- For other uses of the word "wing," see Wing.
The Winged Guards are the military force of Mayene.
Uniform and banner[]
These Guards were clad in "... red breastplates and red helmets like rimmed pots that covered the nape of the neck, and their lances bore red streamers." Interestingly, elsewhere they appear as "... gray-coated Mayeners ... red cloaks and the long red streamers on their lances rippling ...": images that are different, but need not be mutually exclusive. Lances are described as long, slender, and steel-tipped, and helmets of ordinary Guards as plain, elsewhere as helmet, Jordan likely envisions a kettle hat, with either a horizontal or down-sloping rim; a downsloping rim would better cover the nape of the neck. The related pikeman's pot, a straight-rimmed variant on the morion (of the same type worn by the Tairen Defenders of the Stone) is equally possible.
All officers of the Guards have "... the thin plumes and wings ... worked in the sides of their helmets." The number of plumes denotes the rank. A commander of the Winged Guards, Havien Nurelle, has the same "... red-painted breastplate and helmet ..." though is distinguished from his troops by "... a crimson helmet with a single slender red plume."[1] Lord Bertain Gallenne wears a "...red helmet embossed with wings and bearing three thin crimson plumes..." The significance of the number of plumes is described in The Wheel of Time Companion.
Those that survived Dumai's Wells wear "a yellow cord tied high on the left arm".[2]
Their banner is a golden hawk on a field of blue.
Military force[]
The Winged Guards are a very elite and skilled group, with discipline and skill along the lines of Borderlanders. This is a requirement of fending off occasional attacks from Tear, as well as from their fiery Mayener heritage. They are the personal guard of the First of Mayene as well as the only standing military force in Mayene. They are normally around two-thousand in number, although these numbers likely fluctuated during the course of the series. Every physically capable Mayener commoner from the ages of fifteen to fifty is required to attend military training of one week every year, training in bow or crossbow and pike or halberd, whereas nobles are expected to be trained in arms defend Mayene whenever required.[3]
Actions[]
The Winged Guards were instrumental in rescuing Rand in the Battle of Dumai's Wells. Berelain initially wanted to lead them in the chase, but was dissuaded by Rhuarc. Two hundred of them accompanied Perrin to Dumai's Wells and half that number were killed in battle.[4][5] Around eight hundred remained in Cairhien with Berelain.[6]
Slightly more than nine hundred accompanied Perrin and Berelain to Ghealdan.[2][7]
They also participated in the Battle of Caemlyn and under the command of Galadedrid Damodred during the Last Battle.[8][9]
Ranks[]
Lord Lieutenant: A high-ranking commander. Marked by one slender red plume.
Captain Lieutenant: More senior than Lord Lieutenant. Nurelle is promoted to this rank after Dumai's Wells. Marked by two slender red plumes.
First Lieutenant: Second to the Lord Captain. Nurelle is promoted to this rank after Dumai's Wells. Presumably this is someone who holds he rank of First Lieutenant.
Lord Captain: The overall commander of the Winged Guards. Marked by three slender red plumes.
