Truthfully, I suspect that some of it is artistic license, especially in illustrations. It's easier to show hand positions if you're showing hands not encased in thick gloves or armor. In modern HEMA, they definitely recommend hand protection.

Remember to protect your hands. Any good longsword practicioner will know the importance of protecting your hands and how bad it hurts to get hit on the fingers. The same applies to polearms. Instead of being smashed by steel, you’ll be smashed AND pinched by wood -- and trust me -- it sucks. Hand injuries are always a risk when you do historical european martial arts, and polearms are no exception...

To give a counter-example for manuals, La Jeu de la Hache, one of the more respected manuals on historical poleaxe fighting, shows most of the combatants in full armor including gauntlets.

Truthfully, I suspect that some of it is artistic license, especially in illustrations. It's easier to show hand positions if you're showing hands not encased in thick gloves or armor. In modern HEMA, they definitely recommend hand protection.

Remember to protect your hands. Any good longsword practicioner will know the importance of protecting your hands and how bad it hurts to get hit on the fingers. The same applies to polearms. Instead of being smashed by steel, you’ll be smashed AND pinched by wood -- and trust me -- it sucks. Hand injuries are always a risk when you do historical european martial arts, and polearms are no exception...

To give a counter-example for manuals, Le Jeu de la Hache, one of the more respected manuals on historical poleaxe fighting, shows most of the combatants in full armor including gauntlets.