Blog & lookbook - Avant-style armor (1420-1460)

Introduction

The armor of a knight (or man-at-arms) evolved significantly throughout the medieval period. In this blog, we’ll explore the gear of an Italian man-at-arms from the mid-15th century to help you choose your own configuration.

The Hundred Years' War between England and France continued until 1453. Periods of warfare were interrupted by brief peacetime, which both countries needed to recover from intense fighting. In Italy, a series of prolonged conflicts were brewing as well. The rise of major rivals such as Venice and Genoa had led to a sort of cold war between two large alliances in Northern Italy by the late 14th century. This would erupt into open conflict in 1423, in the form of the Lombard Wars between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan. These wars would divide Northern Italy into several large power blocs, emerging from the patchwork of individual city-states of the previous centuries. The arms race between the warring alliances led to the development of the distinctive ‘Milanese’ plate armor.

Armor Developments

Throughout the 15th century, distinct regional differences emerged in the designs of plate armor. The Northern Italian (Milanese) style, which emphasized large, rounded shapes, is evident in the Avant armor from the Churburg Castle in Northern Italy.

By the mid-15th century, the bascinet had been replaced by the armet in France, Italy, and England. This helmet featured a complex fold-out design to better fit the head. Early armets included a bevor that fastened over the helmet to provide additional neck protection. While the armet remained exclusive to the aristocracy, the sallet, another helmet style that evolved from the bascinet, was worn by both common soldiers and knights. In the Holy Roman Empire, the sallet was predominantly used as part of the Gothic style.

Arm armor saw significant developments during this period. Shoulder armor became more robust to protect the clavicles, and in the Milanese style, shoulder plates were often asymmetrical. The elbow was covered with a plate that provided full coverage while still allowing enough freedom of movement. Gauntlets evolved into a form resembling mittens, where the fingers could not move individually, though hybrid forms with individual finger protection were still commonly used.

Giorgio’s Outfit

It is the year 1440. The Milanese knight Giorgio is fighting in the Lombard Wars under the mercenary general Niccolò Piccinino. The army is heading to the Tuscan town of Anghiari, where a Venetian-Florentine alliance awaits the Milanese forces. Giorgio is frustrated with the poor discipline of the mercenaries marching with him; he believes they are more interested in their wages than in achieving victory, which he sees as a reflection of the dire state of military troops in his time.

Attire

When Giorgio is not wearing his armor, he follows the fashion of the early 15th century. He wears an arming doublet, mi-parti trousers, pointed shoes, and a coif as a head covering. On his belt, he carries a bag and his sword, a symbol of his military status that he proudly displays on the streets of Milan. He aims to project a warrior-like image even without his armor.

Coif

The coif was a medieval garment originally intended as a hood to protect the head from rain and cold. In the 14th century, it became fashionable among the nobility and bourgeoisie to wear the coif as a sort of turban by turning it inside out.

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Arming Doublet

In the 15th century, fashion shifted from long, flowing robes to short, fitted clothing. Men began wearing doublets that ended around the hips and emphasized the chest and waist. This shift also led to the increasing popularity of full-length trousers.

A gambeson provided a layer of padded protection under mail and plate armor but was worn on its own by poorer soldiers. With advancements in armor, thick gambesons became unnecessary for knights, who began wearing a thinner, lighter padded variant that also aligned with contemporary fashion, known as the arming doublet. This fitted version of the gambeson could be equipped with armor pieces that conformed closely to the body.

In Italy, the arming doublet was even worn as everyday clothing by civilians and non-military nobility to convey a warrior-like appearance, similar to how combat boots or camouflage clothing are used today. Giorgio embraces this look and wears his arming doublet in daily life as well.

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Trousers

In the 15th century, there was a gradual transition from wearing hose to full-length trousers. Giorgio wears mi-parti trousers with a flap. Beneath them, he wears braies, a type of medieval undergarment.

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Hose were long stockings fastened to the undergarment and usually worn under long robes. It was a personal choice whether to wear chausses or trousers, but hose had largely fallen out of fashion during this period.

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Belt

People from all social classes attached pouches and other items to their belts. When assembling your outfit, consider what you would find important to carry with you daily as a knight, such as your cutlery and your sword.

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TIP: Medieval belts were often extra long, serving as a status symbol to show how much leather the wearer could afford. To wear these long belts comfortably, a small loop was placed near the buckle to ensure that the long end of the belt hung down neatly.

Schoes

In the 14th and 15th centuries, men wore pointed shoes. Over time, the fashion trend extended the length and sharpness of these shoes. On the battlefield, however, the shape of the shoes became more modest to avoid tripping during combat.

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Mail Armor

Although Giorgio himself does not wear mail armor, many knights of the time did. The haubergon, a type of mail armor with short sleeves, became increasingly common in the 15th century due to developments in arm armor. Italian knights continued to use full mail armor until the end of the 15th century, while in the Holy Roman Empire, mail armor was divided into voiders and mail skirts to reduce weight.

