The burgonet helmet (sometimes called a bourgundian sallet) was a Renaissance-era and Early modern combat helmet. It was the successor of the sallet.
It came into popularity towards the end of the 16th century. Commonplace throughout Europe, the burgonet was accompanied by plate armour and worn by cuirassiers, demi-lancers and hussars. It was a light helmet, open-faced and decorated with one or more metal fins on top. Though typically open faced, a falling buffe, a sort of visor that was drawn up rather than down, could be used.
The Border Reivers were very fond of burgonets until the introduction of the morion in Elizabethan times, and as a result reivers were often called steil (steel) bonnets.[1] [2] Burgonets were also a popular helmet type among the Polish winged hussars, where they took many different forms, often featuring a nasal bar or facial guard.
The burgonet was common among the mercenary Swiss infantry. These were pikemen who could defend themselves against cavalry (and perhaps took helmets of this form as trophies). Following the appearance of the Adrian and Brodie helmets, and the Stahlhelm, in the First World War, the Swiss experimented with a "streamlined" form of the burgonet for their own national helmet, but both designs were rejected.
The factors of utility of the burgonet over older helmets include:
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