Carolingian/Ottonian illustrations

[Druzhina]

I have extended my collection of illustrations of Carolingian illustrations of soldiers plus those from Germany and Northern Italy:

Germanic or Slavic Cavalryman on a Gravestone, Magdeburg region, Germany, c.700AD, Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, Halle
Fresco of the Crucifixion from Santa Maria Antiqua, 741–52AD, Rome, Italy
A Carolingian Cavalryman in the Gellone Sacramentary, c.790-95, BnF Ms. Lat. 12048, Paris, France
Armies in the Trier Apocalypse, Carolingian, 8th-9th century, folio 63, Stadtbib. Cod. 31
Carolingian Huntsmen, late 8th-early 9th Century, Nationalbibliothek Cod. 1, Vienna
Carved Relief of Huntsmen, Cathedral, Civita Castellana, Italy, 8th or 9th century
Carolingian soldiers in the Corbie Psalter, beginning of the 9th century, Northern France
Prudentius' Psychomachia 'Conflict Of The Soul' in Leyden, Universitatsbibliothek, Codex Burmanni Q 3, 9th century
Emperor Constantine at the Council of Nicaea in a compendium of canon law produced in northern Italy c.825 AD
Archer & Javelinman in, folio 15v, the Ebbon Gospels, France, 817-834AD
Carolingian Soldiers in the Stuttgart Psalter, Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Cod.bibl.fol. 23. 1st half 9th century
9th Century Carolingian Soldiers in the Vivian Bible, 845-851AD. BnF MS Latin 1.
9th Century Carolingian Soldiers in the Lothar Bible, 849-851AD
Carolingian Ivory Plaque of a Soldier, Triumph of Virtue over Evil, France, 9th century, Bargello
Carolingian Soldiers in the Apocalypse of St Amand or Cambrai Apocalypse, 9th Century, BM Cambrai Ms. 386, France
Carolingian Soldiers in lamellar armour on a Carolingian ivory carving, 9th Century, Cathedral Treasury, Nancy, France
Carolingian Ivory Book Cover of Charles the Bald, France, c.860
9th Century Carolingian Soldiers in Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram (Saint Emmeram Gospels), c.870AD
9th Century Carolingian Soldiers in the Bible of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura, c.870-880AD
Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century, by Simon Coupland
Abraham & Lot in Prudentius' Psychomachia 'Conflict Of The Soul' in BnF Ms. Latin 8085, France (Reims ?), 870-899AD
Chastity fights Lust in Prudentius' Psychomachia 'Conflict Of The Soul' in BnF Ms. Latin 8085, France (Reims ?), 870-899AD
Wall paintings in the Church of St. Benedict in Mals, South Tyrol, before 881AD
Abraham & Lot in Prudentius' Psychomachia, Northern France: Abbey of Saint-Amand?, c. 890 AD. Brussels, KBR, Ms. 9987-91
Tractatus de vitiis et virtutibus Treatise on the vices and the virtues, BnF Ms. Latin 8318, France, 9th century
Carolingian soldiers in The Golden Psalter of St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 22, c.883-888 and 890-900
'Chastity & Lust' in Prudentius' Psychomachia, Bern, Burgerbibliothek, Cod. 264, Lake Constance, c.900AD
The Leiden I Maccabees manuscript, Germany, second half of 9th–early 10th century
Soldiers at the Sepulchre on an Ivory Plaque, early 10th century, Milan, Italy. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1993.19
Charlemagne and Pippin the Hunchback, Italy, 10th century. Biblioteca Capitolare, Cod. 01.2, f. 164v, Modena
Ivory Book-Cover of Women and Soldiers at the Sepulcre, St. Gallen, 10th century, Victoria and Albert Museum
Basilewsky Situla, Soldiers at the Sepulchre, Ottonian Milan, Italy, c.980AD, Victoria and Albert Museum
Siege of Jerusalem - Commentaries of Hayman on Ezekiel, Auxerre, France, c. 1000AD
French Costume & Soldiers in constellations, c.1000. Bibliothèque Municipale, Dijon - ms. 448.
Gospel Book of Otto III, German, c.1000AD. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich.
A Carolingian banner in the Psalter of St. Bertin, Northern France, c. 1000 AD. BM. Boulogne Ms. 20
The Emperor Receives a Battle-Standard from a Bishop, Milan, Northern Italy, between 998 and 1018
Ottonians on the Elfenbeinsitula, Lotharingia, c.1000 or c.1024AD, in the Cathedral of Aachen
Ottonian Soldiers in Codex Aureus of Echternach, 1030-1050AD, Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany
Warrior Christ on the Châsse de St. Hadelin, 1046 AD, Church of St. Martin, Visé, Belgium
'Abraham & Lot' in Prudentius' Psychomachia, manuscript Lyon, Bibliotheque du Palais des Arts, Ms. 22, 11th century
'Patience & Anger' in Prudentius' Psychomachia, manuscript Lyon, Bibliotheque du Palais des Arts, Ms. 22, 11th century

