Fact or Fiction; the horned "Teutonic" Helmet

Fact or Fiction; the horned “Teutonic” Helmet By Cliff Repicky 04252020 The focus: Everyone has seen them, from figurines and gaming, to artistic renditions, and it’s a given that it will come up in a conversation involving the Teutonic Order and its affiliates, or medieval helmets. It’s the winged helmet. The question is, did it (they) exist, and where might it have come from? Can we so readily discount the images of movies and more modern artwork and game covers? The following is by no means a definitive “yes” regarding the topic, but it will go to show that this “myth” may actually have been more of a possibility, than people have given thought to. Off the top of the head: Ornamented helmets are nothing new in the history of helmet design, and neither is the fact that helmets with attachments/ornamentation (Helmzier in German) were employed during combat activities, be they staged (jousts & combat pageants), or real world struggles. One need only look at ancient Egypt, Greece, the Far East, or Rome for examples. In more contemporary times, we can find German helmets of the Great War, or US military designs of the Cold War OPFOR helm, or even today’s Advanced Combat Helmet or ACH with NVG/camera attachments. The use of papier-mâché, light woods and leather historically, increased the ornamentation’s visibility, maneuverability, and offered a “break away” option should they be struck, grabbed, or harnessed in combat, and added negligible weight to the existing helmet. To address this horned helmet possibility, we’ll address several different points, so that readers can form their own opinion of the plausibility and possibility of this legendary configuration. The time period we’ll focus on, is between the late 1100s to the late 1200s, and era famous for the Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, which we’ll discuss later. The first point of contention is that it is unwieldy and not combat functional/ plausible: Experienced combatants will attest that, it’s not a matter of unwieldiness of design based on the various attachments and their placements—although placement has an effect and will be addressed later; but more a matter of what one trains with, thus making them comfortable with its employment and possible limitations. The use of padding (one wanted to limit the effects of blunt force to the wearer’s head) and chin straps help prevent a lot of excessive movement, and when done properly help to negate a lot of the unwieldy feeling (try wearing a helmet with an NVG [Night Vision Goggles] attached on the front for the first time, you’ll see what I mean.) Also note that modern devices mounted to helmets tend to be mounted in the front affecting wear as weight is forward, but the horns and wings in question, appear to be mounted on the sides, in line and balanced with the helm’s center of gravity. Readers should also remember that its myth tends to center on the German Orders of the XII-XIII centuries. These warriors were trained to fight from horseback. The initial weapon employed by them would have been the primary weapon of all mounted medieval Christian knights of the age, the lance. As can be seen in many effigies and paintings from an even later age (helmet ornamentation was quite popular in Germany, based on frequency of images, see Helmzier above), the employment of such a helm was quite popular during jousts and ceremonial pageantry. Again the plausibility of employing such ornamentation in battle can be seen on the other side of the world with a samurai and his sashimino and Kabuto. Christopher Gravett (assistant curator of armour at the Tower Armouries, specializing in the arms and armour of the medieval world) points out in his studies, that crested helmets remained in use on the battlefield longer with the Germans than in other countries. This fact brings up two points: (1) this style of helmet can be employed during a mounted engagement, often several times (implying that it was seated well, and did not deter the wearer from making more combat approaches against an opponent). The second (2), stemming from the pageantry aspect, is that it served to identify the wearer. From a combat perspective, this would serve a similar purpose as a unit’s banner, you could even reference the Knights Templar’s Beauséant and its purpose during combat. A clear example that helmets were used as battlefield identification tools can be found in the work: Di Kronike von Pruzinlant or The Chronicle of Prussia (also known as A History of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia, 1190–1331) by Nicolaus von Jeroschin. In it we find this entry: "The king of Bohemia met him with his army; 100,000 armed men on horseback who were practiced in the arts of war and 7,000 heavy horses. They met in a terrible battle; when the armies launched their attack at full strength and came together in battle a thick dust rose up that covered men and the battlefield so completely with such a thick covering that neither banner nor helmet nor any of the other accoutrements of battle could be recognized at any distance, and this created such confusion that many people no longer knew who was friend and who was foe." Nikolaus von Jeroschin (c. 1290 – 1341) was a 14th-century chaplain and German chronicler of the Teutonic Knights. Coincidentally, the King of Bohemia at this time was Ottokar II of Bohemia. King Ottokar II led the two crusading expeditions against the pagan Old Prussians, the first in 12541255 and the second in 1268. Königsberg , which is now Kaliningrad, Russia, was founded in 1255 by the Teutonic Order, and named in his honor. Oldest depiction of coat of arms of Bohemia, Castle Gozzoburg Fresco depicting winged helmet in combat, Castle Gozzoburg The Knights Templar’s Rule had statutes discussed how the Marshal would designate one brother to hold the banner, which he must not lower, for fear of being punished. It was mounted on a lance. This being said, it makes one lance, and one man combat ineffective as he holds it upright for others to see. He can't lower it to fight. Now, the Teutonic Order, or its affiliate, the Livonian Order, could have solved that issue with the helms. The wearer’s hands are free for the demands of war (reigns, shield, lance, sword or other) for which God trained