Rondel (armour)

Two rondels covering the vulnerable underarm section of a suit of armour

A rondel (ˈrɒndl) is a circular piece of metal used for protection, as part of a harness of plate armour, or attached to a helmet, breastplate, couter or on a gauntlet.

Rondels most commonly hang off breastplates and cover the armpit, which is a vulnerable point.^[1] In this instance they are commonly known as besagews. They also appear on the back of a type of late medieval helmet known as the armet. Their purpose for this is unknown, though it has been surmised that they may protect strapping, or just be some sort of added protection. Rondels also appear uncommonly on the metacarpal part of some historical gauntlet designs, and appear in some period illustrations protecting the side of the head, and the point of the elbow (where a fan may normally be).

See also

• Besagew — a kind of rondel for armpit protection
• Mirror armour — oriental armour developed from local type of polished rondels, called as "mirrors"

References

External links

• Leg Harness (1400 - 1620) description of historic developments in leg armour

Components of medieval armour
Head	Armet Barbute Bascinet Burgonet Cervelliere Enclosed helmet Close helmet Great helm Frog mouth Hounskull Lobster tail pot Mail coif Morion Nasal helmet Sallet Spangenhelm Kettle hat
Face	Visor Falling buffe
Neck	Aventail Bevor Gorget Pixane
Torso	Breastplate Brigandine Cuirass Culet Pauncer Plackart Fauld Hauberk Codpiece Lance rest Coat of plates Jack of plate
Arms	Ailette Besagew Couter Gauntlet Pauldron Rerebrace Spaulder Vambrace
Legs	Bases Chausses Cuisses Greave Poleyn Sabaton Schynbald Tasset
Pieces	Gousset Lame Rondel