Category: Male clothing > arming garments

Pourpoint of Charles de Blois

Pourpoint of Charles de Blois

Century: XIV, XV

CODE	Material	Standard ? × SPES products - technology & methods of manufacturing Machine-made standard - products with visible signs of using modern methods and tools in their production; e.g. visible outside and inside seams in clothing made with the use of a machine. Mixed standard - products with visible signs of using both modern and traditional methods and tools in their production; e.g. main, inside seams in clothing are made with the use of a machine while outside stitches and details are sewn by hand. Hand-made standard - goods with visible signs of using only traditional methods and tools in their production; e.g. all seams in clothing are sewn by hand. *NOTE. We always use high quality materials and fabrics while making our products - the above standards of their production are not related to the materials used.	Price
PMLR0474	Linen	Hand-made	490.00 EUR
PMLS0473	Linen	Mixed	249.00 EUR

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A type of padded jack based on a pourpoint of Charles de Blois, who died in 1364.

A characteristic features of this gambeson (also called a wambais) are very deep cuts on sleeves and cut off at the waist (2 parts). To increase the comfort of use, sleeves are composed of few elements. In standard, our porupoint is buttoned up with tin buttons. However, we can replace them with fabric buttons, or other from our assortment. In this period of the Middle Ages a collar was an uncommon part of clothing. Still, we can sew it to the aketon for additional 10 EUR.

You can choose a color of both outer linen layer of fabric, and inner linen lining of a gambeson. For additional payment (10% of a price), we can make a bicolor pourpoint on the outside.

Thickness of our pourpoint:

Average; 1 layer of filling on torso, 1 layer on arms(with reinforcement on elbows and shoulders).

Charles de Blois' gambeson — the history and purpose

Original pourpoint is kept in Musee Historique des Tissus in Lyon. The aketon of Charles do Blois had an outer layer of silk in characteristic, octagonal pattern of lion and eagle. The sleeves of pourpoint were sewn in "grandes assiettes" method, very popular in 2nd half of 14th century. It was used not only in gambesons, but also in civil garments like houppelande or cottehardie.

In the Middle Ages, gambesons were used as cheap armor for fighters. However, only the poorest used them as the only protection. For the rest, aketons were the supplement of armament, ensuring the amortization against hits and protection against brushing of an armor. Among quilted elements of medieval protection, we can find pourpoints and padded jacks for the body, quilted legs, quilted bonets, or quilted gloves. They were made of from few to several dozens of fabric layers. In 13th century this arming clothing was long and rather not fitted to the body. They were put on through head and buttoned up under the neck. Later, with the development of other parts of arming clothing,wambaises became shorter and more fitted to the wearer's body. In 14th and 15th century, pourpoints were mostly buttoned up or tied up in the front.

Gambesons were a cheap protection for the fighting men in the Middle Ages, but only the poorest ones used only them as their single armour. For others they were a part of a complete protective armament, providing amortization of the hit and the protection of attritions from the armour. Among padded protective elements we can find: gambesons protecting the trunk and hands, padded gloves, padded coifs and separate hoses. They were sewn from layers of a fabric. In the 13th century gambesons were long and rather badly-fitted to the figure. They were usually put over the head and buttoned only near the neck. Later, with the development of other elements of the armour, gambesons were shorter and better fitted to the body. In the 14th and the 15th centuries they were usually buttoned at the front or laced up.

Gambeson stuffing/layering

Normally we use:
- linen first layer
- second strengthening layer (cotton)
- few layers of batting(for specific numbers, see description of the chosen quilted garment)
- linen lining

In all arming garments (quilted hood etc.), you can change the padding. Click on this picture to see different options of padding available in our shop:


If you decide to change the padding, please write the code of chosen padding (Y1-Y13) in the "additional information" box in one of the next steps of ordering.