A Complete Guide to the Different Types of Medieval Helmets & Helms

Learn the history & usage of medieval armor

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Fact Checked

Whether you’re assembling your own suit of armor or are just a history buff, you need to know about medieval helmets—you’ve come to the right place! The medieval era was full of evolving armor choices, and each culture and century brought its own artistic flair. Keep reading to learn about the different types of medieval helmets or helms!

Common Types of Medieval Helmets

Illustration of the different types of medieval helmets.

Nasal helm: Protective head covering with a long metal strip over the nose.
Great helm: Cylinder helmet with a flat top that completely covers the face.
Bascinet: Open-faced helmet with additional visor.
Armet: Lightweight full-coverage helmet with visor.

1

Nasal helm

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Also known as the Norman helmet, the nasal helm is a combat helmet known for its protective nose covering. This helmet style was popular in Western Europe during the late 9th century until the 12th century. The helmet features a protective head covering with a metal strip that extends down to cover the nose. The earliest of these designs was conical in shape, but later evolved to feature rounder tops.^{[1]
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- Time period: 9th century
- Advantages: Wearer often became unrecognizable under the helmet
- Disadvantages: Must be worn over a mail coif (a throat and neck covering)
- The nasal helm would later evolve into the great helm.

2

Enclosed

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The enclosed helmet is a Western European combat helmet from the late 12th and early 13th centuries. This type of helmet completely encloses the head (hence the name). It offers full facial protection with small eye slits and ventilation holes. The enclosed helmet can be worn over a mail coif or with additional padding inside to protect the head in combat.
- Time period: Late 12th century and early 13th century
- Advantages: Full facial protection
- Disadvantages: Lack of visibility
- The enclosed helmet would later evolve into the great helm.

3

Great helm

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Also known as a pot helm, bucket helm, or barrel helm, the great helm was a popular helmet style in the High Middle Ages. In its simplest form, the great helm is a cylinder helmet with a flat top, with small ventilation and vision holes. The helmet completely covers the face and rests on the shoulders.^{[2]
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- Time period: Late 12th century
- Advantages: Extreme protection
- Disadvantages: Limited visibility and range of motion

4

Bascinet

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Also known as bassinet, basinet, or bazineto, the bascinet is a Medieval European combat helmet. This open-faced helmet covers the skull completely. Chain mail could be added to the sides, providing more protection to the neck and shoulders. While open-faced, a visor or face guard could be added to provide more protection without sacrificing non-combat visibility.^{[3]
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Research source} Bascinets were also used in tandem with great helms for additional protection.
- Time period: 14th century^{[4]
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- Advantages: Multiple accessories and can be worn alongside other head coverings
- Disadvantages: Accessories needed for full protection
- The bascinet would later evolve into the rounded visor coverings worn by 15th-century knights.

5

Kettle hat

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Also known as a war hat, the kettle hat was a common combat helmet in Medieval Europe. This helmet was made of iron or steel and featured a brim, helping it resemble an everyday hat. Kettle hats could be worn with or without a mail coif, depending on the wearer’s need for protection.
- Time period: 12th century
- Advantages: Mobility and visibility
- Disadvantages: Lack of protection; face exposed without additional mail coif
- Kettle hats reappeared in World War I as the British Brodie helmet.

6

Sallet

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Also called a salade or schaller, the sallet is a combat helmet from the mid-15th century. The sallet first made an appearance in Italy, replacing the once-popular bascinet helmet style. Unlike the bascinet, the sallet features a built-in protective face covering or visor. The most popular sallets have a rounded dome, tapered top, and flared back, creating a historic Italian silhouette.^{[5]
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- Time period: Mid-15th century^{[6]
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- Advantages: Full facial protection
- Disadvantages: Minimal visibility

7

Barbute

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A barbute is a visorless helmet from 15th-century Italy. This helmet style has a T or Y-shaped opening for the eyes and mouth, completely covering the skull otherwise. The barbute was often worn for beauty and aesthetic rather than protection, as it was considered the most formal helmet.
- Time period: 15th century
- Advantages: Visibility
- Disadvantages: Lacks protection
- The barbute was heavily inspired by the sallet.

8

Armet

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The armet is a combat helmet used in Italy, France, England, and Spain in the 15th century. What made this helmet unique was its adaptability to the wearer and flexibility. The armet was the first helmet to fully enclose the head while also being lightweight and comfortable for the wearer to move in. The helmet consisted of 4 pieces: the skull, 2 large hinge cheek pieces, and a visor.^{[7]
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- Time period: Late 15th century
- Advantages: Lightweight and easy to move in
- Disadvantages: Constricting or claustrophobic once full body armor was on

9

Morion

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A morion is an open-faced combat helmet from Spain. This helmet style became popular in the 16th century. The morion became well-known throughout history for its flat brim and mohawk-style crest. The crest is believed to have strengthened the overall structure of the helmet.^{[8]
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- Time period: 16th century
- Advantages: Sturdy
- Disadvantages: Leaves the face unprotected
- The morion is heavily inspired by the kettle hat’s design.

10

Burgonet

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Also called the burgundian sallet, the burgonet helmet is an early modern combat helmet. This helmet type comes from the Renaissance and is known for its large fixed or hinged visor. The visor reveals the eyes and sometimes the nose, resting on the high cheekbones of the helmet. The burgonet became popular thanks to its lower price; it was more cost-effective than closed-face helmets, thanks to its fewer hinges and locks.
- Time period: 15th and 16th centuries
- Advantages: Cheap and versatile
- Disadvantages: Not as protective as heavier helmets

11

Frog mouth helm

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Also known as a Stechhelm or jousting helmet, the frog mouth helm was primarily used by knights in the 16th century. This style of helmet is a type of great helm, offering full head and neck coverage with a visor-style opening. The frog mouth helm is mainly known for its pointed “beak” or “nose,” which is believed to have made it easier for knights to breathe during jousts.^{[9]
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- Time period: 16th century
- Advantages: Easy to breathe in
- Disadvantages: Hindered mobility