Introduction
The armor of a knight (or man-at-arms) changed throughout the Middle Ages. In this blog, we will take a look at the equipment of an English man-at-arms in the late fifteenth century to help you choose your own composition.
The 'Wars of the Roses' were a series of civil wars that took place in England between 1455 and 1487. These wars were a direct consequence of the Hundred Years' War between England and France, as England had become heavily indebted and a significant portion of the royal family had perished. This led to a succession crisis, in which two major branches of the Plantagenet dynasty came into conflict: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The end of the wars, following the Battle of Bosworth, brought about the fall of the French Plantagenet dynasty in the English monarchy and the rise of the Tudor dynasty. This transition is seen as marking the end of the Middle Ages in England.
Armor Developments
In the fifteenth century, clear regional differences emerged in the designs of aristocratic full plate armor, but the equipment of common soldiers remained quite similar.
The brigandine consisted of small overlapping steel plates riveted to an outer layer of fabric (usually wool) or leather. It could be worn by a soldier independently and was cheaper than a breastplate or cuirass. This form of protection evolved from the coat of plates in the fourteenth century but became increasingly affordable for common soldiers in the fifteenth century.
The bascinet in France, