elsewhere in Protest Pr otestant ant north northern ern Eur Europe ope..
The Heights of Fashion During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, short costumes became increasingly fashionable among young men, although their fathers preferred to wear long gowns. gowns. Knee-length or calf-length garments, often with with very very long,, fancy sleeve long sleeves, s, also went went in and out of fashion.
Doublet and Hose The doublet was a padded jerkin, which derived from the protective garment worn under a knight’s hauberk. It was was close-fitting and waisted, made of rich brocades brocades and trimmed with fur. fur. In the 1400s 1400s the doublet was generally very short, revealing the full length of the leg, clad in hose.Virility was often emphasized and exaggerated with a codpiece.. In the 1500s noblemen codpiece wore wo re puffe puffed d sleeves, sleeves, slash slashed ed to show show the rich, silk lining. lining.“T “Trunks runks,,” or short sho rt br breec eeches hes,, no now w app appear eared, ed, and by the 1530s these often reached the knee. Short cloaks also became popular at this time.
Dressed in rich robes, Pope Leo Leo X (1475-1521, (1475-1521, a member of the powerful Medici family) is flanked by his cardinals, cardinals, who wear wear red as a sign of their office.
A pa pair ir of of poulaines from the fifteenth century mark the extreme of medieval courtly fashion.
High headdresses and hennins were popular amongst noble women in the early fifteenth century.
Poulaines
High Hats
Between the 1390s and Between and 1460s, shoes for both men and women became even more pointed than in earlier centuries.This style was believed to havee originated in Poland, and the hav shoes were known as poulaines or crackows (that is, from the city of Krakow). Krako w).The The points could be up to four four inches inches (10 cm) long,, and it is long said that in 1396,, Fre 1396 French nch knights at Nicopolis had to cut off the points of their shoes shoes before before they were able to run away from their attackers. For wet wet and muddy streets, woo ooden den soles soles,, or pat patten tens, s, cou could ld be tied onto the shoes. shoes. From the 1470s to the early 1500s, men’ men’ss shoes became wide slippers with roun rounded, ded, sometime some timess puff puffed, ed, toes.
Many kinds of headgear were worn by noblemen, noblemen, inclu including ding brimmed hats of velvet with fur trimmings, round ro und caps, caps, and tall tall cylinders. cylinders. In the the 1500s a flat cap of felt was worn, often adorned with plumes. plumes. A strange “pudding-basin” haircut was popular for men in northern Europe in the 1400s, while Italian dandies of the high Renaissance woree their hair long wor long and curled. In the 1500s most men wore their hair short, with bear beards. ds. If noblemen’ noblemen’s hats of the 1400s were were thought to be outlandish, outlandish, the women women of the court wer weree accused by priests priests of being in league with the devil. This was because fashionable hats worn at this time had twin points likee horn lik horns. s. Ev Even en more more ext extrao raord rdina inary ry was the the hennin, hennin, a tall, coni conical cal hat like like
