What Is Medieval Armor?
More than just warriors, medieval knights also made up the top classes of society in medieval Europe between 900 and 1400 A.D. The knight played an important role in medieval warfare, and, with his body covered in chain or plate armor, was nearly a fortress himself as he took part in castle sieges and, less often, cavalry attacks.
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Padded Garments and Chain Armor
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Early medieval knights wore a padded garment called a "gambeson," over which a chain armor tunic, leggings or coif (a covering for the head and neck) was worn. Each piece of chain armor, or chainmail, was made of small, carefully crafted, interlocking metal rings and protected the knight from sword blows.
Plate Armor
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After the development of weapons such as the crossbow and longbow, chain armor became ineffective. Plate armor arrived during the 13th and 14th centuries, at first in small sections to protect a knight's back and chest. Eventually, whole suits of armor were forged for knights, but a knight's groin and armpits were still protected solely by chain armor.
A full plate armor suit weighed about 50 pounds. It was cumbersome and expensive because it was custom-made for the knight. The better the full plate armor, the higher the status of the knight. Poorer knights had to make do with chain armor and leather, cloth or smaller sections of plate armor.
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Armor for the Head, Legs and Arms
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Greaves and sabatons protected a knight's legs and feet. A knight's gloves were called gauntlets, and rerebraces protected his upper arms. The helmet, with a detachable visor, was worn over the head. A chainmail coif or woolen garment was usually worn under the helmet for added protection and comfort.
Donning Medieval Armor
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A knight was unable to don his armor by himself, and needed the assistance of a squire--often a knight-in-training--to help outfit him with the multiple parts that comprised medieval armor.
Medieval Armor Fades
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When gunpowder and hand cannons were first invented, full plate armor was still worn, and successful attempts at strengthening the metal in plate armor worked for quite some time. Armor could deflect early low-velocity bullets. However, as advances in firearms and cannons continued, full plate armor became obsolete and was relegated to displays in museums and castles.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Medieval Armor (www.karenwhimsy.com)
