Medieval Armour

In the medieval days, the knights and soldiers wore armor and carried swords to the battlefield. Needless to say, the medieval swords were used for fighting and the medieval armor was used for protecting themselves from being hit or cut by another sword. Some medieval soldiers and knights also made use of axes to fight. To protect themselves from the swords of the enemy, the soldiers wore a variety of medieval armor to protect themselves. Let us look at the different types of medieval armor worn by the soldiers and knights.

Types of Medieval Armor

* Plate Armor: Plates or disks of steel were added slowly to chain mail medieval armor to protect the vulnerable areas of the body. These were initially added on to the chain mail medieval armor at the knees and armpits. But soon, plate armor took over the protection of the entire body of the soldier. Eventually this progressed into a full body covering armor suit which covered and protected the knight from head to toe.

* Iorica Segmentata: The Roman armor breastplate called the ‘Iorica Segmentata’ was perhaps the most efficient type of medieval armor used. This was made of segments of steel plates joined or welded together, as opposed to a single sheet of steel. This allowed for greater flexibility of movement for the knight or the soldier.