them for. No useless brethren in a melee. The second point is, that it never existed in the Teutonic Order due to no graphic evidence. This is technically false, as the Order’s Master on several occasions, commissioned artwork that shows helms with ornamentation (horns, antlers, etc.): The “Eisenstein Effect”: Sergei Eisenstein* brought the ornamented helmet to visual prominence for the “modern day” audience, with his production of the 1938 movie Alexander Nevsky that focuses on the Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, a defeat of the German crusaders at the time (We’ll look at some missing details of this in a bit). In it, the senior knights/princes of the “Teutonic Order” (It was actually the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order) wear a full spectrum of elaborately decorated great helms. The anti-winged helm crowd will first point out that this production was a propaganda creation, designed to show the Germans as “monsters”. I’ll be the first to agree there, but let’s take a look at that logic in more detail for a moment. Teutonic Order researcher Jonathan Hodge (author of the detailed work: Teutonic Portrayal Foundations - The Environment of Teutonic Prussia) points out that: “Eisenstein, though somewhat strange as viewed by his contemporaries, was well studied in historical art and was a polyglot, both speaking and reading in German. He was definitely familiar with German history, art, and culture. Eisenstein’s goal was clearly to make the knights appear as quintessentially German and Christian as possible. “ Eisenstein’s 1938 Alexander Nevsky; So, even in the 1930s historians, and probably the Russian cultural memory, saw the knights with those helmets (it’s interesting to note that the current “official” website of the Order shows Teutonic Knights with helmet ornamentation. See link). Based on a number of effigies displaying horns, and two surviving frescoes from different churches in Russian Kaliningrad (formerly Teutonic Konigsberg) also depicting horned helms, it seems likely that the Russian cultural memory saw these things as German. How else could Eisenstein have chosen that to represent them as quintessentially German if his people didn’t already recognize that element? Most significant contact between early Russians (Rus) and medieval Germans was the Order. If on the other hand, Sergei Eisenstein’s intent was to use their likeness to portray the Germans as monsters (a Baltic Bogeyman), then he was addressing a psychological/mental aspect that all folks have. Much like the applications later seen in Dracula or Friday the 13th movies, graphic images that touch a part of a target audience’s mind, designed to trigger the flight or fight response. It should also be noted that there were only 5-6 key knights wearing ornamented helmets in the production, amongst hundreds of Germans/Danes (a nod to key leadership identification). Now let’s for a moment, visit the pagan villagers of Northern Europe at the time of this enigma (mid XIII cen). They lived in wooden dwellings, making a living by farming the land, fishing, or hunting. They worshipped the old ways, Deities tied to what they knew; the sun, crops, woodlands, etc. Now out of the fog comes riding (on possibly a large ghostly apparition-based on trappings his mount might be wearing), an apparition that is larger/taller (due to his mounted position), wearing clothing and armor that was probably new to their knowledge (and white for that matter…..remind me of what color ghosts are in most regions of the world), with their faces hidden, now that helm and its design is being employed as a psychological weapon. In Alan V. Murray’s work; The Sword Brothers at War: Observations on the Military Activity of the Knighthood of Christ in the Conquest of Livonia and Estonia (1203–1227), we see that the Order (at this time pre assimilation as still an independent branch of the Teutonic Order) wasn’t beyond employing psychological warfare to counter pagan numerical superiority on Now we can quickly revisit the first point; Our helm wearer is mounted and engaging dismounted targets (Plausibility of use in dismounted combat can be seen in both SCA and BN/Bohurt activities). Targets are lower than his helm while sitting in the saddle. We’ve seen that he can employ a lance against another opponent. After initial contact, he’s at liberty to circle around for another pass (rearming if necessary from a group of armed attendants), or employ a secondary weapon of his choosing; sword, mace, or axe. Can you imagine the chaos of these simple pagans on foot after the impact of several to many densely formed armored riders (Shock & Awe)? Valuable information has been published in recent years, mainly by A. Nadolski and A. Nowakowski, concerning the arms and armor of the Teutonic Order (This would address after the assimilation of the Order’s affiliates- Livonian Sword Brothers and the Order of Dobryzn). This is based primarily on investigations of the inventories of the Order’s stores which contain a wealth of information. This new evidence can be complemented by reference to the laws of Grand Master Luther of Brunswick (1331-5), according to which “the brethren of the Order were to do military service with weapons ‘according to the customs of the country, that is plate or mail armour [panzir]’. The earliest version of their Rule (granted by the Pope in 1264, based on the large number of prints in German, roughly 20 years after Lake Peipus, before then they used the Rules of the Templars and Hospitallers as guidelines, and were still ironing out details of their Rule due to arguments with their fellow Orders and the Pope)—the document that contains the laws dictating its membership—, dating from a mid thirteenth-century manuscript, contains no provisions regarding what armor its members ought to wear, and later revisions did not add any section on the matter (a possible reason for this is logistical common sense. The Order could field a properly armed knight quickly, and with gear he was fitted for and accustomed to using, making him more effective). There is a translation of the Middle High German from a Indrikis Stern's 1969 dissertation on the topic. Thus members of the Teutonic Order likely wore the medieval helmets of all types. Sven Ekdahl (Assistant Professor of History