Richard and Saladin; Combat Series; Chertsey tiles

Richard

Object type: floor-tile
British Museum number: 1885,1113.9051-9060
Title (series) Richard and Saladin; Combat Series; Chertsey tiles
Description: Earthenware floor-tiles, lead-glazed with inlaid slip decoration.
Four quarter floor tiles making up a circular picture, ten surviving fragments. Knight on horseback representing Richard I (Coeur de Lion) in combat [his adversary Saladin represented on floor tiles 1885,1113.9065-9070.]
Culture/period: Late Medieval
Date: 1250s
Production place: Made in: Chertsey (Europe, United Kingdom, England, Surrey, Chertsey)
Findspot: Chertsey Abbey (Europe, United Kingdom, England, Surrey, Chertsey, Chertsey Abbey)
Materials: earthenware
Technique: slip-decorated; lead-glazed; inlaid
Dimensions: Diameter: 256 millimetres
Curator's comments: The individual segment tiles make up a circle which fits into a set of frame tiles.

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Referenced on p.64, Knight - Noble Warrior of England 1200-1600 by Christopher Gravett
Tiles of about 1255-60, from Chertsey Abbey in Surrey, depicting Richard I jousting against Saladin. Note the crown around Richard's helm.

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Referenced on p.66, Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350, Western Europe and the Crusader States by David Nicolle
151 'Richard Coeur-de-Lion', tile from Chertsey Abbey, England, late 12th century
(Edward VII Gallery, British Museum, London, England)
Earlier in date but very similar in style and execution are the famous tiles from Chertsey Abbey near Windsor. The arms and armour are also earlier. Here King Richard I wears a great helm with a crown around what looks like a slightly domed or even conical top. The helmet does not extend very far down the back of his neck and has no apparent reinforcing bars at the front. As such it is an early example of the true great helm. The king's hauberk naturally includes mittens, but his mail chausses are of the lighter type which do not cover the back of his legs. His shield, though flat topped, also looks large and old fashioned.