14th Century Leg Armour

Description of the Product

Plate armour had already been in use in Roman times, but the knowledge and skill to make it was lost when Rome fell. For almost a millennium europeans resorted to mail and sometimes armor made of small pieces of iron. Eventually armour began to transition back to plate. The re-introduction of plate armour in addition to mail was incremental, and at first only the most vulnerable areas got extra protection. An excellent example is this 14th C leg armour, which is not closed from behind, unlike leg armour during the 15th C often was. The open shin guard, or front-greave or shynbald, was the first type of plate armour used to augment mail armour. The back of the leg would still have been protected with mail chausses at this time.

This leg armour joins the greave with a cuisse protecting the thigh, a knee cop (also called a poleyn), and a demigreave. The greave has a pin which is inserted through a hole in the demi-greave to make a complete protection for the whole leg.

This mid to late 14th C leg armour is made of two separate and adjustable parts as the greaves can be adjusted for height depending on which hole you use when attaching to the demi-greave, making either 73 cm or 75 cm in total height. The harness is attached behind the leg with three leather belts, and at the top to your arming jack or arming belt with separate arming laces.

• Protects the thighs, knees and shins
• Thigh and knee armor can be used with the separate greaves or by themselves
• Triple articulation at the knee gives the harness excellent mobility
• Made of 1.6 mm steel. Steel thickness may vary due to the handcrafted methods used in manufacturing
• Total height either 73 cm or 75 cm depending on which hole you use for attaching the greaves
• Harness is attached at the top to your arming jack or arming belt and tightened behind the leg with leather belts
• Pair weight approx. 5,7kg
• Includes a pair -armor for both legs
• Made by Marshall Historical