This article deals with all the factors and aspects associated with the medieval armor. We know that history plays a vital role in shaping us and our lives; beginning with the Stone Age up to the present of our ultra-modern lives, all aspects of life have undergone a humongous transformation including the ways wars are fought. Today's age is the age of nuclear weapons and technologies which have been made possible due to the numerous technological innovations and scientific progress. Referring to the medieval ages, the protection of the soldiers depended on their armor; therefore, the terminology of medieval armor has everything to do with the soldiers who lived between the 5th and the 16th century. In order to understand everything related to the medieval armor, let's start with the historical developments of the armor in general.
The Essential Facts about the Development of the Medieval Armor
Over the period of human history, the form, design, and material of the body armor of the knights kept changing along with the requirements of the soldiers. However, with respect to the development of the medieval armor, the following two factors played a significant role; the development of war weapons and the development of metals and the skill of forging metals. Over the centuries, the form and design of the swords, daggers, spears and other blades kept changing. In fact, the metal blades of the medieval blades kept changing in accordance to the changes brought about in the look, material, and design of the medieval armor. At first, the simplest weapons, such as the crossbows were quite effective and could pierce through the armors. However, as the shape and metal of the armors went through changes; the need for sharper and more effective weapons took over. Not only new armor but also new weapons needed to be developed in order to meet all war requirements. In fact, it was a never-ending cycle; at first the design and style of the medieval armor would be changed and re-adjust; subsequently, the war weapons and blades would be developed which would further instigate the knights to come up with more developments of the armor.
The development of the ways the various metals were forged and worked with was another important factor in the development of the medieval armor. With the passage of time, people invented and discovered stronger metals; thus, they kept moving away from the weaker metals, such as "bronze" and got their hands on iron metals which lead to the forging and making of stronger armors that were more reliable and durable than their predecessors. Different technologies and crafting mechanism paved the ways for stronger and better medieval armors. Besides these two elements, the cultural changes along with the changing philosophies of the people also played an effective role with respect to the changes and developments of the medieval armor. Last but not least, the invention of the guns and gunpowder put a full-stop on the use of the medieval armor.
What did the Armor Look like before the Medieval Period?
Before we go through the various development and transition stages of the medieval armor starting from the 6th century until the 15th century; let's have a brief look on how the armor looked like before the Medieval Ages. It has been historically proven that before the medieval period, the majority of the armors comprised of the materials of mail and leather. This type of armor was used by the Teutonic as well as the Celtic people; therefore, this armor line is associated with the line of the Barbarians. Nonetheless, another line refers to the armors used by the ancient Greeks and Romans; subsequently, the armors at that time were made with the materials of bronze as well as iron.
1. Medieval Armors made of Chainmail
The chainmail version of the medieval armors was quite long-lasting in contrast to the other types of armors. You might be surprised to learn that the earliest version of these armors dates back to the 1st century. The chainmail version was in use until the 17th century. The term chainmail refers to the interlocked series of tiny metal rings. The chainmail was considered an effective armor against the slicing impacts of the medieval swords. However, the making process of the chainmail was a demanding task that required detailed labor. The chainmail was however not effective against blunt forces caused by a hammer as well as maces. The knights tried to diminish this deficiency by adding a padded gambeson or a padded leather jerkin to their medieval armor.
Their additions were either worn under the armor or over it. Nonetheless, this slight addition to the chainmail armor couldn't keep up with the development of the medieval weapons which were growing fiercer and sharper. In fact, with the development of better war weapons, such as the stiletto knife and the crossbows, the efficiency of the medieval armors decreased. Consequently, additional changes were made, such as the addition of the coat of mail plates which stayed in use until the 14th century. Not to mention the fact, the development of the breastplates added to the strength and reliability of the medieval armors which were made of chainmail. The elbow iron plates were another crucial addition to the chainmail armor.
2. Medieval Armors made of Plate Mail
The medieval armors made of plate mail were the transitioned form of the chainmail armors. The significant difference with these armors was the addition of the plates on the various parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, knees, elbows, and shoulders. Eventually, the medieval armors developed into something which covered the whole body of a knight. In other words, the plate mail comprised of a full-body armor which covered the knight from head to toe. Referring to the culmination point of the development of the medieval armors, it occurred with the emergence of the 15th century. Typically, this period can be categorized into two sections with respect to the development of the armors; the German category and the Italian category. Later on (16th century), both sections merged into one; the Maximilian who manufactured the best versions of the medieval armors. It was also during this very period that the three different types of armors were made; the ceremonial armors, the war-ready armors, and the armors which were specifically used for jousting.
Now, these three types of medieval armors served their respective purposes; therefore, these were crafted in different ways. The battle-ready armors were also known as the field armors. The field armors were specifically designed with respect to enabling the Knights to move with much flexibility. On the other hand, the ceremonial armors were made in a splendid way in order to impress and look great during important ceremonies. The ceremonial armor was decorated with gold and silver. Referring to the jousting armor, it was specifically designed for the martial game of jousting. Simply put, the jousting armors comprised large and rather sturdy "pauldron" which were specially designed to deflect the attacks of the opponent.
Apart from the body armor, the helmet design and material underwent some serious changes as well. Initially, the design of the helmet was essentially flat; however, gradually, the design was altered and the shape of the helmet got rounder. In the last years of the medieval period, the helmet comprised of different parts which were riveted together and could also be moved.
