17th Century

This mid-17th century Dutch portrait shows an unidentified gentleman on horseback in hunting dress, with two gamekeepers and their dogs at his side. Once mistaken for a portrait of a Dutch prince, the sitter and painter remain unknown to this day. The rider's soft, flare-topped riding boots — the defining cavalier silhouette of the era — are the inspiration behind this design.

Norwegian painter Hans Dahl depicts Leif Erikson standing at the prow of his longship as he reaches the shores of North America around 1000 AD — showing the characteristic Norse seafaring dress, heavy leather boots and fearless posture of a civilisation built on exploration.

This 19th-century illustration depicts Norman knights of the 10th and 11th centuries — descendants of Norse settlers who became one of medieval Europe's most powerful military forces. Their knee-high leather boots with pointed toes became the defining footwear silhouette of the early medieval mounted warrior.

A companion piece to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, this Arbo painting captures the moment King Harald Hardrada of Norway falls — struck by an arrow at the throat, ending both his life and the Viking Age's final bid for England. The warriors around him wear the tall, rugged leather footwear that defined Norse military dress.