Conquerors and Moriones

CONQUEROR HELMETS- MORRION

                One of the main elements that identifies the Spanish soldier of the conquest of America is the morion crest helmet, a metal helmet with a large crest in the middle part of the contraption. We have seen it to the profusion in series, movies, drawings, etc. It has not been scientifically proven that this was the true helmet worn by the conquerors, since it has very distant antecedents (13th century). Most likely, the conquistadors wore various types of helmets. The morion helmet has a clear influence from the Iberian cap of the Iberian type that protected the head. Later various elements were added to better protect users. In the 15th century they did not have any type of crest, and in the middle of the 16th we began to see some concrete versions. It is known as the Spanish morion, which is actually a cap-like helmet, but with a crest, which begins to rise from the mid-16th century, so it is very doubtful that it was used in the American conquest, but rather that this type of helmet is more linked to the Hispanic Tercios. We favor the Spanish cap as the helmet of the conquest, adding one more element of protection for the neck, the gorget.

                The helmets of the later conquistadors receive a great influence from the morion.

Helmets have many variations, so we are going to review only the most used:

TYPES OF MORRON HELMET

The infantry headpiece , which despite its name, was based on the hooves of horses. Removed face covering visor. It protected the head with a curvature to allow mobility of the neck. There are many varieties of this type: smooth, with a visor, with ear flaps, with a kind of cheek piece, etc.

The late medieval capacete helmet . Usually confused with the morion, but very different for experts. They completed the protection with a barbera that defended the neck and a visor that protected the eyes. The helmet and the open helmet can lead to confusion, however there is a big difference, the helmet protects the neck and the helmet does not.

The burgundy , very successful among professional soldiers. It protected the entire head except the face to favor combat. It has a visor over the face and movable ear flaps. In these helmets you begin to see the typical crests of the moriones.

The traditional helmet , of German origin, is very similar to the infantry helmet: it protects the neck with a metal piece, it also has a folding visor that reaches the height of the mouth. To safeguard the lower part of the face, the helmet is complemented with a barber. These traps were the habitual helmet in the hosts of Cortés. Many of them were painted or covered with cloth to prevent rust.

                The cap . The cap was always worn with a harness. Possibly, the helmet that Cortés wore would be a cap. It was highly complex, so that a gunsmith could only be considered a master if he managed to make one of these pieces. In a cap we can distinguish a main helmet that fully adapts to the shape of the head, to which is added a piece that protects the chin. Finally, it has a complicated visor with many openings to breathe and see better . Its structure allows it to deflect the force of the enemy's blows.

                The cabasset is a Renaissance helmet , open, coming from the iron chapel and close to the morion, dome-shaped. It offered protection to the head and neck. Many believe that the cabasset clearly derives from the morion helmet.