The Armor Worn By Knights

The greatest use of armor was seen during the Middle Ages

. The Normans who conquered England in the year 1066 wore coats of linked chains. This chain armor was known as "mail." For several centuries, chain mail was the type of armor worn by all soldiers and knights. The men who made armor were called armorers. They were among the most skilled craftsmen of the Middle Ages. They made gloves of chain mail, in addition to the coats and tunics. The helmets worn during this time were usually bowl-shaped and made of iron. Chain mail was rarely used after the 14th century. It was replaced by armor made of plates of metal. The first solidplate metal armor was used to cover only the elbows, kneecaps, and other small parts of the body. The knights of the 15th century wore complete suits of plate armor. From head to toe, they were completely encased in these metal suits. The suits were hinged at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Otherwise the knight would not have been able to move around. Some of the suits were so heavy that the knights had to be lifted onto their horses. These knights wore helmets that completely covered their heads and faces. The helmets had visors in front through which the knight cou'd see. The visors could also be raised. When a knight met a friendly knight, he raised his visor so the other knight could see who he was. Our custom of tipping our hats in greeting may have come from this. The armor worn by the knights in the Middle Ages was often highly decorated. The skilled armorers engraved designs on the metal. The knights carried shields that were beautifully painted and decorated with their coats of arms. Even the horses wore armor. Usually a horse's armor protected his head, neck, and the front of his body. When firearms came to be used, in the 16th century, the use of armor began to decline. Bullets would go through the metal suits. The King of Sweden from 1611 until 1632, named Gustavus Adolphus, gave up wearing his armor, and kept only his metal helmet. His soldiers loyally followed him in discarding their armor. After that, armor was worn less and less by the armies of Europe.

The Armor Worn By Knights

By: David Bunch

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