46 & 47. 8TH-10TH CENTURY CAROLINGIAN INFANTRYMEN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
48 & 49. 9TH CENTURY CAROLINGIAN HEAVY INFANTRYMEN by Ian Heath
50. CAROLINGIAN HEAVY ARCHER in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
51. CAROLINGIAN MUSICIAN, in Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 1 by Ian Heath
54. 8TH-10TH CENTURY CAROLINGIAN MEDIUM CAVALRYMAN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
55. 9TH CENTURY CAROLINGIAN HEAVY CAVALRYMAN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
56. CAROLINGIAN GUARDSMAN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
57. 10TH CENTURY CAROLINGIAN CAVALRYMAN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
58. CAROLINGIAN SHIELD PATTERNS in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
59 & 60. OTTONIAN HEAVY CAVALRYMEN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
61, 62. OTTONIAN HEAVY INFANTRYMAN in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath
63. CAROLINGIAN AND OTTONIAN STANDARDS in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath

mirror site
Carolingian illustrations of costume and soldier

Druzhina
Illustrations Costume & Soldiers

 

[DanAngleland]

Thanks for those Druzhina, I had a look through them last night and I hadn't seen most of these. There are a great number of details of interest, but a few staples of Carolinigian armament (as depicted in contemporary art such as in these links) have long been of interest to me; the helmet seems really unique, I cannot think of another like it from earlier generations, so too the shield. Given so many different illustrators depicted the same (or very similar) helmets time after time, one is hard pressed not to conclude (as Simon Coupland does in one of those links) that it was a genuine helmet of the period. What seems strange to me is how different it seems from the types of helmet I associate with western and northern Europe in the dark ages. The shield also is very distinctive, with that spike-like boss and consistently domed shape. And of course the scale armour, which does seem to be depicted in a number of these illustrations alongside the shield and what I take to be contemporary clothes (the cloaks and so forth) and thus probably was worn by the Franks, is really intriguing to see on a northern European soldier. Why choose scale when as far as I know, the rest of northern and western europe produced maille, and why does scale seem to have disappeared again by the 11th century? I like to think that they did wear it though.

Then there is a curious thing that I wanted to mention; in the following link: http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Carolingian-ivory-Nancy_Cathedral.htm two soldiers appear to have a lamellar armour across the lower torso, not something associated with western troops nor, as far as I know, with late Roman or Byzantine troops (who, it has been theorised, some of the Frankish illustrations from this period may have been influenced by). It looks a bit like the lamellar armour in M&B, the ones where the lamellar covers the lower torso and is suspended from straps over the shoulders. I wonder whether the troops being depicted are Frankish or from further afield.

 

[Druzhina]

I wonder whether the troops being depicted are Frankish or from further afield.

It can be difficult to tell with biblical depictions and even more doubtful if it is 'the other' in the story, in this case: Guards at the Holy Sepulchre.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers