Leg Armor
Scaled armor has existed since ancient times. For example, in the VII – III century B.C.E. the Scythians made scaled armor using bronze, iron, bones or thick leather. It is composed of small scales attached to a base material such as leather or cloth. The scales were typically in the shape of slightly elongated fish
Segmented plate greaves were commonly used during the XIV century. In some old English manuscripts, they also called “schynbalds”. But the French word “greaves” or “demigreaves” eventually displaced it as the common name for this piece of equipment. Shin protection was affixed to quilted padded stockings. As mentioned before, this type of armor saw large
From the late XIV to the first part of the XV century, knee cap defenses consisted of a small, simple, forged plate fixed over the knee. It was not enough to protect the external part of the leg. Accordingly, full knee caps with wings (German: Muschell) were developed at some point in the 1390s and remained relatively
XV century Milan style leg protection; composed of cuisses and poleyns. The side-wings have ribs for additional durability. The articulated upper-extension plate of the cuisse is movable and covers the top of the thigh. OurMilanese Legharness is reinforced with a central rib. It is made of 1.5 mm cold rolled steel and is also available in
Greaves were an important component of the armor of many troops, including Western European knights and Roman legionnaires and centurions. They were widely used by cavalry to protect legs and heels while riding a horse. Our base-option Greaves are made of 1.5mm cold rolled steel. They conform to the shape of your calves, making them
Our Anatomical Cuisses include knee cups and are made of 1.5mm cold rolled steel (other thicknesses and metal types are available). Our construction method provides great mobility and thanks to the leather straps under the knee cop, any impacts to the area will be reduced. Thanks to its nature shock-absorbing properties, leather provides you more
Greaves were an important component of the armor of many troops, including Western European knights and Roman legionnaires and centurions. They were widely used by cavalry to protect legs and heels while riding a horse. Our base-option Closed Greaves are made of 1.5mm cold rolled steel. They conform to the shape of your calves, making
Sabatons (German “Eisenschuhe”, French “sollerets”, Italian “scarpe”) were introduced around the end of the XIII century. Before this part of armor was invented, the feet of medieval knights were covered with chainmail stockings. At some point, the front part of the foot was covered by a steel plate, affixed with a leather strap. During the
The XIV century was a time of numerous experiments with the development plate armor. Though different materials were in use until the end of the XIV century, beginning in approximately 1350, steel and iron became the predominant materials for armor smiths. In Italy, and especially in Germany, blacksmiths created a large variety of shapes for
This model of leg armor is based on medieval plate legs typical for the late XIV and early XV centuries. As armor evolved, leg protection changed from its early forms to functional, articulated plate armor. The most essential part thereof is the hip plate. It’s made from one metal sheet and forged to conform to
Leather or fabric with riveted and/or sewed metal plates underneath was an extremely popular form of armor among warriors of the XIV century. Brigandine armor was a precursor to plate armor (often called “white armor”). Due to their lower cost of production and upkeep, brigandine elements were accessible to nearly all medieval knights of Western
When you’re deciding on your battle equipment, the kind of articulated plate armor you choose is of the utmost importance. After all, the thigh takes the most severe blows. You raise your shield over your head and there’s nothing left for your opponent to hit other than your upper leg armor. Therefore, it’s important to
Medieval Leg Armour
Only knights and cavalry could afford full leg armor back in the Middle Ages. Infantry and other soldiers could only count on leather and brigandine leg armor. Of course, after big battles, the soldiers engaged in looting and removing their fallen enemies’ trophies. These, however, were isolated cases because the lion’s share of the trophies were usually taken by the warlords.
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This lack of leg armor was the reason that most injuries sustained during combat were limb injuries. Add to that mix the horrible medicine that was prevalent in the Middle Ages, and you get a huge percentage of deaths due to limb injuries.
During periods of peace, the rulers did everything to keep the military training of knights at a proper level. One of the ways to do that was to set up tournaments. There was a little problem, however – knights often died in the tournaments, which was obviously not the way rulers would want it. Therefore, rules were put in place which allowed only non-sharpened weapons. The spectators naturally wanted more blood, but at the same time, they realized this kind of entertainment could also be interesting and warmed up to the new rules.
There were many varieties of tournaments. There were those in which the knights didn’t need full leg armor. This kind of tournament was called “through the pole.” During this type of battle, the combatants were located on either side of a pole. The pole itself was set parallel to the ground at approximately belt level. As a result, knights could only hit above the belt since leg kicks and strikes were not possible. There were also other kinds of tournaments that required good leg armor as strikes there were permitted, and the combatants required full protection. Several hundred years have passed, and full-contact battles are of increasing interest and are gaining more and more viewers.
Everyone who is engaged in, or thinking about HMB and IMCF full-contact fights should approach choosing their equipment as seriously and responsibly as possible. Beginners typically want to cover their hands and arms first, expecting their opponents to hit the upper limbs more. However, our battle experience shows that fighters actually get more injuries they could’ve avoided if only they had adequately armored legs. It’s also important not to overlook the fact that high-quality articulated plate armor will increase your confidence in both buhurt and duels especially during the times when it’s important to stand firmly on your feet or make a leap towards the enemy.
The majority of leg strikes fall on the upper leg armor and much fewer on lower leg armor, which is why we recommend using stronger materials on the upper leg. Nevertheless, greaves remain highly important as you are covering potentially open areas, allowing you to concentrate on your fighting technique and your opponent. Also, something to keep in mind, whether intentionally or accidentally, chances are you will still be hit in the gaps between armor elements despite the fact that it is forbidden. Hence the importance of durable leg armor that reduces gaps to the maximum extent possible.
We also can’t ignore sabatons! “Who’s going to hit my feet with a weapon?” you may ask. However, if you watch a buhurt, you’ll notice that if one falls down during the battle, the fight goes on, no one pays attention to you, and especially to where your feet are. However, they are open and any accidental impact is a threat. The fighters are focused on their enemies, not you. In this situation, even a member of your own team is as dangerous to you as an enemy if you don’t have sabatons.
Hopefully this piece has illustrated to you that full leg armor is an integral part of your battle equipment, and that lower leg armor is as important as upper leg armor. In addition, don’t forget to take care of your feet and put on sabatons.
Forge of Svan has been manufacturing medieval plate legs since 2004. We have extensive experience with splinted leg armor as well as leather leg armor. Therefore, don’t delay – get your battle protection! Your opponents ordered their armor from us a long time ago, which is they are so confident. Get yours today!
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