besagew

English

Etymology

From Middle English besagew, besague, besagu, from Old French besague, whence also besague (“double-edged axe or war-hammer”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛs.ə.ɡju/

Noun

besagew (plural besagews)

1. A small disc of metal which protects the armpit, a piece of armor typically worn together with a spaulder or pauldron; a rondel, sometimes especially when used to steady a lance.
   • 1991, Antonio Domínguez Ortiz, Concha Herrero Carretero, José-A. Godoy, Resplendence of the Spanish Monarchy: Renaissance Tapestries and Armor from the Patrimonio Nacional, Metropolitan Museum of Art, →ISBN, page 124:

     The decorative richness of the armor is enhanced at the pauldrons, besagew, elbows, and tassets by rosettes in relief, radiating channels, and embossed foliage; the last motif appears also on the hinged cheekpieces of the armet, […]

   • 1999, R. Ewart Oakeshott, A Knight and His Armor:

     Even so, a small steel disc, called a “besagew,” covered the weakness in this defense. The besagew had a strap riveted to its back that could be fastened to the spaudler so that the besagew hung free over the gap.

   • 2014, Antoine de La Sale, Jean de Saintre: A Late Medieval Education in Love and Chivalry, University of Pennsylvania Press, →ISBN, page 80:

     [H]e raised his lance a little too far, and Saintré's lance struck him just on the besagew* and glanced off the breastplate, and the blow unriveted the besagew and tore off the lance rest, and as it ripped away Messire Enguerrand swayed heavily in his saddle, and thus Saintré achieved his four lances broken, […]