RUSSIAN.PRINCE OF WALES. ** FRENCH.POPE’S TIARA. ** ENGLISH. ** SULTAN’S TIARA.DUKE’S. ** AUSTRIA.GERMAN.
RUSSIAN.PRINCE OF WALES. ** FRENCH.POPE’S TIARA. ** ENGLISH. ** SULTAN’S TIARA.DUKE’S. ** AUSTRIA.GERMAN.
RUSSIAN.
PRINCE OF WALES. ** FRENCH.
POPE’S TIARA. ** ENGLISH. ** SULTAN’S TIARA.
DUKE’S. ** AUSTRIA.
GERMAN.
The early Anglo-Saxons for years wore no other covering for their heads than their long flowing hair, which theysedulously cultivated. When they did take to a covering, about the eighth century, it was in the form of a cap made most likely from the undressed skin of animals. The Britons, at the time of the invasion of Cæsar, wore on their heads a conical hat, which derived its name from the cabin or hut in which they lived, it strongly resembling it in shape. Helmets, with a projecting piece in front called a nasal, were worn by the early Briton warriors. The nasal was afterward discarded, as it was found to afford too convenient a hold to the enemy of the wearer, Stephen, at the siege of Lincoln, having been seized by the nasal of his helmet and held a prisoner.
It was not until after the Norman conquest that the use of hats became general in England. “A hatte of bever” was worn by some one of the nobles met at Clarendon about the middle of the twelfth century, and in the “Canterbury Tales” we hear mention of the merchant wearing on his head a “Flaunderish bever hat.”
In the fourteenth century we find a very peculiar kind of head-gear popular in England, Figs. 70 and 72. First, on the head is a close-fitting skull-cap, which is encircled by a roll of cloth, flat like a band, or twisted turban-wise. Above is another piece of cloth, cut and clipped around the edges in all manner of queer shapes, the whole falling around the head in a confused manner. Such hoods were worn by the ancient Knights of the Garter, and are said to have been borrowed from Italy.
It is in this same century that for the first time in England we find a feather in the hat, Fig. 75. It was stuck in perfectly straight in front, as they had not as yet acquired any grace in its adjustment.