Among the objects of the Royal Armouries, a helmet immediately catches the eye with its curved horns. It seems to come out of a fantastic representation of the Middle Ages. However, its provenance led to a diplomatic exchange of the 16th century between two very real sovereigns.
The armourer Konrad Seusenhofer made this helmet, given to Henry VIII in 1514 by Emperor Maximilian I. The museum documents this author and recipient, but introduces an unexpected reservation: the horns do not seem to belong to the original state of the helmet.
When were they added, why and by whom? The leaflet does not give an assured answer. It would therefore be misleading to say that Henry VIII had commanded this form to frighten his enemies. The real object tells something more interesting: the part that gives it its most famous look today is also the one whose story remains the least clear.
What we know
Gift of 1514 attested; addition of horns apparently later, date and author unknown.
To go to the source
References consulted on 3 October 2026. Linked pages may be in another language.
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