at Gothenburg University and Professor of Medieval History at the Polish-Scandinavian Research Institute) has argued forcefully that, the Order adapted itself to local conditions in Prussia. All of which suggests that helmet choice was reserved to the personal and the practical necessity, rather than a uniform. In a recent study of these exercises {Reimagining the Winter Crusades of the Teutonic Order}, A Pluskowski and associates pointed out on page two, “ that a mixture of armour types is typical for the time- there was no standardized military uniform and even the use of the black cross as an emblem was not consistent beyond the brethren”. (Author’s insert: If I read this right, it would seem if you were affiliated with the Order and possibly that reysen. I’m reminded of our naming conventions for trips to Iraq-OIF and Afghanistan-OEF, then you might sport the black cross, perhaps to show you were affiliated with the effort, and should you die, you were under the protection of the cross, again reference Tannhauser’s image- his cross was on the wrong side-so not a member of the Order, but affiliated. Excerpts from Indrikis Stern's translation of the The Rule and Statutes of the Teutonic Knights, the oldest extant in Middle German, dated 1264 (which is after the Livonian Sword Brothers and Order of Dobryzn had been amalgamated with the Teutonic Order proper. The Livonian Branch would continue to operate autonomously. It is also 20+ years after the famous Battle of Lake Peipus!) 2. That they may have property, inheritances, land and serfs in common. The brethren, on account of the great expenses, arising from the needs of so many people and hospitals and of the knights and the sick and the poor, may possess, to be held in common in the name of the Order and their chapters, movables and inheritances (weapons, shields, armor), land and fields, vineyards, mills, fortresses, villages, parishes, chapels, tithes and such things, as are granted in their privileges. They may also possess in perpetual right, people, men and women, serfs, male and female. 11. How and with what the brethren may clothe themselves and what they may have for bedding. The brethren of this order are allowed to wear and use linen for undershirts, for drawers and hose, for sheets and for bed covers, and for other things, when suitable. Outer garments shall be of sober hue. The brother knights shall wear white mantles as a sign of knighthood, but their other garments shall not differ from those of the other brethren. We decree that each brother wear a black cross on mantle, cappen and armor surcoats to show outwardly that he is a special member of this Order (no mention of helmet ornamentation). Furs, pelisses, and coverlets shall be of no material other than sheep or goat skins, yet goat shall be given to no one, unless he asks for it. The brethren shall have shoes without laces, or buckles, or rings. Likewise, those in charge of clothing or footwear shall take pains to supply the brethren in so religious and seemly a fashion that each one has the right size, not too long, nor too short, nor too tight, nor too wide, and that each one may without any help put on and off his clothes and shoes. (cont)... (cont) As for bedding, let each brother be content with a sleeping bag, a rug, a sheet, a coverlet of linen or buckram and a pillow, unless the one in charge of such articles wishes to give more or less. It is fitting that upon receipt of new things, the old are returned, so that the one to whom the clothes are handed over may distribute them to the servants and to the poor. But should it happen, which God forbid, that a brother outrageously insists on arms or clothing or such things finer or better than those given him, then he deserves to be given worse. For this proves how much he is lacking in the clothing of the heart and in inner virtue, who bothers so much about the outer needs of the body. Since clerics living in the world should show their religion by their clothing, so it is all the more seemly that those in the Order use special clothing. 22. Of the things which pertain to the knights. Since this order is specially founded for knights fighting the enemies of the Cross and of the faith, and since the customs of the enemy in fighting and in other matters differ in different lands (since they are closer to understanding the local enemy, than a headquarters far removed geographically-ref: contemporary issues with Rules of Engagement and modern land combatants), and therefore it is necessary likewise to oppose the enemy with different weapons in different ways, so we leave to the decision of the superior among the brethren the things which pertain to knights, horses, arms, attendants and other things proper and permitted to the brethren for battle, that he order and decide all the aforesaid things with the counsel of the wisest brethren of the province in which the war is fought, or with those who are present, if he cannot delay without harming the other brethren. However, the rule shall be carefully observed that saddles and bridles and shields be not painted needlessly with gold or silver, or other worldly colors. Spears, shields, and saddles shall not have covers, but polished lances may be covered with a sheath so that they be kept sharp for wounding the enemy. Likewise if the master or the brethren, who are empowered by the master, give or lend to other men beasts and arms or other things which were granted to the brethren temporarily for their use only, then the brethren to whom the things were granted, shall in no way object, so that there be no thought that they wish to keep as their own things which were granted only temporarily. Further we decree that no brother seek to have a weapon or animal as peculiarly his own. Should it happen that a brother was or is granted anything which is not fit for use, he shall humbly and decently inform the official who is in charge of that office about the deficiency and shall submit to his discretion to act and order the matter as he wills. 