Medieval Armor: Battle Tested

Medieval Armor: Battle Tested

Armor is the basic necessity when confronting opponents on the field of battle. Armor was used as protection against the enemy strike while in combat. Not all armor was alike; suits of armor were made for the knights and the warriors in field battle had smaller pieces. Since its introduction, armor has drastically transformed over time to better protect people from injury.

Armor can be traced back almost to the dawn of time. Armor dates back to the Egyptians over 5000 years ago. The Egyptian's armor was made of linen and cow hides. Although their armor did not last very long, it was revolutionary for its time. It helped the Egyptian warriors survive more battles during times of war. They used shields and helmets for exterior protection against more advanced weapons, like daggers and spears. The Egyptians truly set the stage for others to follow.

By the Medieval period, man had learned how to work with metals and draw them into more forms. Chain mail first came about in medieval Europe in the 11th century, developed by the Celts. Over time people started to add a series of small discs and plates to cover the main areas they wanted to protect. Eventually, in the 14th century, plates became easier to make and they started to cover as much of the body as possible. Yet chain mail was still used for joints where plates restricted movement.

Not only was armor worn on the body, but there were also shields. These were exterior items that that gave the user a large metal plate carried in the hand, a maneuverable item to handle the direct blow of the enemy's strike. With this unit in his hand, the knight could use it to block and push people around. The knight could also use it as a barrier between himself and the enemy. The knights often used the shield as a weapon to strike the enemy. This practice was not easily mastered and demanded hours of training. Training took place at the pell, a practice site where soldiers worked with wooden shields and swords to learn how to fight.

The shield came in many shapes, colors and had various different designs all over the front side of it. There were five different shapes of a shield, "They were the kite shield, heater shield, buckler shield, pavise shield, and the targe" (Alchin). The shield shapes were different for each type of soldier. For instance, there were different shields for an archer or for those on horseback. Each color on the shield depicted what country was represented. The designs on the shield were plants and animals on the face of the shield and were commonly divided into sections.

The external accessories included a helmet as well. The helmet was custom made to fit each knight or soldier. Depending on the quality of the helmet, it could either be a full-faced helmet or a normal helmet that only covered half of the head. If the helmet were to cover the whole face, it would have an eyesight hole cut from the metal for a view port. It would also have aeration holes around the mouth for better breathing. The mouth section would also flip up for enhanced communication during battle. The basic inexpensive helmet would cover the skull part of the head and come all the way to the front and over the eyes with view ports. Not only were these helmets highly functional, they also gave great protection from a slam to the head. A hard blow could dent the helmet, but they were well built so that they were hard to pierce. Yet, it was still possible to pierce the helmet with special weapons like a battle-axe. When all's said and done, the helmet is the most important part of the collection of armor because it gives protection to the most precious part of the body.

Medieval armor is normally made by a team of craftsmen working together to make a complete suit. A hammerer (later referred to as a blacksmith) was needed to shape the plates of metal. The hammerer heated metal and stretched it by beating it into the shapes needed. The mailers had to custom make the chain mail vests and skirts according to the size of each knight or soldier. Chain mail is a fabric made out of interlocking metal rings that move freely, but protects against a sharp edged sword or knife. "The mailer would make the chain mail by inter locking each piece together individually and then welding the open ends together with a heated tool" (Clare).

"Millmen brought in the art of polishing the metal" (Clare). The millmen did this by rubbing the metals with hide until the metal was glistened. Locksmith attached all of the parts together with hinges for maximum flexibility. "The locksmiths attached the hinges together by brackets" (Clare). To finish to armor, "The engravers would give the metal suit many inscriptions and designs giving it a spiritual protection" (Clare). The engravers would make these designs, according to the knight, with their chisels and scrapers. The designs and symbols would represent the knight and where he comes from. "Since each set of armor was made for each individual, it was not cheap and the only people that could afford it were the knights" (Smith). Due to the extensive work put into making the armor, it made the cost of armor tremendously expensive. Because of this high cost, the only people