Best Medieval War Helmet? Sallets - Italian, German & International

The sallet was one of the most versatile and successful late-medieval helmets used in war. You find different forms in different regions, but it is sometimes complicated to see where a sallet might be from, because there were international forms also. In this video we unpack the subject.
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[@ChristianThePagan]

It’s not just that people laser focus on German/Italian armour and relegate anything else to the books’ footnotes and appendixes. They laser focus on S-German armour. I’m still waiting for a book entitled ‘Armour of the French knight’ in three volumes 1200-1300, 1300-1400 and 1400-1500.

[@Riceball01]

Would a sallet made in Italy or the Itlian style be called a Caesar sallet? I'll see myself out now.

[@beepboop204]

was there ever a (Thomas R. R. ) Cobb Salet?

[@ThatGuy182545]

Welcome to Sallet and Sallet. How can I direct your call?

[@kristianjensen5877]

I came to the comments section looking for that joke and did not leave disappointed.

[@coreystockdale6287]

No no no you get to stay now

[@Sam-xt2gz]

*clap clap clap*

[@almcdonald8676]

What a fantastic picture of Matt in full battle rage, eyes ablaze, running some varlet through.

[@helmort]

Matt, recently I watched an Italian movie called "The Profession of Arms"! Have you seen it? There are many scenes where the soldiers are wearing sallet helmets. Take a look at it and maybe make a video review, as it's one of the most realistic medieval movies I've ever seen!

[@TheNibbiobruno]

Agree and as an italian myself I tell you that most of my fellow countrymen ignore the life of our past war captains. And I ki dly renovate my invitation to Matt to review the true sword in the rock (the sword of Saint Galgano) that lays in the nearbys of my village. I'm very sorry for my English.

[@helmort]

@@TheNibbiobruno Mate, don't feel sorry, here in the UK, we speak with thousands of different accents! We have people from all over the world with their own accents too, including Italy. So, don't worry about your English grammar too much, we don't care about it that much! 😹

[@neutronalchemist3241]

I know it. It's a very good movie.

[@emamag6455]

Yeah, the original title is "Il mestiere delle armi" of Ermanno Olmi. I would also be interested to see a video about its historical accuracy.

[@tomnaughadie]

The Vader. It was very, very popular long, long ago...

[@samprastherabbit]

Ah, yes, the Dutch style by Georj der Lucaas

[@Rannsack]

I love salets, awesome video. Can you talk about the types of curved swords used by Charlemagne's armies? Given how important Charlemagne is, there so few videos on him!

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Thanks Matt. Good vid.

[@dominicnzl]

I wonder if the Byzantines used these and if they could be called Caesar's Sallets

[@BastiatC]

ugh

[@beepboop204]

🙃

[@mnk9073]

Greek Sallet.

[@Zayphar]

The helmet is the most important piece of armor. Knowing which style of helmet is best is important information.

[@bjornlundquist2029]

Looking at them from the front, the "german" seems to be narrower at the bottom while the sides on the international one flares out towards the bottom. Is that a difference in type or just a difference in those particular ones?

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Just a diference between those two samples.

[@TheSaneHatter]

It's a pity that there wasn't more time to go into the recgional variants: I wanted to hear more about the Fruit Sallet, the Potato Sallet, and the Caesar Sallet. But seriously, will there be a video on my favorite helmet, the barbute, coming along soon?

[@TheAssassin409]

"Mmmm salads" -autogen captions.

[@MrMikhail77]

♡♡♡♡ my favorite helm

[@bobbydylsn2633]

Do all Sallets were plain or some has ribbs to reinforce structure?

[@jamestipsfedora]

Love salads, especially the McDonalds salads... they help me lose weight...

[@ClothesCat]

Thinking of that meme with women laughing at salad, but it's sallets.

[@TheRealmDrifter]

I love medieval salads.

[@raphlvlogs271]

will sallets still be useful in the age of firearms if they were made ballistic?

[@perrytran9504]

Firearms were already a thing when sallets became popular. They were very popular with handgunners as the archer design translates perfectly with its light weight and open face. If you think about it, the archer sallet is also the most similar helmet in shape to the modern stereotypical soldier's helmet. So the design still works well, we just lacked the materials to allow it to keep up with firearms until recent decades.