37. Of the heedful discretion of the master. The master has the power to dispense with all the above regulations laid down in the Rule, except for three--chastity, living without property, and obedience--and, with due regard to the time, the place, the person and the needs of the case, to give dispensations, but yet in such a way that in all instances he act to the honor of God with due regard to piety and practical considerations. Now we have crusaders chasing fleeing targets in several directions, and after a while, they’ll want to reform and prepare for follow on operations. If by chance the initial contact turned into general melee, then separated units could rally around those they recognize, because they could see them above the scrum and from a distance. The next point involves the visual example in the Codex Manesse, and the Tannhäuser linkage. Where might Sergei Eisenstein might have gotten his inspiration from? From all accounts, he probably got his inspiration from the Codex Manesse, a German book of songs/poetry produced for the most part in the early XIV century, although there are several other examples from the period as well, but he mustn’t forget as Mr Jonathan Hodge points out, he was very familiar with Germanic culture. In it we find an individual identified as Tannhäuser who was a German lyric poet and singer. Details of his biography are obscure beyond the poetry (plausibility aspect), which dates between 1245 and 1265. It’s believed he shared familial lineage with the old nobles, the Lords of Thannhausen, who held castles at Tannhausen, near Ellwangen and Dinkelsbühl; and the Tannhausen castle, at Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, all in Bavaria or Southern Germany (this will be important in a moment). The Codex Manesse identifies him as a knight and poet who founded the Venusberg, the home of Venus, and spent a year there worshipping the goddess (kind of farfetched but wait…pagan-ish in sound, sort of like Livonia and surrounding areas of the time. **.). It says that after leaving the Venusberg, Tannhäuser is filled with remorse, and travels to Rome to ask the Pope if it is possible to be absolved of his sins. The Pope replies that forgiveness is as impossible as it would be for his papal staff to blossom. Three days after Tannhäuser's departure Urban's staff blooms with flowers; messengers are sent to retrieve the knight, but he has already returned to Venusberg, never to be seen again. It is believed that he died after 1265. So where did he go? The Codex Manesse depicts him clad in the Teutonic Order habit, suggesting he might have fought the Fifth Crusade (1213–21 sort of early for him just based on the image’s age in the Codex, but Lake Peipus battle occurs in 1242 giving a possibly better description to his graphic age in the depiction, coupled with his death around 1265), or refer back to the possible dates for the writing of the Codex. Knights were allowed to join in the Order without taking vows and serving an appointed time; this appointed time could be the duration of a campaign or a set number of years. They were allowed to marry or be married, but they were constrained to leave half of their goods at their deaths as a bequest to the order. Tannhäuser of the Wagner fame, was such a knight brother “serving his time”. He wears the grey habit of one who might have served for a specific period of time and then returned to the West with a full white cape of the Order. The Northern Crusades were supported by annual arrivals of Crusaders from Germany and the rest of Europe, who return home after the crusading season ended, but there’s another avenue that’s not been explored, the Northern Crusades and the great Prussian Insurrection of the 1250s-1260s. It’s also a recorded fact that nobles from around Europe could participate in the “Winterreise” and “Sommerreise” (seasonal campaigns against pagans)- while being guests of the Teutonic Order. So people were likely to bring their stylized helmets to be recognizable to their hosts and allies as they campaigned in Lithuania. They held status as crusaders per Papal privilege in 1245. One might question if they were allowed to retain their headgear during these operations, opening a plausibility door to Tannhäuser’s helmet scheme seen in the Codex. This is a possibility, due to great helms first appearance in Prussia with the Teutonic Knights. About this time the Teutonic Order and its affiliates launched these types of campaigns. Again, thanks to Mr Hodge’s extensive research we find that the use of decorated helms is also mentioned in the Teutonic Rule of 1264 (at the height of the Prussian Insurrection) literally lists crests as the domain of the drapier. The Battle of Lake Peipus occurred in 1242, well within Tannhäuser’s life time. There were three Orders with German patronage; the Teutonic Order (proper), the Order of Dobrzyń, and finally the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, who after being defeated at Saule in 1236, were incorporated into the larger Teutonic Order proper, but remained an autonomous entity with its own Master. XIII Century tournaments: It should be pointed out that the “tournaments” conducted in the XIII century were not what most people today are familiar with. In his book: The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power behind Five English Thrones, medieval historian Thomas Asbridge, describes them as more tactical exercises, involving large expanses of terrain, and teams or forces of opposing combatants. They maneuvered and fought just as they would on any battlefield. It was noted that these martial exercises were conducted to prepare them for future battlefields, as well as establish a reputation for one’s self. It should be noted that the German states at this time easily preferred the benefits of going on Crusade in their own backyard, during the seasonal reise (journey). Traveling to Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, etc. was much easier, faster, and allowed for the quick return home afterwards, compared to an arduous trip to the slowly dwindling Holy land. How does one go about identifying themselves from a distance on the battlefield? The historical solution: shield logos and helmet ornamentation, a favorite of the German knights, as can be seen in frescos, illuminated manuscripts, and effigies. As has been pointed out, the helmet now obscured the wearer’s identity, the helmet devices could also be painted on, or applied as separate pieces of wood, leather, or papier -mâché. This practice didn’t increase the weight of the helmet substantially, and the wearer had