Maximilian Armour

Cavalry armour of Archduke Ferdinand I. Made by Kolman Helmschmid in Augsburg, ca 1520. Wien Museum Karlsplats, Vienna. The Maximilan style (named in more recent times after noted lover of all things arms, armour, knights and tournament-related Emperor Maximilian I) can be summed up quite well in one word: corrugated. It's largely the same as "regular" German armour of the time, but as can be seen it's covered almost entirely by fluted decoration. It's a very distinct, and quite short lived style that had its peak ca 1515-1525.

The extensive fluting isn't just decorative (though it may have been applied just because of its looks). Just like corrugation in general it also strengthens the plates somewhat. On the other hand these harnesses are very clearly not optimized for having attacks glance off, something to keep in mind when you see someone claim that making attacks glance off was the one true purpose of armour.

A quick note regarding the attribution to various craftsmen: Kolman in this case would not have made the entire armour by himself. Rather he was the master running the workshop, directing the work, and so on. Under him would have been a number of apprentices, journeymen (and possibly a few other masters) who provided the bulk of the raw work hours needed.

Field armour, made in Nuremberg, first half of the 16th century. (Same for the sword.) In many ways something of a stylistic outlier for the Maximilian armour, but it has the fluting at least. Residenzschloss, Dresden.

Armour of Prince Wolfgang von Anhalt-Köthen. South-German, ca 1520 (sword ca 1530). Residenzschloss, Dresden.

Field and tournament armour for man and horse of King (later Emperor) Ferdinand I. Made by Kolman Helmschmid in Augsburg, ca 1526. The plain plackard is quite the anomaly for this type of armour (both in its decoration, and in existing at all) is likely an extra reinforcing piece, the turnbuckle near its top making it quick and easy to remove. Possibly meant just for jousting, and not in times of war, or perhaps to be used whenever mounted and removed for infantry work.

Harness of Otto Heirich (later Prince Electro of Pfalz), made by Lorenz Helmschmid in Augsburg, ca 1516. A pretty early example, where the fluting hasn't quite taken over the entire surface. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

Armour, made in Nürnberg ca 1505. Not quite Maximiliana rmour, but rather a direct ancestor of it. We can see most of the elements that would define the style present already, but the fluting is still applied in a relatively restrained manner. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

South German harness, made in Nürnberg ca 1525-30. With a fancy "grotesque" visor. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

Field and tournament armour of Duke Ulrich von Württemberg. Made by Wilhelm von Worms the Elder in Nürnberg, ca 1525-30. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

Harness of Wohl Bernhard Meuting, patrician of Augsburg. Attributed to Kolman Helmschmid of Augsburg, ca 1525. In the cities of the time the patrician were the wealthiest, with wallets that could compete with those of the nobility. As such when the city militia took to the field they fought as heavy cavalry, with much the same tactics and equipment as the knights of the time. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

Armour (with matching bits for the horse) of Elector Johann Friedrich von Sachsen, made in Nuremberg ca 1530. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna.

Composite armour, in part (helmet, pauldrons and vambraces) attributed to Kolman Helmschmid of Augsburg, made ca 1525. Decorations likely by Daniel Hopfer of Augsburg, who is known to have been contracted by the Helmschmids to decorate a number of harnesses they had made. The rest southern Germany, ca 1520-30. MET Museum, New York.

Composite armour, assembled from parts of at leats three different harnesses, almost all made in Nuremberg, about 1525. The left arm is a 19th century mirrored copy of the right. MET Museum, New York.

Composite armour, northern Germany, ca 1535. Legs from one harness, the rest from another.

Cavalry armour made for Duke August von Sachsen ca 1540, probably in Saxony. A very late example, perhaps debatable whether or not it should be called Maximilian armour at all. We can see how the decorative fluting has lost much of its flair, and here and there it's been replaced by floral motifs instead. Residenzschloss, Dresden.

With the Maximilian-style being defined by very extensive decoration all-over it's somewhat unique in that there isn't really any low-grade harnesses of that type. Some of the stylistic elements however can be found in simpler armour, such as this "landsknecht" infantry armour, supposedly once in the armoury at Tulln. Southern Germany, ca 1520, now in the collections of the Residenzschloss, Dresden.

Armour made in Nuremberg, ca 1612. One of two known. While the Maximilian style went out of fashion in the 1530s or so one batch of harnesses were made in 1612. It has been suggested that these were to be worn by some of the city guard in Augsburg for a visit of Emperor Matthias I shortly after his coronation. Wallace Collection, London.

To round things off, here's a portrait of Emperor Maximilian I (note the nose), by Hans Burgkmair, ca 1508. Woodcut print using black and powdered-gold colour. The armour he's wearing here shows the overall shape that Maximilian armour would have, but without the decorative flutes. Such armour remained in common use in parallel with the Maximilian style.