Tombstone of Colaccio Beccadelli at Imola, Italy, c.1340


Name: Colaccio Beccadelli
Dating: 1340
Location: Church of St Nicholas and St Domenick, Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
From Arms and Armor Annual. Volume 1 by Robert Held. Follett Press, 1973.
Source: effigies and brasses



An extract from Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 1 by Ian Heath:
The tombstone of Colaccio Beccadelli at Imola, portrays characteristic harness of the period under a cyclas-style surcoat. His body-armour comprises a gambeson and mail hauberk under a coat-of-plates, to the chest of which his sword, dagger and helmet are attached by guard-chains. The surcoat would display his arms (azure, a winged claw or) on both front and back and on the triangular shoulder flaps. His lower-legs are protected by leather greaves, his thighs by gamboised cuisses over which poleyns and rectangular thigh-plates are strapped; the mail fringe hanging below the poleyn probably indicates that a pair of knee-length mail shorts is being worn.

A bascinet with camail is worn under the helm. The helm itself is shown thrown over the shoulder by its chain-guard, a position in which it is frequently depicted in many illustrations of this period, principally Italian. The helm has both crest and lambrequin.




See also ITALIAN MAN-AT-ARMS c.1341 in Armies of the Middle Ages, Volume 1 by Ian Heath, based on the tombstone of Colaccio Beccadelli at Imola
Paintings of Italian Soldiers of the early 14th Century