practice with it on, performing his actions, otherwise, it would be like going into a fight with a handicap of function. That doesn’t make sense when you want to make a name for yourself. Now, due to their fragility, one could expect that they might be damaged by contact, exposure to the elements, or when the wearer wanted an improvement. In all probability, the owner left them in place (for ease of recognition, even in transit). To continually put and remove, would only weaken the anchoring laces, and through continual handling, the material that made the emblem itself. Applying these points to the possibility of the helmets in this study, would only increase their likelihood on the Northern Crusades battlefields. The other thing to point out is that not every member of the Livonian Order or Teutonic Order was wearing one. They weren't prolific, only worn by a few nobles or senior Order folks, who were seen at the right place, at the wrong time (ie: Peipus in 1242). In this case, the wearers were killed or captured, thus decreasing the habit, due to their "personalities" being removed from the playing field. By the time of the Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, were now a part of the larger Teutonic Order and known as the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Order (1237). They had originally been subject to the authority of the Archbishop of Riga (who by the way is shown wearing a winged helmet in battle) but, with the capture of Livonia and Estonia which they ruled as sovereign states, they were effectively independent. The new Master of Livonia, a senior Teutonic Commander now became a provincial Master in the Teutonic Order and the knights of the combined body adopted the Teutonic insignia. Historically though, this union had been brought up on a number of occasions, but the Teutonic Order representatives who went to visit and assess such possibilities, had returned with unfavorable reports about the Livonian brothers regarding their less than acceptable adherence to any Rule. The castle of Dundaga in modern day Latvia, was built by the Bishop of Riga and manned by the Livonian Brethren. It bears a curious coat of arms, and would have been accessible to Mr Eisenstein’s research as well. One could easily see the erasure (destruction) of any visible reminders of “bad practices” by the new management. (See Rules violations and Drapier material at end of study). Coat of Arms at Dundaga Castle, Latvia. Former castle of the Livonian Sword Brothers. Livonian Sword Brother display in Russia One can be reminded of the images of Templars playing chess, which was not approved by their Rule set forth by St Bernard himself. Apparently as the saying in the military still goes today, “When one is farther away from the flag pole, things are done a bit differently.” For who knows better what works and doesn’t work “at the tip of the spear” than the fighting man over the politician? (Reference the provisions for adapting the Order’s Rule based on local understanding of conditions) The bottom line here is that no Order remained true and by the letter of their Rules, as evidenced by provisions for local commanders to decide what’s best? Now refer back to the location of the Tannhäuser family’s holdings in Southern Germany. Members of important families throughout Europe sported images, crests, etc., that helped them identify themselves to others (very popular in Germany). The earliest Livonian knights had come mostly from southern Germany. Knights and those of distinguished families could see better chances of assignments to leadership positions with the Orders, this is because with their acceptance and positions came support and resources. They had been fighting pagans in Livonia and surrounding areas for nearly 40 years. This is a lot of time to establish solid TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures). You can bet they would stack the deck with every combat multiplier at their disposal before battle, since they were always outnumbered by the indigenous population (the same issue faced by the other preeminent Orders in the Outremer). Note: Helmold III. von Plesse was from Mecklenburg and a member of the Order of the Sword Brothers in Livonia, who’s crest shows winged like attachments to his helm. He died in 1236 (remember previous reference to the Battle of Saule… coincidence?). The Battle on the Ice was fought between the Republic of Novgorod, and a crusader army led by the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights (see, not the Teutonic Order proper, but an organization that had a somewhat rogue history but wore the mantel of the black cross- and to the world representing Germanic Knights of Christ) on April 5, 1242, at Lake Peipus. It was a significant defeat sustained by the crusaders during the Northern Crusades, which were directed against pagans and Eastern Orthodox Christians and the perfect setting for Eisenstein’s propaganda film for a Russian audience during the time of Hitler’s rise to power. The defeat marked the end of their campaigns against the Orthodox Novgorod Republic and other Slavic territories for the next century. It should be noted that a handful of Brother Knights were recorded as taken prisoner during this event. One would think that his captor would love to secure his prisoner’s accoutrements to show his prowess upon his return home, but after the years, they became misplaced, forgotten, or passed on and sold into oblivion. There is an abundance of images from the XII-XIII centuries, that show helmet ornamentation was quite popular, and many of the countries that are found to have these images, participated in the Teutonic Order’s seasonal reisen/reyse activities. Why would we draw the line at the borders of the Order, when examples of “shared” culture exist on other crusading fronts? We can’t. There is evidence that the Teutonic knights had to be reminded of what they should look like, and not how they did look like at the time, on numerous occasions. (see notes at end of study) Bronze aquamanile, Lower Lotharingia 1300s They say that behind every myth there’s a bit of truth, but some rant about no existing visual or tangible evidence to support the ideal of the Military Order winged helmet. I’ll refer them to the whole Russian removal of German, Catholic, and