[@Seraphus87]

Well, I think a good salad needs a bunch of fried bacon and some shredded feta cheese on top of a fair amount of chopped onions and garlic and some pepper and olive oil.

[@frankharr9466]

O.K. so make it international, but not TOO international. Make it a little German as well [Armoror in German] Hans, was sprich er? [Hans] Dass er will wie ein Flame asusieht. [Armorer] Ach. Kann so. Wie viele tausand habe ich dieses jahr gemacht? [Hans to customer] It'll be hard, but we can do it. [Customer] Excellent.

[@SandraOrtmann1976]

I looove a good salad. So tasty, so healthy...wait...nevermind. (Sorry, I had to). Really, sallets are my favourite type of medieval helmet.

[@snubbles9991]

"Salads"

[@angelhurtado55]

england and france traded blows

[@cameronalexander359]

Its pronounced "Sallet" 😅😊

[@Priapos93]

Maybe a little too German

[@MRZWAGLI]

i am so dissapointed that you didn't pull out a rolling pin

[@mikedittsche]

Fun fact: the backwards protruding part would often be grabbed and the sallet taken off the enemy, and then tossed away. A manoeuvre called "sallet tossing".

[@beepboop204]

i cant say i ever had my sallet tossed

[@Philtopy]

If you let the enemy get so close that they are able to toss your sallet you have already screwed up big time

[@breaden4381]

Yeah they’re probably screwing you pretty hard too.

[@ZacHawkins42]

You cheeky bugger!

[@lunacorvus3585]

But but but it looks stylish

[@duchessskye4072]

Regional variations of sallets are interesting and something I've looked a bit into, though also somethign I'd like to research far more in depth. However speaking about german sallets, and german armour in general, I'd say that there seems to be a split between the more nortwestern parts of germany such as Köln and other hanseatic cities, and the more southern provinces in for example Bayern with cities such as Augsburg. While the more southern parts of germany does develop the iconic gothic styles of armour and sallets we tend to associate with them, the northern parts seem to not adopt this to as much of a degree. Art from Köln for example tends to show armour which tends to lean a bit more towards flemish features, such as pointy tops occasionally and those sorts of things. 'Generic' sallets with short tails and full visors are the standard there. And this isn't just in north germany either, similar things are seen in swiss art for example. So I would propse rather that the iconic gothic style of sallet, while extremely german, shouldn't be thought of as the main type of sallet existing in germany since it very much does co-exist with the more generic styles. And this seems to apply for armour as a whole in germany, not just sallets. I also have a personal hypothesis that the 'generic' sallet developed in france, but that's another discussion alltogether.

[@masterdisaster7013]

Great video on great helmets ! Only thing i want to point out: You said, that german sallets were exported to Austria. However, Austria produced there own german style helmets in Innsbruck and Austria was part of the german cultural space, so they would be part of the german sallet fanclub right from the start!

[@joeerickson516]

"By the way, would the late 15th century to early 16th century renaissance Southern German,🇩🇪 Gothic visored Sallet and Bevor helmet,⛑ alongside the Southern German, 🇩🇪 Gothic plate,🍽 armor and chainmail,⛓ and gunpowder weapons such as the matchlock arquebus loaded with gunpowder and metal lead ball,⚽ and a burning,🔥 wicker match cord on the serpentine holder of the matchlock arquebus to detonate,💥 the gunpowder inside the arquebus to fire,🔥 the metal lead ball,⚽ inside, used and worn by the Spanish,🇪🇸 conquistadors, Southern German,🇩🇪 Landsknecht mercenaries, Northern Italian,🇮🇹 Genoese crossbowmen, 🏹 mercenaries and attack dogs,🐶 such as Doberman pinscher,🇩🇪 Rottweiler,🇩🇪 English,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 bull mastiff, German,🇩🇪 shepherd Belgian,🇧🇪 malinoi, Dutch, 🇳🇱 shepherd French,🇫🇷 bulldog, Southern Irish,🇮🇪 Wolf 🐺 hound, and Northern Italian,🇮🇹 Cane Corso, and southern Irish,🇮🇪 armored horsemen,🏇 Halberdiers, Pikemen, and Arquebusiers roman catholic,💒 fanatics with deadly,☠️☣ and frightening,😱 diseases,☠️☣ such as smallpox, tuberculosis, hay fever, chicken,🐔 pox, Spanish,🇪🇸 influenza,varicella,cholera, diphtheria, English,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 mumps, German,🇩🇪 measles, scarlet,❤ fever,🤮 and bubonic plague,☠️☣ in the year of fifteen hundred twenty-one during the exploration, christianization,💒 colonization, and conquest of the primitive Stone,🪨 age and early Bronze,🥉age ancient mesoamerican and south american, 🌎 empires and tribes in the year of fifteen hundred twenty-one during the exploration of the year of fifteen hundred nineteen to sixteen hundred o three." 3⃣

