Knight’s Armor and Weapons of Middle Ages

A knight’s armour, weaponry, and war horse were his most prized possessions. Only those who were wealthy could afford to be knights since these three goods were so expensive. Many knights believed that by plundering enemy villages and cities, they could partially recoup some of their investment.

Armour

Knights in the Middle Ages wore substantial metal armour. Chain mail and plate armour were the two primary types of armour.

Chain Mail

Thousands of metal rings were used to create chain mail. The standard chain mail cloak, or hauberk, was very long. Under their armour, knights wore padded cloaks to help distribute the weight of the armour. A hauberk made of chain mail might weigh up to 30 pounds.

Although flexible and providing good protection, chain armour might be cut through by an arrow or thin blade. For further protection, some knights started to cover sensitive areas of their bodies with metal plates. They ceased wearing chain mail as soon as they started wearing plate armour altogether.

Plate Armor

Most knights wore full plate armour by the 1400s. While more protective than chain mail, this armour was heavier and less flexible. Around 60 pounds was the weight of a full set of plate armour. The names of many armour parts were distinctive.

The following are some of the various types of plate armour along with the areas they shielded:

Greaves – ankles and calves
Sabatons – feet
Poleyns – knees
Cuisses – thighs
Gauntlets – hands
Vambrace – lower arms
Pauldron – shoulders
Breastplate – chest
Rerebrace – upper arms
Helmet – head

Weapons

In the Middle Ages, knights employed a range of weaponry. Some weapons, like the lance, were better for rushing on a horse, while others, like the sword, were better for hand-to-hand fighting.

Lance –
A long wooden stick with a metal point and hand protectors used as the lance. The lance was so long that the knight could attack while mounted. The knight now had a significant advantage over foot men. It was also possible to use the lance to dismount hostile knights.

Sword –
Once the knight had dismounted or in the event that his lance was damaged in battle, the sword was the preferred weapon. While some knights favoured a larger two-handed sword, others chose a one-handed sword with a shield.

Mace –
A weapon with a large steel head served as the mace. These tools were made to destroy an adversary.

Bow, long –
The longbow was viewed by many knights as a cowardly weapon. But throughout the Middle Ages, the longbow played a significant role in winning battles. The longbow might launch an assault from afar or from a fortress wall.

War Horse

His war horse was one of the knight’s most prized belongings. This horse had received battle training. It wouldn’t be afraid of violence or blood. For a knight, a capable combat horse may be the difference between life and death.

Destrier was the name of the battle horse used by the knight. The horse was also protected by armour, which had metal plates covering its flanks, head, and neck.

Siege Weapons

Knights also needed to be proficient with siege weapons. These were unique tools for capturing castles.

Belfry –
Soldiers could approach the castle walls safely because to the belfry, a tall rolling tower. They would exit the tower onto the top of the walls once they arrived at the castle.

Catapult –
Huge rocks might be launched onto the castle walls using a catapult. These rocks might topple the castle’s defences and wreck its structures.

Battering ram –
The castle’s gates were broken down using the battering ram, a massive, heavy wood.

Knightly Armour and Weapons: Interesting Facts

Knights were required to train donning and removing their armour. Riding a horse and fighting while wearing such thick armour required skill.

Sometimes a harness was used to refer to a plate mail armour suit.

Iron horseshoes, which might be used as weapons against foot soldiers, were occasionally attached to war horses.

Some two-handed swords were considerably longer than five feet.