Western images after the revolution through the Cold War. A complete disregard for the value of this historical evidence is demonstrated in churches like the Ordenskirche in Arnau, which after the collapse of Teutonic Order, became German Lutheran parish. After WW2 the Soviets used the church for grain storage. It contained more than 200 frescoes (paintings which give idea of Teutonic Order art), and almost all of these frescoes were destroyed by the communists. Clearly the thought of having anything Teutonic related would have been a no go, if you wipe it clean, its memory will disappear after a few generations ***. Then there’s the whole Catholic shadow of the Military Order in an Orthodox land. Have you ever seen a faction leave anything from a rival up, that might possibly contest the status quo? Dirk H. Breiding’s Some Notes on Great Helms, Crests and Early Tournament points out: 1. As one of the earliest examples of plate armour known from the medieval period, no other type of head defense is as iconic as the helm, or heaume. Today it embodies the very idea of one of the medieval knight’s most important pieces of equipment perhaps as much as a sword, and more than any other element of mail or plate armour. This is probably due to the fact that, during its roughly two hundred years of use from about 1200 to about 1400, it was worn almost exclusively by members of the nobility (The early German Militant Orders were a collection of knightly nobility- refer back to the Rule issue earlier described), and it is also the first type of helmet which featured dominantly and ubiquitously in heraldry. 2. The fascination with this type of helmet is also aided by the fact that hundreds if not thousands of these defenses must once have existed throughout Europe and along the shores of the Mediterranean while less than twenty genuine examples survive today (point regarding physical availability). Both the corpus of existing helms as well as previously unrecorded examples and archaeological discoveries have repeatedly attracted the attention of arms and armour scholars, archaeologists, historians and scholars of heraldry. 3. The decades around 1300 were apparently one of the periods during which the exclusive attachment of a crest centrally to the top of the helm appears to have been particularly popular. Take note that this would be the period in which the Teutonic Order received its Rule and also the period where the great helm with its large mounting surfaces was being replaced with the klappvisor and bascinet type helmets, with much less mounting areas. (It would be unjust to blanket -back date an application of a Rule to the earlier Teutonic Order and its affiliates, especially when we’ll see, the Order had a tendency to bypass or ignore statutes that didn’t support their current local situation) Also the question comes to mind of, why would it be acceptable for Teutonic brethren to adorn their helmets in later centuries with peacock feathers (a symbol of affluence), when the previous identified Rule per most people’s understanding, prohibited the extravagance of a worldly life? They were after all warrior monks, not rock stars. 4. Regarding one such archaeological find; the construction appears to indicate the earlier existence of a crest, ‘which was exclusively secured to the sides of the helmet, but not, or only in a lesser way, to the helmet crown’. Jonathan Frey further notes the frequency with which ‘such [laterally mounted] crests’ (plausibility for the horns/wings of this work) are depicted in at least two contemporary sources, an illuminated manuscript of courtly poetry known as the Codex Manesse…..and concludes that this may be a common form of crest attachment. And based on a relatively recent discovery in Sweden, a great helm that suffered from being made a target for some sort of projectile practice...... imagine a Teutonic helm being employed on a stake or quintain/pell for Russian or Eastern European aspiring knighthood and archers/crossbowmen??? A chance to learn/you’re your skills against a simulated Teutonic Knight (visual similar targets have been used by armies to give “the feel” and stimulate soldiers for centuries), the Baltic’s most feared war machine. It wouldn't take long to render them unrecognizable. Artwork by FritzVicari 2012 Recapping the question of the existence and use of horned/winged helmets by the Teutonic Order and its affiliates, the facts remain: 1. Germans were known to fight in their crests - even considering it as a mark of bravery and honor. They had no battlefield hindrance as commonly perceived. Ludwig IV of Bavaria often did this. He called out his chief rival for not wearing his on the battlefield. He was a close friend, and avid supporter of the Order. 2. Horned crests were quintessentially German. They appear in dozens of effigies and feature prominently in books of heraldry. Horns and variations of them make up the single most common feature of wearable heraldry for German nobility. These German nobles were largely who were participating in Crusades and Reisen (hosted by the Germanic crusading orders). Most high ranking Order members were German. These lend even more credibility to the already strong arguments made about identifying commanders on the battlefield, as well as employing them as a tool for psychological warfare, etc. 3. We have surviving artifacts showing the use of crests and horns by people that clearly represent the Order – (these works were commissioned by the Hochmeister) for Order properties (who would pay for their Order to be misrepresented?). These pieces exist in multiple media, thus lending to their commonly “understood” use. An example is an effigy and a shield from two different Grandmasters, at least one manuscript, and two frescoes. The two frescoes are in different locations and there are artistic rendering and record of a third that was destroyed. Of the remaining two frescoes, one was heavily defaced by the Russians, the second was buried for years underneath piles of grain as the communists used the former Church of the Order for grain storage. 