Glossary: Arms and Armour - T

Tasset (Taces): The 15th century defense for the hips that attached to the fauld. Usually a plate of iron or steel, often featuring one or more fluted ribs and a thick rolled edge (at least in the front) for strength. Uncommon during the 14th century; an integral part of most 15th century white harnesses.

Torse: A colorful cloth roll worn around the crown of the helmet, from which the mantling or cloth decoration was attached. Used from the 13th century through the 15th, torses and mantling helped to identify the knight in war and provided a colorful expressive tool for tournaments and pageants of the 15th century.

Tower of London: The most famous armour museum in the world. The museum houses what is arguably the finest collection of armour in the world, including several very fine visored bascinets, several 15th century harnesses, and an extensive collection of pieces from the 14th and 15th centuries, in addition to the very large collection of later equipment.

Transitional armour: Armour of the transitional period, when mail defenses were gradually augmented during the development of a full plate harness.

Transitional Period: Corresponding roughly to the 14th century, it was the period directly in between the use of mail and casques and the international adoption of full plate during the 15th century. It was a time of broad experimentation in terms of materials, engineering techniques, and preferred zones of defense. Most of the adornment in transitional armour is expected to be found in the elegant simplicity of the pieces, and in the interplay of colors between the fabric, leather, and metal contrasts. Also characterized by a very athletic line, including the emphasis of the "wasp-waisted" look for the body and slender appearance of the limbs. The transitional style affects a study in complimentary colors, heraldic displays enhanced with metal to add to the sense of martial seriousness.