Maille Chausses (Chanmail Leggings) attachments?

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I figured this was a good place to ask if anyone has a good idea how to attach maille chausses to themselves.

It seems that knowledge on how medieval warriors attached their maille leggings to themselves is sketchy at best.  Does anyone have some good photographs or suggestions as to how they did so?

I am specifically interested in full chausses, not chausses that are tied up behind the leg (like the chausses in mount and blade).  I kind of need a direction on how to do it so I can finish my harness once and for all.  Any and all suggestions/pictures on the topic are appreciated.
 
This is a passage from one of the Sagas, and I pulled it out of Oakeshotts' Archaeology of Weapons.

"Then above them good maille hose of such a height that they may be fastened with a double string." Which Oakeshott explains as being suspenders connecting the hose to the belt. Interestingly the description has the warrior wearing linen hose, and then the maille hose, and then another pair of linen hose that have metal kneecaps attached. I imagine that's just warrior preference though since you see images of warriors clearly wearing exposed maille chausses often enough.
 
Mail chauses are a wonderful topic full of all of the joys of conjecture and wild imaginings.
There are two "commonly accepted" styles of chausses. Niether of these is neccessarily the least bit historicaly accurate.

1. Short chausses which cojme up to, or just above the knees. These are normaly laced at the back, they are often backed onto leather which is laced at the back. I take it these are not what you are interested in.

2. Mail hoes. These are normaly full lenght (mid thigh down) mail stockings shaped to fit. They generaly need a couple of points of lacing to draw then in and ensure they fit correctly and to distribute the weight evenly. Often such ties are located at the ankle and the back of the knee. The top of the mail hoes are susspended from a belt or from your brais, the same as fabric hoes. Some people back their hoes, others do not. In a number of sorces these full length hoes are warn with an acompanying garment of padding which extends from the hip to just bellow the knees. these garments are called cuisses. these are also hung off a belt or your brais. the cuisses help spread the weight of the mail, protect the knee cap and stop the mail from scratching up your saddle.

A few historical notes:
Mail chausses/hoes appear to have come into use in the mid-late 12th c. They only rarely feature in images prior to the mid 13th.
There is quite some debate over whether type 1 exists of whether they are miss interpretations of images.
My recommendation: unless you have a horse you probably shouldn’t be wearing them anyway, leave them be.

 
Thanks to the both of you, your comments generally support what I have read elsewhere.

Edward: The statement of "double string" is helpful.  Although it can be interpreted different ways, it does support my vision of two leather straps attaching the top of the maille chausses to a leather belt (similar to how womens' hose were attached in the 19th and early 20th centuries).

Bohemond:  I already own full maille hose.  I had debated using cuisses but I also already own full plate shanks, so it would not fit in a historical context (from what I have seen and read, cuisses were used from the mid 13th century onward, but not in conjunction with plate leg armor) and the use of both would hide all the maille hosen except for the foot.  With my own experience wearing braies, I can't imagine having the maille attached to them (the weight would be liable to pull them off), so my gut is with the other method you and Edward mention.

I guess I will have the saddle maker, who I am hiring to do this, make a belt and then adjustable leather straps/belts attach the front and back of each hose.

Thanks for the help.
 
My understanding is that they usually weren't attached to a belt, they were "pointed" (tied) to an arming coat/jupon/whatever worn under the armor. Depending on time period, any loose plate bits (like elbows or spaulders) were usually pointed to it too.
 
That is from a later period and typically is used with plate armor, which has better weight distribution.  Maille hangs from critical points (for example the shoulder on Haubergons and Hauberks).  The weight of the chausses would probably rip out of any fabric material it was attached to.

Also, he said attached to the gambeson/aketon/jupon itself, not any clothing beneath it.
 
Skot the Sanguine said:
That is from a later period and typically is used with plate armor, which has better weight distribution.  Maille hangs from critical points (for example the shoulder on Haubergons and Hauberks).  The weight of the chausses would probably rip out of any fabric material it was attached to.

Also, he said attached to the gambeson/aketon/jupon itself, not any clothing beneath it.
I didn't say gambeson or aketon, I did say jupon which might not be the right term (all those terms meaning similar things get confusing after a while) but I meant a close fitting garment with cords attached to leather tabs at strategic locations for pointing armor worn under everything else, not a padded garment worn to help the outer armor absorb blows.
 
i point my padded and mail chausis to a pourpoint. its a couple of linen layered vest looking thing. i tried a belt but i had to cinch it down way tight and after a while it road down onto my hips and killed me the rest of the day
 
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