4. Numerous manuscripts commonly depict horned helmets in battle in Germany and northern Italy which was Holy Roman Empire territory, and more German, than Italian at that time. There are some depictions of joust, but more depictions of actual battle. The Manesse Codex is just one example. Additionally there over 100 other representations of horned helms in Germany and northern Italy - including Heraldry for Order towns sporting crests, as well as surrounding countries that participated in the seasonal reisens (ex: Britian, Denmark). 5. We have textual evidence including the Statutes and Rule of the Order from 1264 which explicitly lists helmet crests as falling under the domain of the senior office of the Drapier, and also from descriptions of the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle. 6. Evidence of flagrant dress code violations in appearance of the brethren of the Teutonic Order, that forced numerous reprimands from senior Order officials. This is after the assimilation of the Livonian Sword Brothers, who became the autonomous Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Order, implying that even the Teutonic Order proper had issues. In summary then, the notion of these style helmets should not be discounted so easily. The images of German crusaders, specifically focusing on those of the Teutonic Order, the Sword Brothers of Livonia-later the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order (where most of this study points to), and the Order of Dobryzn in the Baltic with their horns and wings on helmets would appear to be quite possible, up to the time that their first Rule was recognized, and helmet design became less conducive to such practices. In court of historical plausibility/possibility, one can build, through sufficiency of circumstantial evidence, a case for their existence. So here I leave the verdict in your hearts and minds to decide. “Gott mit uns!” Cliff Repicky 25 April, 2020 Smiths Station, AL, USA Notes: * Sergei Eisenstein was coincidentally born in Riga, Latvia, where the Bishop Albert founded the Military Order known as the Sword Brothers. Latvia and other Baltic states were also subjected to “Russification or Russianization” during the early 20th century. ** Livonia to the southeast, it turns out, was known as the “Land of the Mother”. (Any member of a Military Order under the influence of traditional Templar/Teutonic guidance, would shun the company of women, and punishable by the Rule of the Order, thus adding to the plausibility of Tannhäuser’s story) Back in Karelia, we come at last to a king's decree granting a land to women and protecting them under his rule. The Letter of Protection by King Birger Magnusson for womankind in Karelia on Oct. 1, 1316. The original parchment letter was until the end of 19th century kept in the Viipuri (Viborg) city archives. Now it has been moved to the National Archives in Helsinki. The backside of the document contains a writing: Privilege to womankind, wives, widows, and maidens in Viborg and the whole of Karelia given by King Birger Anno 1316 and similarly confirmed by King Albrecht Anno 1360. All who will see this letter, we Birger, by the grace of God King of the Swedes and the goths, Salute wishing eternal Salvation in Lord. Through this note we will for both those to come as well for those living now, following the advice and consent of the Noble men Gentlemen Canute Jonsson, the judge (lagman) of the Ostrogoth, Thor Kætilsson, and Johannes Brunckow, our high chancellor (drots) and other members of our council, firmly pass a statute, to be obeyed as a law, that all wives and women who live subjected to our castle of Vyborg or in the land of Karelia be they married, widows, nuns or virgins, shall enjoy peace and security like in our realm Sweden herself for both in property and person, so that our royal punishment will most severely meet the transgressors. Therefore all and everyone are strictly prohibited from burdening the foregoing wives and women with any kind of injustice or molesting, or inflicting on them any kind of corporal violence, if he wants in our kingdom to avoid the punishment, which is what is in our Swedish realm told in the due law. Date Yninge Anno Domini 1316, on the first of October. In the year 1316, Karelia became by a king's decree and seal, a land of women. (Reference the Military Orders practices on dealing with women and implication of sin) Back *** Aleksander Pluskowski points out in his work The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade, that much of the physical evidence-remains, frescoes, and traditional historical pieces were eradicated by Russian authorities during and after the great patriotic war (1939-1945). It didn’t help that Hitler’s propaganda machine used images of Teutonic Knights as material to motivate Germanic people in the war. This provides the possibility/plausibility that Sergei Eisenstein might have had access to images and artifacts to support his helmet designs in his work as well, not to mention many of the original sources of the winged helmet come from Russian sources, like the St Petersburg Collection (figurines and artwork). The effects of being at “Ground Zero” through two World Wars, didn’t help the archaeological landscape either. Back References: William Urban’s works: The Teutonic Knights The Livonian Crusades Alan V. Murray’s: The Sword Brothers at War: Observations on the Military Activity of the Knighthood of Christ in the Conquest of Livonia and Estonia (1203–1227) from the ORDINES MILITARES COLLOQUIA TORUNENSIA HISTORICA Yearbook for the Study of the Military Orders, vol. XVIII (2013) Indrikis Sterns’: Rule of the Teutonic Order, and Crime and Punishment among the Teutonic Knights (It is interesting to note that Mr Sterns is a Lithuanian and grew up in the historical area of operations of the Teutonic Order and its affiliates) Aleksander Pluskowski’s Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade Reimagining the Winter Crusades of the Teutonic Order Andrzej Nowakowski’s Arms and Armour in the Medieval Teutonic Order’s State in Prussia (In this he points out: On the basis of the analysis of particular elements of arms and armour it is possible to conclude, that their evolution in the Order’s State showed tendencies analogical to those prevailing in Western and Central Europe in the period under discussion). Christopher Gravett’s German medieval armies 1000-1300 D. Nicolle’s Arms and Armour of the Crusades Era 1050-1350, Western Europe & Crusader States Eric Christiansen’s The Northern