With the evolution of plate armor, the armorer began to make designs for various types of combat. The requirements of a foot soldier were different from those of a horseman who needed a bolted-on lance rest, double protection for his left arm, and very good thigh protections.

During the fifteenth century, in Germany and Austria, the armorers made a type of armor known as Gothic. It was characterized by a graceful shape with the edges cut in cusps and trimmed with brass. Gothic armor had raised ridges which gave extra strength to the plates as well as helped to deflect the point of a weapon. The head was protected by a large chin piece, the bevor, and a graceful helmet with a projecting rear tail, the whole known as the sallet. A complete Gothic harness, the correct name for a suit of armor, weighed between fifty and sixty pounds.

Towards the end of the fifteenth century and early in the sixteenth century, German armorers developed a style known as "Maximilian." This is easily recognized since the surface of all pieces, except the greaves, were fluted to give extra strength and good glancing surfaces. The helmet completely enclosed the head and was known as a close helm.

The Illustrated Science and Invention Encyclopedia. New York:H.S. Stuttman, 1977.

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This page was last updated on 03/24/2011.