Leg Armor
Our Brigandine Legs with Splinted Segments consists of cuissards, articulated knees, and greaves. The Brigandine Legs are further reinforced with steel plates. The articulated knees are joined to the cuisses with rivets, creating one piece – no holes, no leather laces. The leg harnesses have leather arming points at the top and are equipped with
With our Brigandine Cuissards with Splinted Segments, we’ve crafted leg protection that is both highly protective and quite visually appealing. The alternating vertical rows of metal plates and textile are eye catching and functional. Your thighs will be well protected from all sides and look great at the same time. The articulated knees are joined
Greaves (also known as “grêves” [French], “Beinröhren” [German] or “schinieri” [Italian]) are an essential part of any leg harness. These brigandine greaves are reinforced with steel plates and the shin is totally protected from all sides. The armor is fastened with leather straps and steel buckles. Brigandine armor is easily adjustable thanks to its special
Our stylization of the leg armor of the French king Charles VI (1368-1422) is based on an example which is preserved in Chartres Cathedral, France. The legharness is adapted for full contact medieval battle. This legharness is reinforced with a central rib and the upper-extension plate of the cuisse, which covers the upper thigh is
Our Churburg Style Leg Harness is leg protection made according to early Milanese design from the end of the XIV century – beginning of the XV century. Based on the example of the full set of armor which belonged to one of the members of the Matsch familyand which is preserved in Churburg Castle. The
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
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
XIV Century Sabatons with a tapered point. Riveted steel lames provide excellent mobility and flexibility and allow for maximum comfort. Made of 1.5mm cold rolled steel, but also available in stainless or tempered steel as well as titanium. Our XIV Century Sabatons will be made in accordance with your measurements or you may select a
Splinted Greaves in a XIV – late XV century design. These leather greaves are reinforced with metal bars which provide great protection and flexibility. We use an anatomically shaped wooden block when crafting the leather greaves to make them anatomically correct. That’s why our splinted greaves fit perfectly. The steel parts are made of 1.5mm
If you’re looking for great leg protection on a budget, then our anatomically shaped Front Greaves Type-2 will be right up your alley. These greaves provide vital protection for your shinbones and extend downward to cover your ankles as well. Their open design means you’ll have all the mobility you need and will be better
Our Steel Cuisses with steel knee cops are made of 1.5mm cold rolled steel (other thicknesses and metal types are available). Our construction method provides great mobility. This cuisses armor is very easy to take apart which makes its transportation and storage a cinch. The simple construction of this piece makes cleaning this armor a
Basic and practical knee protection. It’s light weight and the plain shape provides perfect mobility. Our Steel Knees have leather straps and laces for easy and accurate placement. They are ideal supplements to your existing armor kit and great for those just starting out (price for the pair). Please note that measurements should be with
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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