Foot combat armour, about 1520:
What is it?
Constructing armour that provided full body coverage was a very difficult task. Henry’s armourers overcame this difficulty by using carefully arranged narrow, overlapping plates, to allow Henry his full range of movement in this armour.
Where is it from?
Constructed in 1520 at his royal armour workshop, Henry was supposed to wear this armour for a foot combat at the Field of Cloth of Gold. However, the rules of the competition were changed only three months before this tournament and so it was never used and remains undecorated.
What does it tell us about Henry?
As Henry’s power increased, so did his waistline, literally! This armour, being custom fitted, gives us an accurate picture of the figure of the younger Henry VIII. Young Henry was a trim, slim ‘pin-up’ prince, well-built and rather tall (about 6 feet 1 inch; 1.85m) - it was only later in life that he developed the heavy-set physique frequently associated with him today.
Tonlet armour, 1520:
What is it?
The Tonlet armour gets its name from its large metal ‘skirt’ (tonlet), offering protection for the upper legs during foot combat.
Where is it from?
This armour was also constructed at the royal workshop and Henry VIII wore it to compete in the foot combat at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. As new rules for the foot combat were announced just three months before the tournament, there was no time to create a brand new armour. This was constructed by using pieces of pre-existing armour, supplemented with several new items and special decoration.
What does it tell us about Henry?
The unusual looking armour is another example of Henry’s taste for fashion and function. The shape of the breastplate and tonlet mimic the jerkin with flared skirt that was popular during Henry’s reign. The sabatons (foot defences) were also representative of the current Tudor footwear to ensure Henry’s place as the most à la mode monarch around.
Horned Helmet, 1511-1514:
What is it?
Featuring a strange face and incredible horns, this astonishing helmet would have startled even the fiercest of Henry’s opponents. It is all that remains of what was probably the finest armour ever seen in England.
Where is it from?
This spectacular helmet was part of an armour presented to King Henry VIII by Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor. It was made at Innsbruck by the master of the Imperial armour workshop, Konrad Seusenhofer. It was later believed that the helmet once belonged to the King’s jester, Will Somers.
What does it tell us about Henry?
Always wanting to be the best, the craftsmanship of the Horned Helmet and its armour set standards which Henry was keen to match. As well as importing the best armour from Europe, he recruited armourers to come to England and work for him at his own workshop at Greenwich to create his own unique pieces of armour.
Wilton anime armour, about 1544:
What is it?
Possibly the very last armour ever made for Henry VIII was Italian. It has a type of cuirass referred to as an ‘anime’, comprising a series of overlapping horizontal plates (or lames), making the body armour more flexible. The armour is in fact a small garniture, as a pair of vambraces (lower arm pieces) in the Royal Collection at Windsor have matching decoration.
Where is it from?
It was possibly purchased from Francis Albert of Milan around 1544. Albert was the only Italian purveyor of armour to the English court at the time. It was probably made for Henry to wear during the siege of Boulogne in 1544, his last military campaign, which he commanded personally in spite of his ill-heath and age.
What does it tell us about Henry?
This magnificent armour was clearly for the King in the later, more rotund period of his life. Marvel at this distinctive piece which has been sent all the way from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York especially for Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill.
