Helmet General view

In the 16th and 17th century, the production of armorers across Central Europe was highly saturated with Eastern influences. In this period, our zischägge, the head protection typically used by the Russian military and which appeared from the 14th century, is characterized by its conical shape. This model dates back to the reign of Alexis Michaelowitz (1645–1676), Tsar of Muscovy and father of Peter the Great (1672–1725). It would have belonged to a voivode, commander in chief of a military region, with the name coming from the Slavonic word voï (army) and voda (a driver).
Made from an iron plate to which decorative silver and brass elements have been added, the skull of the helmet rises like an eight-sided pyramid. The other component elements of the head protector are the visor, ear protectors, and the nose piece. Above the visor, there is a large plume holder, which meant that the helmet's owner could easily be identified.
Used for decorative purposes, the silver plates are riveted with gilded brass pieces and deeply carved with a chisel in the purest of Persian styles. We can decipher superb foliage friezes with wreaths intertwining and climbing up to the top of the skull, finished with a rounded stud.
All of these elements are reminiscent of other pieces in the Musée de l'Armée, directly originating from the Ottoman world or simply made in the oriental style, such as the helmet listed in the inventory under the number 629 I, created by the Augsburg workshops (Bavaria) in 1555.