Questions about Medieval "clothing"

[ccllnply]

Note I just used clothing in the title for lack of a better word. Anyway, I've two questions I've about Medieval Europe that I couldn't really find from google.

1. Was heraldic armour common in European armies of the time. As far as I know, most lords covered their armour and horse's bardings in their family's coat of arms but did their troops wear anything similar? I'm guessing their levies didn't but did their men-at-arms or knights wear something similar?

2. Did Sultan's wear crowns similar to those of the western kings? Basically all fantasy worlds that base factions off Sultanates and such seem to show their leaders wearing crowns in concept art, but I've yet to see an actual Sultan's crown

[ccllnply]

Anyone? Please?

[Visna]

Note I just used clothing in the title for lack of a better word. Anyway, I've two questions I've about Medieval Europe that I couldn't really find from google.

1. Was heraldic armour common in European armies of the time. As far as I know, most lords covered their armour and horse's bardings in their family's coat of arms but did their troops wear anything similar? I'm guessing their levies didn't but did their men-at-arms or knights wear something similar?

Depends on when in the middle ages, face covering helmets for Knights started to become fashionable in the 12th century, making identification impossible without some sort of coat of arms. Levies generally didn't have the luxury of face protection, so it wasn't as much an issue for them. Without being too sure, I guess men-at-arms varied.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

1. Was heraldic armour common in European armies of the time. As far as I know, most lords covered their armour and horse's bardings in their family's coat of arms but did their troops wear anything similar? I'm guessing their levies didn't but did their men-at-arms or knights wear something similar?

First of all, no answer applies to the entire medieval period. Second of all, feudal lords can be considered levies too, because they were called up to serve an obligation. Thirdly, army compositions varied massively from place to place and from time to time.

To answer your question despite its inherent misconceptions - the lord's heraldry was more or less exclusively reserved to the lord himself. That's the point of heraldry - battlefield identificaton. As for other troops, initially they bore nothing like heraldry, but gathered around the lord's/assigned commander's banner in battle (except for knights who had devices of their own). This was consistent with armies that were raised mainly through large numbers of minor tenants and general levies of freemen. Retainers were generally limited in number for any one individual. But by the 14th century, most troops in any army were retainers, troops whose allegiance lay with their direct employer rather than the king. Large retinues, in the hundreds or even thousands, required means of identification. Initially badges were used, but later liveries were devised. Simplified versions of some heraldic symbol, in the form of a cloth surcoat or directly worked onto (fabric) armor, they generally consisted of one or two prominent colors from their lord's sigil with a badge of a heraldic symbol on top. Those retainers who had their own retainers (yo dawg) usually bore their own colors and the liveries didn't extend to their troops - who likely used his own livery.

[Exarch]

can you describe what you mean by 'livery' do you mean that if a lord's colours were say red and gold, his men would wear red and gold tights?

[Sher Khan]

2. Did Sultan's wear crowns similar to those of the western kings? Basically all fantasy worlds that base factions off Sultanates and such seem to show their leaders wearing crowns in concept art, but I've yet to see an actual Sultan's crown

No. At least not like you'd see among western kings where the crown itself as a symbol of authority and important in the ritual proceedings of succession. Some Persian monarchs might be decked out in jewels and sport crowns, but mostly the rank of sultan was decided by magnificent headgear and robes.

Suleiman the Magnificent however did commission an extravagantly expensive tiered crown from the Italians though, but it's doubtful he ever wore the thing during official matters of state.

[Kitsunegari]

The Ottomans in particular loved some extravagant headgear

[Col. Tartleton]

I think their may have been some effort to color the gambeson or at least sew a heraldric patch on, but I'm not sure if that happened. I can't see it going beyond that.

Knights had their own heraldry. Sergeant types presumably wore the colors of their lord.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

can you describe what you mean by 'livery' do you mean that if a lord's colours were say red and gold, his men would wear red and gold tights?

A lord's colors were never that simple, not if they had long been nobles. The livery consisted of some prominent colors in the banner, usually with a symbol, heraldic or otherwise, on top. For example, the livery of Edward IV was a blue/red coat with a symbolic sun on top. And no, his men didn't wear blue and red "tights", but they wore a LIVERY COAT, a fabric vest.

The actual name of those "tights" is hose, and they're trousers not sock-like-things.

I think their may have been some effort to color the gambeson or at least sew a heraldric patch on, but I'm not sure if that happened. I can't see it going beyond that.

Yes, badges and later liveries. Bear in mind that most liveries were worn as vests OVER the armor, not directly on the armor.

Knights had their own heraldry. Sergeant types presumably wore the colors of their lord.

Men-at-arms had their own heraldry, for the most part, being knights or squires by rank themselves.