Tent Structures 1380-1415

There seem to have been two main structural types of medieval tents: In some the roofs were spread only by the tension of guy ropes, in others the roof was spread by a rigid internal structure, typically a hoop or frame at the shoulder.

When documentary evidence is absent, we need to rely on iconographic evidence.

There are several diagnostic clues to a rigid frame: guy ropes descending at a steeper angle than the roof line, insufficient ropes to give the tent the shape shown, guy ropes meeting the tent below the shoulder, and the tent roof keeping its shape while the tent is falling or being raised.

Absence of any external guy ropes is also evidence in favor of an internal frame, although it has been argued that the artist chose not to show them for some reason.

Diagnostic clues in favor of a rope-spread tent are guy ropes descending no steeper than the roofline, and the roof and wall sagging between the ropes.

I went through the Manuscript Miniatures database for 1380-1415, since I am particularly interested in that period.

Tents with no guy ropes shown: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here

There are more images from elsewhere here, here, and here.

Here is a fresco at St. Stephan in Obermontani, c. 1400-1410.

Tents with three of the other diagnostic clues in favor of an internal frame: here, here, here, and here.

More images from other sources are here, here and here.

With two: here, here, here, here, here, and here, here.

Another image from elsewhere

With one: here, here, here, here, and here

The best candidate I could find for a rope-spread tent is the foremost one here, in that the ropes descend at the correct angle, but there aren't nearly enough of them to give the tent the very round shape shown.

In the sample above, there are 87 tent shown fully enough to judge the floor plan reasonably well:
71 (82%) round
6 (7%) rectangular
1 (1%) oval
4 (5%) ambiguous: I can't be certain if they are oval or rectangular, so they could push the rectangular or oval categories as high as 11% or 6% respectively
4 (5%) polygonal, in these cases hexagonal
1 (1%) other.