[@VacuousCat]

I wanna see an episode of "Star Wars Helmets and their Medieval Counterparts"

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

I am laughing my lungs out. Not because of your Video, which I like a lot. No, but KZbin and the automated Subtitles writing Salad and Salads everytime you said Sallet.😅

[@ernestcline2868]

This problem needs a dressing.

[@devilsadvocate6269]

By far my favorite type of helmet! Been in love with it since I watched The Hunchback of Notre Dame as a kid

[@sergeandou9853]

It was Star Wars for me.

[@Raakarapu]

Props to Matt for making historically accurate facial expressions in an event like that. I fear I’d be wearing a big old dumb smile for the duration😅

[@bullpups4life189]

"The tendencies that we tend to see" is fuckin poetry, Matt.

[@tomwulff527]

He's gone german. Never go full German.

[@darthplagueis13]

Doch!

[@tomwulff527]

Nein. Was. Hä?

[@Alaskaalien]

My absolute favorite style of helmet ever

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

Same. So intimidating, on top of the fact that they’re practical & very cool looking.

[@PobortzaPl]

Either that or kettle helmet with a slit in front part of the brim

[@thorwaldjohanson2526]

I love the armet over the sallet. They just look so badass.

[@heimdalshorn]

Hallo Matt. "Austria" (Erzherzogtum Österreich) in the middle ages is one of the main and integral parts of Germany (the Kingdom of Germany in the Holy Roman Empire (of German Nation)) - it is not a separat state in any manner. Austria stay a part of Germany even after the end of the HRE in 1806 in the following Deutscher Bund (German Confederation) till its war and defeat against Prussia in 1866......

[@hrodvitnir6725]

Do you happend to know anything about the style of 15th century armour in Scandinavia?

[@thomasrehbinder7722]

The suit of armor on this statue is supposedly copied from the actual suit of armor worn by the Steward of the Rhealm Sten Sture the Elder at the battle of Brunkeberg 1471. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George_and_the_Dragon_(Notke)

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

I must say I prefer the English or Flemish style with the pointy top. These Italian or German ones are too round on the top, it needs to be pointy. Round is not scary, pointy is scary. This would put a smile on the faces of the enemy!

[@ernestcline2868]

If you go down the German rabbit hole with sallets, do you end up with Hasenpfeffer?

[@helmort]

I don't understand why, but out of the millions of medieval or historical helmets that I've seen, none have scared me quite like the sallet helmets. There's something about them that gives me an uneasy feeling. When I imagine myself in the Middle Ages and picture a man with a sword wearing this type of helmet, it makes me uncomfortable. I still don't understand why. Do you have any idea why this happens? ☠💀☠💀☠💀☠

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

Inhuman but not super inhuman. The most robotic. Like a cyclon, terminator or robot cop:

[@chengkuoklee5734]

It reminds me of Alien.

[@Mara999]

I prefer the look of the international sallet, because it looks a bit like a stahlhelm.

[@HINGHE]

When is Part 2 of medieval helmets coming?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Eventually :-D

[@vsm1456]

8:08 This example of a german sallet is glorious, I love the shape!

