Aketon

A aketon term that until at least the end of the 13th century was used interchangably with pourpoint and gambeson. This was as quilted garment worn under armour.

The term then came to mean a padded defence garment that is worn under armour (typically mail) to provide protection gainst blunt trauma. Typically the aketon is thinner than a gambeson as it already has the defensive properties of the rigid armour over the aketon.

Another form of Aketon designed used a steel interior chain-mail that was said to allow warmth based on a theory of warming body temperatures. This type of Aketon was able to be produced in less then an hour. For this, it was greatly used during cold winters.

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See also:

• arming doublet
• gambeson
• jupon
• padded armour
• pour point