Corslet
Encyclopedia
A corslet is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "a piece of defensive armour
covering the body
." In Ancient Greek
armies, the 'hoplite
', or heavy infantryman, wore a bronze
corslet or known as the thorax (or a linen
version known as the linothorax
) to protect his upper body. The corslet consisted of two plates connected on the sides via hinges and bronze
pins. By the 16th century, the corslet, also spelled corselet, was popular as a light-half-armour for general military
use, e.g., by town guards. It was made up of a gorget
, breast
covering, back and tassets, full arms and gauntlets.
The word 'corslet' was adopted as a so-called 'occupational surname
,' later altered to Coslett
, Cosslett, Coslet, etc., following the arrival of an expert in the manufacture of osmond iron
, Corslet Tinkhaus, to Wales
from his native Westphalia
in 1567.
According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary, corslet also refers to a soldier
equipped with a corslet.
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
covering the body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
." In Ancient Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
armies, the 'hoplite
Hoplite
A hoplite was a citizen-soldier of the Ancient Greek city-states. Hoplites were primarily armed as spearmen and fought in a phalanx formation. The word "hoplite" derives from "hoplon" , the type of the shield used by the soldiers, although, as a word, "hopla" could also denote weapons held or even...
', or heavy infantryman, wore a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
corslet or known as the thorax (or a linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
version known as the linothorax
Linothorax
The linothorax was a type of upper body armor used by the Ancient Greeks, as well as other civilizations, from the Mycenaean Period through the Hellenistic Period. The earliest attested account of a linothorax used for battle is recorded in Book 2 of Homer's Iliad . It is worn by Ajax the lesser...
) to protect his upper body. The corslet consisted of two plates connected on the sides via hinges and bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
pins. By the 16th century, the corslet, also spelled corselet, was popular as a light-half-armour for general military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
use, e.g., by town guards. It was made up of a gorget
Gorget
A gorget originally was a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat. It was a feature of older types of armour and intended to protect against swords and other non-projectile weapons...
, breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
covering, back and tassets, full arms and gauntlets.
The word 'corslet' was adopted as a so-called 'occupational surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
,' later altered to Coslett
Coslett
Coslett is an uncommon surname with origins in 16th Century Wales. Main spelling variants are Cosslett and Coslet, though Corslet, Coslette and other spellings have been recorded.- Origin of the surname :...
, Cosslett, Coslet, etc., following the arrival of an expert in the manufacture of osmond iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, Corslet Tinkhaus, to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
from his native Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
in 1567.
According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary, corslet also refers to a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
equipped with a corslet.