Crusades (In this work he points out their numbers never above 150, and how they acted as guides and organizers for the seasonal reysens., thus explaining how so few can conquer so much, a key point to battlefield recognition). Nickolas Haydock’s Hollywood in the Holy Land: Essays on Film Depictions of the Crusades and Christian-Muslim Clashes Upton’s Primitive Rule of the Knights Templar Interviews: Jonathan Hodge (Jonathan is a mental health professional and independent scholar with a passion for medieval history – particularly that of the Teutonic Order. He has conducted in depth studies regarding the Halbbrüdern of the Teutonic Order, the military equipment of the Order in Prussia 1250-1300, and the economic and cultural aspects of the Order in Prussia from 1250-1300). His tireless support helped bring life to a project that has been in development for two years. I extend my largest gratitude to him for this. Links: http://www.imperialteutonicorder.com/id16.html http://www.flickriver.com/photos/roelipilami/tags/helm/ A Russian chip commercial, but it gives a good mounted versus dismounted perspective: https://youtu.be/9XQ_k1OmR7s A Russian video on a remembrance of the Battle on the Ice, but it gives a good look at how the helm in a dismounted combat position might have performed https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=FsNruMnXrmA&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1CYmL63avTDzUA5ARiFSqjUs2QQElh WopyB5zb5h84d2t669EpMC6bRsw: On line resource of medieval images and crests: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/search/?tags=%22crest%22 German likeness as seen in Alexander Nevsky movie: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4784/12604/ http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8470169b/f149.item.r=Armorial%20Bellenville Reimagining the Winter Crusades of the Teutonic Order: http://online.fliphtml5.com/bjmv/igdz/?fbclid=IwAR0ivgRX6ukOLv5PMfFsn7PVUXW1Ne5tXSev1QeKRShU_yw1PytSkFReno Back Notes on the Teutonic Order Drapier, and Rules Violations: Drapier : Provincial Master’s Authority: Helmets (Livonian Rhymed Chronicle) : Back Crimes and Punishment in the Teutonic Order (Stern) Back Final thoughts: A German text, written by Konrad von Würzburg in 1257, featured a Swan Knight without a name. German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach included a swan knight “Loherangrin” in his Arthurian epic Parzival (first quarter of the 13th century). The story of the Knight of the Swan, or Swan Knight, is a tale about a mysterious rescuer (possibly bringing salvation through conversion to pagans) who comes in a swan-drawn boat (perhaps white sailed boats) to defend a damsel (the image of Mary), his only condition being that he must never be asked his name (he's no longer an individual, but a member of an Order that shuns individualism). And one last final twist (in Black & White): Perhaps the wings aren't a German eagle, but what's now the national animal of Lithuania- the white stork. It's strange. But an advocate could relate that way; to identify himself, allow ties to their belief system, while crossing it physically with the "superiority" of his position and faith. The white stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. The white stork is a long-distance migrant (much like the Germanic Pilgrims). A carnivore, the white stork eats a wide range of animal prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and small birds. It takes most of its food from the ground (as they come from farmlands and families), among low vegetation, and from shallow water. It is a monogamous breeder (a brother might foster a family before entrance into the Order), but does not pair for life (as per the Rule of the Order). Nesting over successive years, the storks bring more material to line their nests and layers of organic material accumulate within them (establishing the Order's dominion with the building of castles). Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians and Belarusians believe that storks bring harmony to a family on whose property they nest; they have also kept up the tradition of telling their children that storks bring babies (salvation and longevity through association with the Advocate?). Storks were seen by Early Slavs as bringing luck, and killing one would bring misfortune. (Psyops) There were negative aspects to stork folklore as well; a Polish folk tale relates how God made the stork's plumage white, while the Devil gave it black wings, imbuing it with both good and evil impulses.(sounds sort of Templar's Beausceaunt-ish?) The Warrior’s load (by comparison): Back The value of Battlefield Identification at the tactical level: Back Back The “theory & practice” dilemma (adherence or adjustment to the Rule): Instantaneous changes in organizational practices, would have been impossible due to distances involved, seasonal influences, acts of God (reference Hochmeister von Salza’s death), organizational priorities, preexisting practices, and the human nature to stay with what’s comfortable. Author’s note: During my 20+ years of service as an Infantryman in various locations around the world, I am reminded of a time, that I was stationed a bit distant from the “flag pole” (USA), in Panama, back in the 80s. Members of my unit liked it there, and liked our commander and his methods for conducting business. When we were in Honduras in 86, (imagine a remote castle in eastern Europe) they sent a new company commander to replace our old one (reference the change in Livonian Order daily business). He changed our mascot (who we were), and he caught a lot of resistance from the unit for changing things...in the letter of the law. The actual practice changed over time, through the rotation of old hands. (here I see attrition for the Livonian Order as being the long term solution for acceptance of practice) Warriors like to do things a certain way, especially what works, even if higher might not approve. Change doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye. Back Collection of Images: Back The German affinity for the horned helmet (effigies & manuscripts): The German affinity for the horned helmet (effigies & manuscripts): The arms room of the castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, in the early 1900s , before the World Wars: