Armor of 800: Time of Charlemagne

Edwin Howland Blashfield's historical study depicts two mounted warriors in early medieval armor and weaponry, rendered in precise pen-and-ink technique. The figure on the left wears segmented plate armor with a Corinthian-style helmet; the rider on the right displays scale armor and a mail coif. Both carry period weapons—spears, axes, and large shields. Blashfield, a prominent American muralist and illustrator, created this drawing as historical research or reference material, documenting the military dress of Charlemagne's era. The work reflects late-nineteenth-century scholarly interest in medieval European history and demonstrates the illustrator's commitment to archaeological accuracy in costume and equipment detail.