This comprehensive medieval helmets list explores the major types of helmets worn by knights, soldiers, and warriors across the Middle Ages. From early designs like the nasal helmet and Spangenhelm, to advanced types like the bascinet, great helm, and sallet, each entry includes key features and historical usage. Understanding the diversity of helmet styles reveals the evolution of protection, status, and technology in medieval warfare. Use this guide to explore the full range of knight helmets by name, type, and period.
Medieval Helmets List
There were many types of medieval Helmet which in its most basic description was armour or protection for the head. Very early helmets could be made from a mix of hardened leather with metal additions.
Later medieval helmets were more commonly made from metals such as iron or steel. Skilled smiths known as armourers (specialist blacksmiths) would forge helmets into the required shape using a furnace, anvil and tools such as hammers.
Most Popular Medieval Helmets List
Norman *Nasal Helmet
The Vikings and Normans wore a conical-shaped spangenhelm construction helmet with a metal nose guard – This type of helmet was commonly known as a Nasal Helmet of Spangenhelm construction.
Viking Spangenhelm Helmet
The Vikings also wore a spangenhelm construction helmet, commonly eye plates and side plates were added for additional protection. Historians now believe that the Vikings only wore horned helmets for ceremonial purposes and not for battle!
The Great Helm *Crusader Helmet
The Crusader helmet refers to a type of helmet that was worn during the crusades by religious orders of knights such as the “Knights Templar”. The Crusader helmet was designed for maximum protection.
Around the 11th Century, a cylindrical helmet that had a flat top called the Great Helm became popular these are also known as crusader helmets, many variations of the popular Great Helm were produced such as the Sugarloaf Helm.
The Great Helm was heavily built and made from iron, weighing as much as 10 pounds. The helmet was usually flat-topped and had tiny slots for the eyes and mouth. These eye slots were called occulariums.
The black prince was a famous medieval knight who wore the Great Helm. Helms were large and heavy, hot and uncomfortable to wear with restrictive breathing and limited vision, small holes created to help breathing also helped lower level visibility. The Great Helm was usually only donned at the last minute before battle.
Bascinet Helmet *Visors *Knight & Infantry Helmet
The Bascinet was a popular helmet with both Knights and Infantry. It could be worn with or without a visor. The visor was called a Hounskull and was attached with rivets on the sides. Records from the late 12th century indicate that different types of bascinet helmet were also worn by lower-ranking soldiers including archers.
The word Visor comes from the Old France word “Vis” which means Face. The Visor covered an opening in the helmet and could usually be lowered or raised to allow the knight to be able to breathe better and cool the face.
Later versions with rounded visors called ‘Great Bascinets’ were popular in later medieval times.
Sallet Helmet
The Sallet was a helmet worn in the late medieval period, popular in Germany and Italy in the 15th century.
The Sallet had a visor and sloping back part that protected the neck. The Sallet Helmet was often combined with a Bevor to also provide protection for the neck and lower face.
Knights Tournamet Helmets
Knights wore a wide variety of helmets during medieval tournaments. Closed Helms were popular. Knights wore Great Helms, Bascinets with Hounskull Visor, Sallets and other unusal helmets such as the German Frog Mouth Jousting ‘Stechhelm.
Tournament Helmets were commonly painted in Heraldic colours of the Knight for ceremonial purposes and identification.
Tournament Helmets were often fanciful and adorned with Crests and Decoration for ceremonial purposes and identification.
Kettle Hat
The Kettle hat was worn by the common foot soldiers such as pikemen in the 12th and 13th centuries. Kettle hats had a wide brim that was similar to a sun hat. The Kettle hat protected the head from downward blows and could be worn over a chainmail coif.
There was a massive amount of Variants of the Kettle hat throughout medieval Europe
The barbute was a very popular helmet in Italy during the late medieval period
How many types of medieval helmets were there?
There were many, including nasal helmets, great helms, bascinets, sallets, barbutes, and kettle hats—each suited to different periods and roles.
Which helmet did knights wear most?
Knights most commonly wore the great helm in the 13th century, then switched to the bascinet and sallet as armor evolved.
What materials were medieval helmets made from?
Most were made of iron or steel, often padded inside and sometimes lined with leather or fabric for comfort.
How did helmet styles differ across Europe?
German helmets often had elaborate fluting, Italian ones were more rounded, and English versions blended both styles.
