16th century Conquistador equipment - Coronado expedition 1542

[Franz_Josef]

For those of us interested in 16th century warfare, particularly in the Americas, I found the below on the US National Monument Cabrillo (in California) websitel; while the Cabrillo muster hasn't come down to us, the below "list for the contemporary Francisco Vasquez de Coronado expedition has survived. Considering that the soldiers included in the two expeditions were drawn from the same pool of manpower, it seems likely the equipment was similar. The Coronado list is attached below, but a quick perusal reveals some appropriate statistics.
Although 42% of the force had some form of metal armor (mostly helmets and chainmail), this was a mixed bag of odd bits and pieces usually combined with quilted cotton torso armor. Only nine men (3%) out of 287 had complete plate harnesses. These nine men were obviously Coronado himself and the senior officers, usually wealthy noblemen. In contrast 89% (250 men) had quilted cotton torso armor."
  "Although Marineros (sailors) did not consider soldiering to be their job, the Crown stated that every one of them had to be equipped to defend his ship from pirates and to defend himself when going ashore for food and water. Therefore, the Reglamento of 1522 stated that every Marinero was required to have at least a weapon, a helmet and a shield. If he did not provide this equipment he would not be paid. Like the soldiers, the Marineros had to buy all their own equipment. They did not like having to spend their hard-earned money on items they did not want to use. Unfortunately, they could not claim their working knife as a weapon as it was officially a tool. Thus, they were in the market for the cheapest equipment they could find. Simple, obsolete helmets, tools such as a boarding ax for the weapon, and a small parrying shield like the Rodelo were preferred. The Boarding or Quarter Pike was popular because it needed two hands to use, which meant a man did not have to buy a shield."
The high ranking individuals would have had armor intended not only for protection but to impress the rulers they were expecting to meet. In contrast, for most of the soldiers and sailors armor was strictly utilitarian and underwhelming in appearance.
CORONADO MUSTER LIST, 1540
CAVALRY EQUIPMENT (225 horsemen)
Armor:
5 full plate harnesses (including helmets) four of them Coronado’s
4 full sets of plate horse armor, all Coronado’s
7 corselets or ¾ plate (breast & back plates, collar, armor for arms, armor for upper legs, and an open helmet; the Borgonata was most popular)
8 cuirasses (breast & back plates)
55 Cota de Mala (long chainmail shirt, all but one sleeveless)
2 Jacqueta de Mala (sleeveless chainmail vest)
3 sets of chainmail for the legs.
207 Gambeson/Esquipil quilted cotton jackets
65 leather jackets
20 morrion style helmets
7 borgonata style helmets
23 buffe (plate or chainmail protection for face and neck)
2 gorgets (plate collar)
2 metal gauntlets (not a pair)
19 “armor for the head” (just what this refers to is not stated, but it is
differentiated from helmets)
4 quilted cotton armor for the head
Weapons:
Every man had a lance and a sword
4 “arms of Castile”
3 crossbows
3 matchlock muskets
1 two handed sword
1 dagger
2 lances (Since these two were specifically noted, they presumably are
the heavier impact type weapon not normally carried in the field in
Nueva España.)

INFANTRY EQUIPMENT (62 men, 5 of whom also had horses)
Armor:
1 corselet/ ¾ plate
6 leather jackets
43 Gambeson/Esquipil quilted cotton jackets
1 set of chainmail sleeves.
21 metal knee plates (no man had two, usually worn on leading leg.)
2 borgonata type helmets
Weapons:
49 swords
1 two handed sword
12 daggers
21 matchlock muskets
16 crossbows

[Conquistador]

Great find.  Makes me want to dig out my conquistadores and see how my units are equipped.

Gracias,

Glenn

[doowopapocalypse]

What a list, thanks for sourcing it.

[Bowman]

Coming a little late to this discussion. Based on the behavior of Conquistadors elsewhere, I'd be surprised if anyone actually wore all the supplied metal armour, especially the full plate.

 For starters, the oppressive heat and humidity in the Caribbean, Mexico and the southern part of North America made the wearing of this armour very difficult. I'd bet those conditions would also apply to Coronado's expedition.

Another important difference was the lack of sharp thrusting weapons employed by the warriors of the New World. The Conquistadors didn't have to worry about the penetrating ability of Toledo swords and other rapiers, as they would in European combat. Most "swords" in the New World, such as Maquahuitls and Macanas were slashing/crushing weapons. The Conquistadores found that their quilted cotton or leather jackets worked just as well as the metal armour, with the added benefit of being lighter and cooler to wear. In fact, in Mexico, many of the Spanish started wearing the ichcauhuapilli, the quilted cotton "flak-vest" of the Aztecs.

OK, so that may not apply to Coronado, but I'd still argue that most of his crew (mounted Caballeros notwithstanding) would choose not to wear traditional armour with helmets being the exception. The indigenous and European cotton armour even worked well against stone and obsidian tipped arrows.

My 28mm Conquistadores come from the beautiful John Jenkins sculpts from Eureka. Most of the armour is worn by mounted troops, with the foot soldiers mostly wearing helmets and some sort of cotton and leather jacket. I'd happily use them to represent Coronado and De Soto in the North, all the way down South to the battles with the Mapuche in what is now Chile.

Oh ya, Franz_Josef makes an excellent point. Full plate armour, while on horseback, was most likely worn to impress and intimidate indigenous rulers. I agree that it had much more value in that context as opposed to being worn on the battlefield.

[Conquistador]

I suspect for fixed battles armor was worn when time to prepare existed.  On the march, in camp (maybe even when patrolling in the evening/early morning when encamped,) and when the threat seemed low there would be no incentive.

Many war gamer battles fit into the "At Dawn We Attack" mode.  Meeting engagements should probably be metal armor free for most later battles.

I suspect ego was a factor, seems the early conquistadors were very much into showing their status both in social settings and even on expedition.  Seems everybody wanted to be a rich landowner and/or have sevants to do the manual laborer.

Given a few minutes and a capable assistant it is amazing how fast you can armor up.  I have seen people arrive late for SCA or Recreation events ands have the armor out of the car, on, and in location in a matter of minutes.  I doubt the war hardened veterans were any less capable.

Gracias,

Glenn