EXAMPLES OF IMPERIAL MILITARY DRESS c.1578

Text by Simon Chick Engraving by Jost Amman Picture source

    Figure 5: These men are similarly arquebusiers but are more heavily armoured than those of figure 4.The man on the left wears a tall 'pork-pie' type hat, a back and breast plate as well as plate armour pauldrons, vambraces and gauntlets over a mail shirt, which is also visible below the backplate. The right-hand figure is armed with an open-faced burgonet with a comb and plume. He too wears a breastplate, of globular shape with a shallow neck common to the period c.1540-1580. He also wears pauldrons and gauntlets over mail sleeves. Both men carry arquebuses and a pair of pistols with the right-hand figure sporting an additional pistol tucked through his waistbelt. For close combat the men carry long swords and daggers.