Maximilian Style Jousting Helmet Replica from The Tudors

When designing a jousting helmet for a king, there were three criteria that needed to be met: 1. Make it look good. Really, really good. 2. Make sure that the king didn't die. 3. MAKE SURE THAT THE KING DIDN'T DIE.

The last two are a little difficult to follow through on when the King in question forgets to put his visor down while jousting. Yes, Henry VIII, that old knucklehead, once forgot to close his visor before a joust. It was okay, because the chances of getting hit in the head are pretty slim while jousting, especially if you are the King. Oh, unless your opponent is wearing a helmet that doesn't fit quite right and he can't actually see that the king's visor is up. I suppose the crowd shouting to Henry to "HOLD!!!" sounded like they were maybe calling him bold, or calling his opponent old. Whatever the reason, Henry kept riding, and his opponent, the Duke of Suffolk, drove his lance into Henry's face, just above the brow, shattering the lance. Amazingly, Henry suffered only a minor wound, and jousted six more times that day.

The helmet he wore was probably much like this one, a sparrow-beaked Maximilian style fluted helmet. These helmets were renowned for their strength and good looks, but wearing one in a joust with the visor open tended to void the warranty.

The helmet is a gorgeous reproduction of a Henry VIII's jousting helmet. Maximilian helmets, as you'll recall from your "Arms and Armament of the Renaissance" class in college, were named for the German emperor Maximilian. Maximilian style suits of armor were typically made in Germany and were known for their highly decorative fluted style and strength (There is record of Maximilian giving Henry a suit of fluted horse armor once).