Sabaton

Sabatons from the 14th and 15th centuries typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following fashionable shoe shapes of the era. Sabatons of the late 15th and early 16th century followed the duckbill shoes of the time, ending at the tip of the toe but often extending greatly wider. The sabatons were the first piece of armour to be put on, and were made of riveted iron plates called lames. These plates generally covered only the top of the foot. Some sources{{who|date=February 2024}} maintain that the broad-toed variant is the true sabaton, whereas the earlier versions should be referred to as a solleret.{{cite book |last=Bradbury |first=Jim |date=2004 |title=The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3FRsBgAAQBAJ&q=sabaton+armour&pg=PA259 |publisher=Routledge |page=259 |isbn=0-415-22126-9 }}

At least in theory, French princes and dukes were allowed to have toes of Gothic sabatons {{frac|2|1|2}} times, lords (barons and higher) two times, and gentry only one time the length of their feet.{{cite book |last1=Funcken |first1=Liliane |last2=Funcken |first2=Fred |title=Le costume, l'armure et les armes au temps de la chevalerie |language=fr |volume=2: Le siècle de la Renaissance |url=https://www.gpsdf.org/chevalerie/Le%20Costume,%20l%27Armure%20et%20les%20Armes%20au%20Temps%20de%20la%20Chevalerie%20-%20Tome%202.pdf |access-date=24 September 2024 |location=Tournai |publisher=Casterman |year=1979 |page=88 |isbn=2-203-14319-3}} If we assume {{lang|fr|pied du roi}} as the standard length, these would be {{cvt|81.2|cm|in|0}}, {{cvt|64.96|cm|in|frac=16}}, and {{cvt|32.48|cm|in|frac=4}}, respectively.

The sabaton was not commonly used by knights or men at arms fighting on foot. Instead, many would simply wear leather shoes or boots. Heavy or pointy metal footwear would severely hinder movement and mobility on the ground, particularly under wet or muddy conditions. Attacks against the feet are not common in dismounted combat,{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} as a strike to an enemy's foot would typically put the attacker in a very awkward and vulnerable position. Conversely, a mounted knight's feet would be at perfect height for strikes from dismounted soldiers, and so sabatons or other foot armour would be vital when riding into battle.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}} An earlier solution was for the mail of the chausses to completely cover the foot, but later the mail terminated at the ankle, either overlapping the outside of the sabaton or extending beneath it.{{cite book |last=Walker |first=Paul F. |chapter=Chapter 9 |date=2013 |title=History of Armour 1100–1700 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zZp8AwAAQBAJ&q=sabaton+armour&pg=PT220 |publisher=The Crowood Press Ltd |isbn= 978-1-84797-452-5}}

The effigy of Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick in the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, shows how 15th century Italian-style sabatons would have been worn. These consist of a toe cap, four articulated lames, a foot plate and ankle plate, and a hinged heel cap, joined with buckled straps. Although the spurs are missing from the effigy, remains of rivet holes and staples may represent the way that the spurs would have been directly attached to the heel cap of the sabaton, rather than being strapped on afterwards.

"Sabaton" is also the name of a type of broad-toed Flemish shoe, popular in the Late Middle Ages.

Sabaton is the name of a Swedish heavy metal band who write songs based on military history.

File:HJRK A 62 - Armoured shoes of Maximilian I, 1485.jpg|Sabatons of Emperor Maximilian I, c. 1485

Image:Sabatons evolution by Wendelin Boeheim.jpg|Sabatons' shape evolution by Wendelin Boeheim: {{ordered list|list_style_type=lower-alpha|{{nobr|1290–1390}}|{{nobr|1300–1490}}|{{nobr|1500–1530}}|{{nobr|1530–1540}}|{{nobr|1540–1550}}|{{nobr|1550–1560}}|{{nobr|1560–1590}}}}

File:Plate sabatons.png|Sabatons with tapered points (poulaines, pikes, or beaks)

File:Richard de Beauchamp effigy Warwick Church.jpg|Gilded bronze effigy at Warwick, England, of Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick who died in 1439, showing the underside of his sabatons

• List of shoe styles

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{{Elements of Medieval armor}}

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Category:Historical footwear

Category:Medieval armour

Category:Western plate armour