Half of a Morion

[Jim McDougall]

Philip, thank you so much for this information and photos on the brigandines and leathern armor!!!! I do recall reading of these in my quest for the elusive 'cuera' I was studying.
(yes Fernando...I AM very fond of.....leather!!! but not in a kinky way )

The cuera I was studying was made in a very classic style with tassets etc. and had been found in storage unit in Arizona after reposing there for decades. It had come from a small private museum which closed, and legal disputes with estate had kept it entangled thus.

What was so unusual about this was that its form was nothing like the rawhide cuera typically worn by the 'soldados de cuera' who were the cavalry in the presidios of the Southwest frontiers into early 19thc.
Apparently this particular cuera was of a unique form (to Santa Fe, N.M.) made by Pueblo Indians under direction of Spanish during the revolts of 1690s.
As apparently no examples of cuera have survived (with the exception of one c.1770s found in Madrid; and one c.1820s in Smithsonian) the discovery of this one was a revelation.

The type was unknown to writers on Spanish arms and armor who wrote in latter 19th c. and into early 20th, as well as to Pierce Chamberlain ("Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821", 1972) whom I knew and had great talks with years before the cuera study.

The reason it was unknown was that the only depiction of it was in a tryptych
painted c.1715 of a battle just prior where the Indian forces with the Spaniards were wearing these. They had been produced during the 1690s reconquest of Santa Fe by Pueblos using the cuir boulli process.
* the paintings were done by Pueblo's with survivors of the battle advising.

The paintings (on hides) were given to Jesuit priest, who sent them to his family in Switzerland during the expulsions of 1770s. There they remained until discovered and brought back to Santa Fe in late 1980s.
This is why this form was unknown......examples had disappeared, and the only record pictorially had been absent from America until AFTER the last reference on Spanish Colonial arms and armor was written (1972).

I know, quite off topic, but pertinent in a sense in that there is a notable dearth of accurate material concerning arms and armor used by the Spanish in the America's in early times.

Regarding Padilla being a credible informant, what was meant by Mr. Curtis was NOT that he was informed by him personally, but that he was relying on accounts/narratives by him that WERE compiled in the period by an observer who had first hand information. This is often done by writers investigating events, and even after the persons involved have long since passed. I would suppose that much as with art, writers employ a degree of 'license' as used by novelists. However, those who strive for accuracy are generally holding to as much corroborated evidence as possible. I believe this is what Mr. Curtis was trying to convey.

Fernando, as always, thank you so much for the great etymology on these terms!!! It is fascinating to have the genuine insights with your knowledge and resources, which give resounding perspective in these discussions.

[fernando]

Oh ...i forgot to upload 'my' cuera setup. One exhibited in the Oporto Military Museum.


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[Jim McDougall]

Thanks Fernando!
I guess that is in a sense a 'cuera', literally. While leather versions of armor, much evolved from brigandines clearly evolved in the America's early, even in the earliest explorations, these were widely varied, and fashioned from layers of various rawhides stitched together.

The 'buff' coats as seen here, were also in use in England and elsewhere in Europe in this same manner, often under a cuirass.
The 'cuera' I was seeking an example of, then at the request of a small museum, was the form illustrated in the attached photos. The leather example (front and back) was a typical form used through the 18th century in the North American Southwest frontiers. This is I believe the one held in Madrid.
The depiction of the mounted soldado is with a shorter jacket version c. 1820s of the type found in the Smithsonian.

It was during this search that the unusual example I ended up researching was discovered in Arizona. It is believed that it had ended up with Comanchero traders and filtered through trades, finally falling into the hands of a guy in Arizona who eventually built a private museum. It was in deplorable condition, collapsed, and painstakingly restored. What was unique about it was that it was of cuir boulli, rather than the rawhide type, and in a classical form.

The cuera seem to have evolved from these buff type liners which effectively buffered the mail, which was far more common than the steel cuirass.
With mail, it however quickly deteriorated without proper maintainance, and was terribly ineffective against arrows which spread and broke the rings, especially if corroded and brittle. Soon the mail was discarded, and the leather took over. It seems much the same in degree with some helmet forms.

Interestingly, I have seen morions made in 17th c Italy of leather.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

...The depiction of the mounted soldado is with a shorter jacket version c. 1820s of the type found in the Smithsonian...

I remember and took a photo of the picture of this guy with the quilted leather vest and a leather shield, in San José Mission, while in our visit to San Antonio, back in 2018. The (bilingual) caption mentions it dates it circa 1803.

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

... I have seen morions made in 17th c Italy of leather.

I once had the previlege to 'touch' a small pear cabasset made of leather, for a young owner; certainly someone of high lineage, judging by the looks of it; its skull had engravings and the rosettes had the shape of infant motifs. It still had kept in a little bag its interior textile lining, in a fragile condition. What an experience.

[AHorsa]

What an interesting discussion, gentlemen!
I just found this contemporary depiction of a soldier wearing a (comb)Morion in the thirty years war.

Kind regards
Andreas

[fernando]

Großartig, Andreas .
So ... the Swiss also had it.

[AHorsa]

Originally Posted by fernando

Großartig, Andreas .

And the French, as this engraving of the Bartholomaeus-night in 1572 shows.

Kind regards
Andreas

[gp]

Originally Posted by AHorsa

What an interesting discussion, gentlemen!
I just found this contemporary depiction of a soldier wearing a (comb)Morion in the thirty years war.

Kind regards
Andreas

just FYI: as the Netherlands are mentioned in one of the pictures (by van Stolk) , it was for us ( I am Dutch) the 80 year war 1568-1648 in which approx. 6 Sieges of Maastricht took place ( out of 28 from the city's complete history between Julius Cesar and Napoleon) in which it changed hands plural times between Spain and Holland.
Carlos V had his palace right on the square where Andre Rieu is now playing each year...☺

The most severest battle was when Farnese, the Duke of Parma, lead the Habsburgian forces ( a historical novel has been written titled "and then all hell broke loose").

FYI: the painting can be found in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez

[gp]

some more pics