[@nicodemous52]

I'm waiting for the video on the cobb sallet.... I'll see myself out.

[@Panzersoldat]

I have always pronounced it as 'sal-lay', not as 'sal-let'. Is that incorrect?

[@scholagladiatoria]

I used to as well, but I have been convinced by the evidence to change to sal-let. It seems the most likely way most English people said it at the time.

[@henninghesse9910]

Flanders is much closer to germany and was for a long time part of the HRE so the north of germany is very much influenced by that style aswell and less from south german "gothic" style.

[@kingmaker2865]

Just commissioned a new Coventry style sallet ready for Tewkesbury this year. ❤

[@perrytran9504]

Coventry represent! Finalizing a commision for one myself too! Who's making yours?

[@messeringaround1426]

*a suspicion forms* What is the probability that the auto-generated subtitles think Matt talks about salad? About 100% Yup.

[@orbitalraindrops]

is it easy to see out of with the visor down

[@scholagladiatoria]

Moderately. Obviously having a slot to see through is always going to limit your vision compared to not having a visor in front of your face.

[@George_M_]

It's basically a Roman helmet, updated, if you squint. Just replace the cheek protection with the face.

[@Philtopy]

I have learned so much about international Salad now. Thank you so much :)

[@DANTE-bu7gx]

I really wanns start buying armour but im looking for someone who's good at it if you know anyone who makes 1500s german armour i would love to know btw i love the sallet helm

[@roberttaylor4108]

Does anybody here know where you can find a well-shaped sallet for affordable price? All the cheaper ones don't have the right shape

[@peterlynchchannel]

"Not completely down the German rabbit hole". Oh, so you mean the sallet maybe just stumbled across some Jordan Peterson videos?

[@davydatwood3158]

Don't neglect the value of reduced weight when considering the open-faced helmets of any sort, particularly for the infantry. Not so much in combat, but for the 90% of the time the soldier wasn't in combat and still had to carry the damn thing around. There's a reason why cavalry almost always had more armour than infantry, and it's not because the cavalry needed better protection (and only partly because for much of history the cavalry had more money). It's because the cavalry had a horse to carry the crap around. No, the visor doesn't reduce the weight by much - but when you're humping everything to the battle on your own two feet, ounces count.

[@JonDundas10]

The only thing I see would be a potential drawback to the ones without a moveable visor is that it doesn't look like it fits well on the head. And the battlefield isn't really a place where you'd want your sallet tossed.

[@thedamnyankee1]

International Sallet is the name of my new 15th C. themed prog Rock band.

[@50043211]

Look, all I want is a nice fresh salat with a spicy dressing and some tuna, grated cheese and pumpkin seeds and some fresh, still warm bread.

[@fdr100100]

so funny how all western medieval period armour and swords are being made in eastern europe, can someone please explain to me why

[@enigma9971]

That's the Death Star gunner's helmet. Stol playing 🤣

[@E_Reich]

Those reenactment shots are bada**. Incredible 👍🏼

[@acethesupervillain348]

Green Sallets, Tuna Sallets, Fruit Sallets, Macaroni Sallets...

[@incitatusrecordings473]

I would be very happy to have any of those back in the time to use...much better than a leather hat.

[@O.LEO.N]

But there is like NO throat protection!

[@kollekciorozsdas6110]

They used a different piece for that

[@MrVuvuzaala]

Hi Matt 😉 Another great video 👍 I would really appreciate it if you could possibly discuss the various styles of Morion helmets, please? Cheerz 🍻 Adz 😉

[@sophiebaxton6299]

I just want to tell that I LOVE LOVE LOVE your channel! Plenty of good information, always learning something new even am not new myself into the history hobby! Keep up the good work and Thank You! ♥

[@robertillston2350]

Does the straight bottom edge verse the curved bottom edge play a role in your ability to wear the helmet pushed back to get the "open faced" option and thus may contribute to the divergence in regional styles?

[@texasbeast239]

I prefer a narrow-gap barbuta, or a curvy bassinet griffon.

[@astrostar000]

All this talk of salads is making me hungry...

[@moritznadler9001]

Somehow I'm hungry for salad now ...