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TIP: You can adjust your mail armor to fit your size by removing rings, but a simple way is to tie the sleeves with leather cords at your elbows.

Armor

Giorgio's armor consists of a cuirass, armet, arm and shoulder pieces, gauntlets, and a full leg harness.

TIP: Throughout the medieval period, knights had squires or other attendants to help them put on their armor: plate armor was almost never designed to be worn by the wearer alone. We recommend asking someone to assist you with fitting, donning, and adjusting your armor. Click here to learn how to put on armor.

Cuirass

Giorgio wears a cuirass that protects his entire torso. Unlike earlier breastplates, such as those from the Churburg armor, the lower abdomen and hips are protected with articulated steel plates. These can also be detached from the cuirass.

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Armet or Open Helm

Giorgio wears a closed helmet, known during this period as the armet. The helmet features a fold-out construction that fits closely to the head when fastened with the help of a squire.

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During this time, open helmets were also commonly worn to provide the wearer with better visibility and to assist in issuing commands. This was especially true when the threat from the enemy was not immediate. Whether a knight wore an open helmet or one with a visor was often a matter of personal preference. In Italy, the Sallet and Barbute were popular forms of open helmets. The Barbute was inspired by helmets from ancient Greece, a period that saw renewed interest due to the early Renaissance. You can choose which type of helmet suits your configuration. Here are examples of open helmets from this period:

Barbute

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Sallet

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Gauntlets

Giorgio uses newly developed gauntlets to protect his hands. Beneath them, he wears separate leather gloves. Other knights of the period often preferred gauntlets with individual finger protection. The choice of which type of gauntlets to use in your setup is entirely up to you.

Gauntlets with Leather Gloves

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Gauntlets with Individual Finger Protection

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Arm and Shoulder Armor

Giorgio wears large shoulder plates and a close-fitting arm armor. The shoulder plates also protect his clavicles and are large enough that he does not need besagues to protect his armpits. The arm pieces feature a large plate to fully cover the elbow while allowing for freedom of movement. Both are attached to his arming doublet with laces.

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Leg Armor

The leg armor that Giorgio wears consists of upper and lower leg protection. It is fastened to his arming doublet with laces and knee plates.

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In the 15th century, foot armor known as sabatons was also worn. This made long periods of walking in armor significantly heavier, so sabatons were often used only by cavalry. Whether or not to wear sabatons is a matter of personal preference.

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TIP: When choosing your protection, ensure it fits with the layers worn underneath and other armor components you choose, especially for your arms and legs. It would be unfortunate to have a beautifully selected armor setup that doesn’t fit well together or with your mail armor. If you're unsure, feel free to send us a message!

Armor Belt

Often, an arming doublet or other gambeson had points for attaching armor for the lower body, but this was not always the case. Therefore, an armor belt was frequently worn to secure leg pieces and mail skirts to the body.

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Weapons

With the development of armor, shields were no longer used by knights and men-at-arms in the 15th century. Knights often opted for two-handed swords, maces, and war hammers as secondary weapons. However, one-handed swords were still used by both common soldiers and men-at-arms. These were easy to carry and would develop better hand protection over the course of the 15th and 16th centuries, as seen in ‘sideswords’ (early rapiers), making them popular as civilian weapons as well. Polearms remained the primary weapons on the battlefield for those fighting both on horseback and on foot.

The choice of which weapons to include in your early 15th-century knightly equipment is entirely up to you. Here are some examples:

The Perfect Armor

Contrary to popular belief, armor was not designed to make the wearer completely impervious. Armor was always a compromise between mobility and protection. This compromise is clearly seen in the difference between battlefield armor and tournament armor (all our armors are battlefield armors). During tournaments, much heavier but less mobile armor was worn to protect the wearer as much as possible from the impact of a lance. This was feasible because tournaments were not intended as spectacles but as contests rather than life-or-death battles. On the battlefield, mobility was far more crucial, leading to battlefield armor providing less protection but being lighter and allowing greater freedom of movement.

Throughout history, armor was worn by individuals who were highly trained and specialized in warfare during their time period. These individuals made many choices between protection and mobility, often based on function and personal preference. For instance, many foot soldiers wore less protection on their lower legs for comfort while marching, while cavalry often wore more complete armor. Knights sometimes chose to protect their hands with gauntlets where the fingers could not move, while others preferred gauntlets with individual fingers. Consider what is important to you and adjust your armor components and configuration to suit your preferences.

On medieval battlefields, only the aristocracy wore fully custom-made armor. The rest of the army wore armor that was collected or inherited from previous owners. These soldiers would adapt the collected pieces to their size and decorate them with religious symbols and the heraldry of their lord. The armor components we sell are not custom-made but are adjustable. As an armor owner, you will regularly need to adjust the armor to fit your measurements to ensure the best possible comfort. This can be done by extending straps, adding straps, adjusting arm and leg pieces, and adding laces.

For more information on modifying mail and armor, see our knowledge base.