Casque (Helmet)
The Casque, or Pothelm, appeared in the late twelfth century, and survived across the thirteenth. It was the first headgear to cover the entire head since classical times, and developed from earlier helms that had nose guards. At its most simple, the casque was simply a pot, with an eye slit and breathing holes, although more elaborate versions included a moveable visor. One danger with the Casque was that if it was struck and rotated during battle, it's wearer could be left effectively blinded. It's weight led to it being the last items donned before battle. The Casque also saw the first decoration of the helm for centuries, as the complete coverage of the face made the knight otherwise anonymous, and thus played a part in the development of heraldry.
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J. (25 September 2000), Casque (Helmet), http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_casque.html