The chainmail coif was a vital piece of medieval armor, designed to protect the head, neck, and shoulders of warriors. Crafted from interlinked metal rings, it offered flexible yet durable defense, often worn under a helmet for added protection. Widely used from the 11th to 14th centuries, the coif became standard equipment for knights and soldiers alike. Its design allowed for mobility in combat while shielding critical areas from slashing and stabbing attacks. Whether worn alone or as part of a full mail suit, the coif was indispensable on the battlefield, particularly during the Norman and Crusader periods.
However, used on its own, the coif was not a sufficient form of defense in a battle and knights often used it in conjunction with a helmet which they then wore over it. The helmet warded off the blows and the coif helped the wearer against any weapons that may pierce through the openings in the helmet.
Coif Early Usage
Chainmail came to be used as an important part of body armor in medieval warfare. A coif was a part of the regular chainmail which fell over the upper part of the knight’s body in order to protect him against any piercings.
During this early period, coif was typically knitted together with the rest of the body of chainmail and formed a part of it.
Coif Later Usage
By the middle of the 13th century, the coif was no longer used as a part of the chainmail shirt. It rather became an integral part of the head armor.
While the protection offered by the coif was augmented with a helmet such as a bascinet, later the coif and the helmet became united. In this form, the coif was directly attached to the helmet and shielded the wearer along with the visor.
During the medieval ages, cures for blows from blunt weapons were available and were quite effective. However, if a wound was inflicted through the piercing and got infected, it usually proved fatal given the lack of medicine to treat it. The coif was useful in that it guarded the wearer’s head against any possible piercings.
When used in conjunction with a helmet, it became effective not just against piercings but also against any blunt blows. Due to the flexible nature of the chainmail, the coif easily fell down across the neck and shoulders of the wearer and shielded them effectively against any wounds.
Coif Disadvantages
Chainmail was typically worn because the medieval knights believed they could take the blunt wound but needed to guard against piercings. The problem with coif was that since it was worn on the head, a blunt blow to the head could cause a lot of damage.
Unlike a blunt blow on the arm or the chest which could leave a repairable fracture, a similar blow to the head could prove fatal to the knight.
So a coif alone provided little in the way of protection against blunt blows. This is why it often had to be used together with a helmet such as a bascinet.
It was, however, a more effective piece of armor in guarding the shoulders which is also covered. Later when it became a regular part of the helmet, it could often weigh down the heavy helmet and make mobility a problem for the wearer.
