Medieval Wooden Practice

Mail

The earliest form of medieval armor — mail (a.k.a. “chain mail”) — traces it is roots back to around 500 BC. The Celtic people devised this kind of armor — iron rings woven together into a protective garment — and the Roman Army later copied this technology to protect it is soldiers. In the early Medieval Ages, armor craftsmen added discs, plates, and groin caps to frequent mail gear to protect vulnerable areas. Leather coats, kneecaps, underarm protectors (a.k.a. “besagews”), and skullcaps (such as early forms of the bassinet) all provided critical aid for soldiers as well.

As the Middle Ages progressed, however, modern new weapons — like the crossbow, battle-axe, long bow, and mace — gained popularity amidst warriors, making mail and even plated mail far less effective at defense.

Plate Armor

The full body suit of armor that is quintessentially conjured up when one imagines King Arthur at the Round Table didn’t come into being all at once; rather, it evolved over hundreds of years to meet the latest technical advances in weaponry. After the advent of such weapons as hand cannon and crossbows in the 1500s, warriors begun adding plated armor to their battle gear, shielding more and more constituents of their body with steel.

As early firearms made their way onto the battlefield, armored knights responded by adding yet more shelter and plating. In a sense, the Middle Ages saw a kind of “arms race”; as weapon strength increased, so did armor strength. By the 18th century, the firepower had become so desolating that even heavy suits of tempered steel armor were no longer sufficient to protect infantrymen.

Armor for Horses

Knights provided a kind of armor called “barding” for their steeds. This metal plate shelter served a dual purpose. On the one hand, it provided practical resistance versus all manner of firearms, swords, axes, maces, and the like. On the other hand, it served an aesthetic purpose. Gilded barding declared a knight’s social position and served as a badge of ownership. Cavalry armor for the steeds included helmets, back plates, and central steel pieces.

Shields

The medieval soldier’s shield armor likewise evolved over the course of the centuries to respond to developments in offensive weaponry. In the early Middle Ages, medieval warriors employed wooden shields covered in leather (or other soft material). As progressed bows and weapons made their way onto the battlefield, however, soft shields proved ineffectual. Craftsmen started out to incorporate iron and steel aid in shield designs.

Shields likewise became status symbols, reflecting a given knight’s social position, family heraldry, and other key identifying aspects. Some aristocrats and artisans prettified their shields with elaborate designs, jewels, and other adornments. The shield evolved to be much more than just a functional piece of defensive equipment. It became a key social signifier of rank. Interestingly, as the aforementioned “arms race” amid plate armor and offensive weapons built to it is climax for the duration of the late Middle Ages, shields became less and less mutual — merely because they became redundant (and likewise because they were costly and heavy to carry around).

Offensive Uses of Medieval Armor

While most people today think of armored pieces like helmets, chain mail, shields, and plating to be strictly defensive mechanisms, these items, in fact, were often times employed to ravaging effect as aggressive weapons. Well-trained knights would wield heavy shields as battering rams, engaging in complex military ballet. True, knights had their reasonable percentage of rigorously “aggressive” weapons, such as battle hammers, swords (which could weigh in at well over 35 pounds), lances, and maces. However, on the medieval battlefields for the duration of hand-to-hand combat, anything could become a weapon. A helmet designed plainly to shield versus blows to the head could, for instance, all of a sudden be transformed into lethal projectile in close combat.

The aesthetics and functions of medieval armor suits, shields, and defensive weapons varied widely, not just from decade to decade, but likewise from region to region. Styles came and went comparatively rapidly; military historians may speak volumes regarding the evolution of European cultures plainly by looking at how specific defensive artifacts disseminate from group to group all around the Middle Ages.

Medieval Wooden Practice Picture

Medieval Wooden Practice Photo

Medieval Wooden Practice Pic