Plate armour

Long ago, people wore metal suits.

These were made of iron or steel. They kept people safe from swords.

The plates covered the whole body. They went from the neck to the toes.

Some armor was made of small rings. This was called mail. It was soft and easy to move in.

In Japan, people made special armor too. Some of it was made to stop bullets.

Armor was very expensive to make. Only rich people could buy a full suit. Many soldiers wore just a few pieces.

Later, new guns changed everything. Guns could poke holes in the metal. Because of this, people wore less armor.

Today, we see these suits in museums. They tell us how people lived long ago.

Plate armour is a type of body protection. It is made from plates of bronze, iron, or steel.

In the past, people wore mail. Mail is made of many small metal rings. It was easy to move in.

Later, metal plates began to replace mail. By the year 1420, full suits of plate armour were ready. These suits covered a person from neck to toe.

Making a full suit was very hard. Armourers made the plates move with the body. This helped the wearer run and jump. High quality suits cost a lot of money. Only rich people could buy them. Many soldiers wore cheaper, ready-made pieces.

In Japan, warriors also used plate armour. Some suits were even made to stop bullets.

Eventually, guns changed how people fought. Bullets could go through the metal plates. Because of this, people wore less armour. Most soldiers began to wear only a breastplate. A breastplate is a single piece of metal for the chest.

Plate armour is a special kind of protection for the body. It is made from metal plates like bronze, iron, or steel.

A full suit can cover a person from their neck down to their toes. This type of armour helps protect people from cuts and thrusts from weapons. It also provides a good defense against blunt hits. Because the metal is shaped to the body, the wearer can still jump and run. The weight is spread out so the person stays agile.

Before full plates were common, people mostly wore mail. Mail is made of hundreds of small metal rings linked together with rivets.

This clothing was very good at following the shape of the body. It helped people move comfortably while staying safe from sharp weapons. From the 9th to the 13th century, mail was very popular in Europe. People called this the age of mail. Later, single metal plates were added to protect joints and shins. These plates were worn over the mail to add more strength.

Full plate armour grew and changed over a long time. In ancient times, Greeks used bronze plates to protect their chests. The Roman Empire used a type of plate armour called Lorica segmentata. In Europe, full suits of plate armour were ready by about 1420. This happened during the Late Middle Ages. Armourers became very skilled at making metal pieces move together. They used small parts called lames to make the armour flexible. This made the suit fit the person almost like a tailor makes a suit.

Making high-quality armour was a very big business. It cost a huge amount of money to buy a custom suit. Because of the high cost, only very wealthy people could own them. Most soldiers wore cheaper, ready-made armour called munition armour. In Japan, warriors also made many types of armour. During the Sengoku period, they mass-produced simpler chest armour and helmets. Some Japanese armour makers even made "bullet tested" suits to stop firearms.

Eventually, new weapons changed how people used armour. The invention of the musket meant bullets could pierce metal plates. This made full suits of armour less common in the 17th century. Many soldiers switched to wearing just a breastplate to protect their chests. Some groups, like the Polish Hussars, still used a lot of plate. Even in World War II, steel plates were used in flak jackets. Today, we use new materials like plastic to protect people instead of heavy metal.

Plate armour is a sophisticated type of personal protection made from metal plates. These plates are typically crafted from bronze, iron, or steel.

A complete suit, often called a panoply, can encase the wearer entirely from neck to toe. This level of protection was essential for soldiers in many historical conflicts. It served to defend the body against various types of attacks. These included sharp cuts from swords and thrusts from spears.

Plate armour also provided a significant defense against blunt force weapons. Because the weight was distributed across the body, the wearer remained agile. They could still jump, run, and move with great freedom.

To understand how plate armour works, one must look at its construction. Armourers developed the skill to create articulated lames. Lames are individual metal plates that overlap to allow for flexibility. This allowed the armour to move with the wearer's joints.

A full suit included many specific parts. A helmet protected the head, while a gorget or bevor protected the neck. The torso was shielded by a cuirass, which consists of a breastplate and a backplate. Arms were covered by spaulders, pauldrons, rerebraces, couters, and vambraces. The legs were protected by cuisses, poleyns, and greaves. Finally, sabatons covered the feet.

Before full plate became the standard, mail armour was the primary defense. Mail consists of hundreds of small iron or steel rings. These rings are interlinked and held together by small metal rivets.

This design allowed the armour to follow the contours of the body. It offered comfort and was excellent at stopping cutting weapons. From the 10th to the 13th century, Europe was often called the "age of mail." During the 14th century, a transitional period occurred. During this time, single metal plates began to be worn over mail suits. These plates were used to protect specific areas like the shins and joints.

History shows that plate armour evolved through many different cultures. In ancient Greece, warriors used bronze muscle cuirasses to protect their chests. The Roman Empire utilized a specific type of plate armour called Lorica segmentata.

In Europe, full suits of plate armour were largely developed by about 1420. This period coincided with the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Different regions developed unique styles, such as Gothic or Milanese armour. In Japan, armouring had its own distinct history. During the Sengoku period, large quantities of armour were mass-produced for foot soldiers.

Japanese makers even created tameshi gusoku, which was "bullet tested" armour.

The production of armour was a massive and profitable industry. There was a major distinction between types of armour based on cost. High-quality, custom-fitted armour was extremely expensive. This meant it was mostly reserved for the wealthy nobility. These individuals were often committed to soldiering or jousting.

Most other soldiers used munition armour. This was a cheaper, ready-to-wear version of protection. In the 15th and 16th centuries, these armoured soldiers were the nucleus of many armies. In some French armies, men-at-arms made up 60% to 70% of the total force.

As armour improved, weapons also changed to overcome it. While plate was great against cuts, it had weak points. Thrusting weapons like estocs, poleaxes, and halberds were designed to exploit these gaps.

Other weapons like maces and war hammers were used to deliver blunt force. These could cause concussions even if the metal was not pierced. Some armour featured fluted designs. This fluting was not just for decoration. It actually reinforced the plates against bending during a heavy impact.

The decline of full plate armour was driven by new technology. The development of the musket changed everything. Bullets could penetrate metal plates from a considerable distance. By the early 17th century, the use of full suits began to fade. Many soldiers moved toward wearing only a simple breastplate, known as a cuirass. Some groups, such as the Polish Hussars, continued to use significant amounts of plate. Even in the 20th century, the concept of metal protection survived. Steel plates were used in flak jackets during World War II. Today, modern materials like fibre-reinforced plastic have replaced heavy metal plates.