![]() Heater gave reliable protection as it had rather large surface area.Ĭoincidently, ecu's form is also its drawback as owner’s legs remain almost completely unprotected. kite ones), therefore, easy to carry during both mounted and on-foot combat. Moreover, they were much lighter than others of such type (s.a. Why? Well, they were comparatively cheap while easy to manufacture. Edward the Black Prince’s shield found in his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral is a great example.Īlmost all classes of warriors in Medieval Europe from knights to ordinary soldiers used ecu. Some heaters had additional gesso, canvas, and/or parchment layers included. While heater is not in use, you can put it over your back using a belt called “guige”. It could be enhanced by strips of metal or horn plates. However, metal or other durable materials were also often used like wood over a metal base (steel or iron). When plate armor began to cover body more and more, heater became, accordingly, smaller and smaller so by the middle of XIVth it was practically not used outside tournaments.Įcu were usually made of thin wood covered with leather. Since XVth century, it has turned into highly specialized jousting equipment often containing a bouche (fr.) – a "mouth" (notch in which lance passes through). Smaller in size than kite shield, it was more manageable while could be used both on horseback or on foot. Term “heater” is a neologism created by Victorian antiquaries considering its form similarity to iron’s sole. It evolved into such a form around XIIth century end, which can be seen in the Richard I and prince John’s big seals. ![]() This lent itself to the relatively wide surface area of the shield and its shape, which made it excellently suited for display.Ecu or french tartsche (also referred to as heater in English sources due to its characteristic shape) is a European medieval shield type. Heater shields were often used for heraldic display, or display of the coat of arms of the wielder. Unfortunately, there is very little contemporaneous documentation remaining in the world regarding the proper use of a heater shield with a sword or any other weapon. His arms will be wasted more quickly than his head, Because the distance is manifest for a shorter time." "When a sword flies for your leg, make a downward blow to his face or around to his throat: This disadvantage can be eliminated by moving away from an opponent. When using a heater shield properly, the legs are left almost entirely unprotected. This style of shield was not without its flaws. It was relatively lightweight compared to other similar shields at the time such as the kite shield, being easy to move around during both mounted and on-foot combat, and had a fairly high amount of surface area, making for a solid defence. This design lent itself to being relatively inexpensive and easy to make. The heater shield was used by almost every class of society in medieval Europe, from knights to typical soldiers. Ĭontrary to the common interpretations, heater shields did not strap to the arm, but were held and maneuvered by a combination of a hand-strap and a belt called a guige, which was slung around the neck and used to support the shield, as well as sling it around the back when not in use. Some shields, such as that of Edward, the Black Prince from his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral, incorporated additional layers of gesso, canvas, and/or parchment. They were often made of wood braced with metals such as steel or iron. Heater shields were typically made from thin wood overlaid with leather. By the mid 14th century it was hardly seen outside of tournaments. ![]() As plate armour began to cover more and more of the body, the shield grew correspondingly smaller. From the 15th century, it evolved into highly specialized jousting shields, often containing a bouche, a notch or "mouth" for the lance to pass through. Smaller than the kite shield, it was more manageable and could be used either mounted or on foot. Examples are depicted in the great seal of Richard I and John. The term is a neologism, created by Victorian antiquarians due to the shape's resemblance to a clothes iron. The heater shield or heater-shaped shield is a form of European medieval shield, developing from the early medieval kite shield in the late 12th century in response to the declining importance of the shield in combat thanks to improvements in leg armour. Hyghalmen Roll, Germany, late 15th century Heraldic roll of arms displaying heater-shaped heraldic shields or escutcheons. ![]()
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