Suit of Armor

Padded garments and Chainmail were used prior to the development of suits of Armor and subsequently worn in conjunction with the armor suits. A Suit of Armor was designed and developed to protect them from any new, and even more lethal, weapons that were introduced during the violent Medieval period.

Knight's Suit of Armor
The Medieval Knights suit of armor was extremely expensive to produce. A knights suit of armor had to be tailor-made to fit the knight exactly. Any incorrect sizing of a suit of armor would be extremely dangerous as it could hamper the knights ability to fight. The knights suit of armor was also a status symbol. The better quality of the suit of armor, the more important was the Knight. Plate Armour was first introduced during the late 13th century and Full Plate Armour was introduced during the 15th century weighing approximately 50 lbs. A knights suit of armor was strong enough to protect the knight, but light enough to allow quick movement on the battlefield. A Knights Suit of Armor was a complex series of garments, chain mail and iron plate.

Parts of a Suit of Armor
The Parts of a Suit of Armor were a complex series of garments, chain mail and iron plate. The pieces of a Suit of Armor covered the most vulnerable parts of a knight's body. The Parts of a Suit of Armor are best described by explaining the parts of the body which they covered.

Medieval Knight Clothing

Medieval Coat of Arms

Parts of a Suit of Armor - Leg and Foot armor
The parts of a suit of armor covering the legs and the feet were as follows:

The Sabatons were the first parts of a suit of armor to be put on. Sabatons were foot armor and consisted of riveted iron plates on the boots
Greaves were Plate armor which protected the calf and ankles
Poleyns were Plate armor which protected the knee cap
Cuisses were Plate armor which protected the thigh
Spurs - The Spurs were attached to the heel of the foot by straps and used to 'spur' the Knights horse on in battle

Parts of a Suit of Armor Arm and Hand Armor
The parts of a suit of armor covering the arms and hands were as follows:

The Besagues which were small round 'shields' laced to the mail at the shoulder to defend the armpit
The Rerebrace for the defence of the upper arm
The Vambrace for the defence of the lower arm
Hand Armor - The Knights gloves were called Gauntlets and had ringed metal plates over the fingers

Parts of a Suit of Armor - Body Armor
The parts of a suit of armor covering the body were as follows:

The Chest Armor was referred to as the Breast Plate
The Back Armor protecting the back was called the Backplate
Faulds were rings of armour which were attached to the breast plate and protected the hips, abdomen and lower back

Parts of a Suit of Armor Head and Neck Armor
The parts of a suit of armor covering the head and neck were as follows:

A Visor was a detachable piece of armor which protected the face and eyes
Head and Neck armor. In the 13th Century the helmet was called the Bascinet which had a skirt of mail called an aventail to protect the neck

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