[@reaperwithnoname]

They looked like identical shapes to me until he pointed out the details.

[@nosrin1988]

man.... I really love Sallets! they look so cool!

[@Justice-ian]

Watching Metatron's recent video on armets and frogmouths reminded me that the sallet visor / bevor combination seems like the best compromise for face protection vs. visibility, breathing, neck articulation, audibility, simplicity etc. At the same time, the back neck guard is different from many other knightly helmet styles, and strangely I don't think I've ever seen a close-fitting (in back) / "tailless" helmet combined with the sensible sallet front. Any ideas why?

[@KuK137]

Don't watch metatron. He is dumb trash setting up imaginary incel/far right outrage strawmen for clicks then bravely (and wrongly, too) defeating crap no one ever said in laughably inaccurate manner. As for your question, look up bascinet helmets, they are pretty much what you describe (straight back sallet) and they often had visors, so combos did exist.

[@chaoticreckless]

what type of style did spanish sallets have? it was mentioned in passing in the video, but I have never heard of it

[@theadobeblacksmith._.]

Could i pretty please have one (:

[@oldschooljeremy8124]

Saladin - the noise made when someone hits you in the sallet.

[@Dappertrucker]

What about the ones that had belows type visors

[@beepboop204]

Mr Burns meme: Ketchup, Catsup

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

Full German? You never go full German m

[@andrewcormack-foster3790]

French Sallet? There is a pun there.

[@mathieukervyn9414]

Could they attatch a torse to a sallet?

[@arpioisme]

so, it's either german or germain't

[@greenmagic8ball198]

Never go full German...

[@DaDudeb]

Never go full German.

[@nathanielreichert4638]

I’m a meat eater, I don’t do sallets

[@speedandstyletony]

Can also be used to toss a salad in! 😊

[@micumatrix]

German or Cesar’s salad

[@The_Captain40k]

Never go full German

[@ambravirlebreton]

Love this helmet ❤

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the good video 👊🏻

[@HD-mp6yy]

Great video! I wanted to ask you know where can I find accurate information in English about the lobster-tailed helmet. After watching Shadiversity's latest video on helmets, bythe way it's a great video amd it merit's a watch, I realized how unappreciated it is.

[@realhorrorshow8547]

I'm not sure where you'd put my sallet, of many years good service. It has a long tail of three articulated segments.

[@elshebactm6769]

🗿👍🏿

[@RevlikesArma]

Thank you for making this video about different kinds of Salad!

[@brittakriep2938]

In 15th century , the Low countries had been part of HRE.

[@richardmcginnis5344]

been watching a few years now and i haven't seen anything about thumb daggers and other clandestine weapons of the world wars, is there ever gonna be a video about the smallest dagger?

[@johnbennett1465]

I noticed that the curves along the top edges of visors were noticeable different. So how did this vary by region/time/maker?

[@marcusfridh8489]

Fun fact: sallets are still in use in cyclingsport and speed skiing, watch those helmets and you definitely see the relation.

[@squatch2461]

Please explain the functional, if any, reasons behind some of the design elements you mentioned. I'm thinking of the lower part of the face cover protruding, the long back of the helmet, etc. Thanks 🍻

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

The bevors only protect the front, the long tail protects a opponent from using a bill or halberd to hook or lacerate the back of your neck.

[@squatch2461]

@@PJDAltamirus0425 Thanks 🍻

[@perrytran9504]

@@PJDAltamirus0425 Also worth mentioning, a mail standard (collar) is essential for proper function of the sallet. Unlike the bascinet which often came with a mail aventail, the sallet has no such thing and so even the tail leaves part of the back of your neck exposed. The combination is still lighter than a bascinet plus aventail though.

[@neutronalchemist3241]

In a sallet, when worn visor down, there are two fields of vision. What you see from the slit (in front of you) and what you see below the rim (the terrain you are walking on). The lower part of face cover protruding allows to have a larger field of vision when looking below the rim without reducing the frontal one or the protection. It also reduces the possibility, for a blade's hit on the lower part of the face cover, to be directed into the slit.