Medieval armor was made of thick metal plates called “lames” that would be fitted into a suit of chainmail or full suit. Each lames is usually made of steel, but sometimes there are some made of leather. The lames are held together by rivets onto a cloth garment, which makes up the main protective part of the armor.

The suit consisted of a breastplate , shoulder-plates, elbow-pieces, gauntlets, chausses, greaves and sabatons. These pieces would be assembled with rivets and hinges to provide more flexibility in the wearer’s movements. The important thing was to get it right because once on your body you were completely helpless.

Most medieval armors have evolved over time to include features that would have been appropriate for fighting specific enemies or situations. For example, knights fighting against Turks should wear armor that is effective against arrows and other projectile weaponry.

Some armors were worn in more than one piece, and there were times when the armor was used without the rest of the suit and it is even known that some armors can be worn alone. Many armors had a very high degree of protection, and the heavier the metal the better. As time went on, Milanese and English men began to wear mail with their coats of steel . (Because they were not afraid to get hit).

Background Of Medieval Armor

The oldest known armor is the Bronze Age armor found in Europe. It consisted of bronze plates sewn onto leather or fabric and was used between 1600 and 1100 B.C (Wilkins). Around 400 BC, the Greeks started to use linen as a material for their armor. The Romans changed this method to scale armor, which was made out of iron plates sewn together with leather to make it flexible (Wilkins).

After Rome fell, armors were not invented, but they were made and used for a very short time. During the Dark Ages, people did not start to use armor again until the 13th century. In 1215, King Louis IX of France started using armor again after seeing the crusaders who wore it in the Holy Land. He was planning to repel from a possible siege of his city from the English (Wilkins).

Thomas Becket in 1164 was involved in a controversy in which he defended himself with heavy armor in front of King Henry II. However it was not until the middle ages that full body protection emerged. This is because knights wanted to have more protection compared with the average person.Although they are expensive, armors are important in keeping your body safe from injuries. Since being rich means also having a lot of land, people start to start wearing armor since they feel that it’s safer than being without any protection.

Types Of Medieval Armor

When we think of armor, we often envision knights in shining metal or soldiers standing strong against enemy arrows. Interestingly, that is not the only type of armor that existed during medieval times.

Medieval armor can be divided into 4 general types: brigandine, cuirass, hauberk and surcoat. Sometimes these terms are also used to refer to one piece of armor or two pieces that share a common design with a different part of the body in each.

Hauberk was the most common type of armor. It was a sleeveless garment, worn over a shirt and tunic, and covered the whole body except for the hands and head. The hauberk was usually made of chainmail. It functioned as a protective garment against slashing weapons, though not against thrusting weapons or bladed weapons from either side. The most common type in the middle ages was the hauberk. It covered the trunk, with sleeves covering both arms and a skirt with a hole in front for walking. The most common material was mail. The hauberk was an effective defense against slashing weapons, though not against thrusting. New types of plate armor were introduced in the 15th century.

Plate armor, also known as Brigandine or Braqued Cuirass, consists of overlapping plates of metal joined by leather or cloth. It never gained popularity in the Middle Ages because it was not very flexible and restricted movement too much. But it was used extensively in the early Renaissance. Plate armor was intended to provide more protection than mail or quilted. The first form of plate armor developed in Italy during the 14th century. Originally manufactured from iron, it rapidly became obsolete after its material quality diminished due to the discovery of other sources for iron. This type of armor became more popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. This form of armor is composed of separate plates, or lames, which were made by hammering or casting.

The Surcoat was rarely used in the Middle Ages, except for some knights at tournaments, but was more common in the 15th century. A surcoat fastened with a single-breasted button front and a series of rivets. It was usually made of linen or cotton and served as a raincoat during the period of heavy rain and cold weather.

Mail was the first type of armored clothing. This form of protection remained dominant well into the 14th century. Mail is composed of linked metal rings, called maille or chain mail. The rings were usually made from iron, but bronze, brass and steel were also used. The main function of mail was to protect against slashing weapons. However, it could sometimes stop a piercing point as well. This form of protection leaves the limbs fairly unprotected from blunt trauma. This is not a big deal when on horseback, but once dismounted it becomes very dangerous for the wearer’s limbs to be exposed in open conflict. The primary disadvantage of mail was that it could only be made out of metal, which was expensive. Additional disadvantages included weight, which can be as much as eight pounds for short arm protection, and cost, the rings were fixed into the garment by hand.

Quilted cloth was the final piece of body protection during the Middle Ages, and was primarily used for padding beneath plate and mail. It could also be used as a secondary defense against arrows. These quilted garments could be armor or clothing together with additional padded pieces to provide protection for archers during combat.

The Fame Of Medieval Armor Still Endures

Many of us will have encountered armor from the medieval period at some point in our lives. It’s been featured in movies, TV shows, novels, and pictures on social media. But what is a knight without his armor? A knight is a soldier who engages in warfare while wearing armor that incorporates heavy metal plates to protect his or her body from weapons or projectiles. The fact that armor is a central theme in JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth stories has apparently inspired a number of people to dress up as knights for Halloween. More recently, people have been using simple, non-metallic versions of medieval armor such as chain mail. The Medieval period was also an exciting time for knights to be alive. Medieval Knights had many roles in society, including protecting their villages and the civilians within, and invading foreign lands to expand their kingdoms.