GENOESE SEAMAN, 15th CENTURY

An extract from Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 1
by Ian Heath

80. GENOESE SEAMAN, 15th CENTURY

This figure comes from a 15th century illustration depicting the Duc de Bourbon's Franco-Genoese expedition to Barbary in 1390. The Genoese contingent for this enterprise comprised 1,000 crossbowmen, 2,000 men-at-arms and 4,000 mariners, this man representing one of the latter category (in fact a galley oarsman). Many of the Genoese crossbowmen to be found in French employ during this era, those at Crécy for example, were in fact seamen.

He wears a brown tunic, red trousers, black shoes, and a blue cap with a white lining, which could be tied under the chin. By this date oarsmen generally wore no armour in battle except for a helmet and arming-cap, though some might wear brigandines.

[Based on f.60v, Expedition of the English and the French to Barbary in the 'Harley Froissart', Chronicles by Jean Froissart, Netherlands, c.1470-1472, British Library Harley MS 4379]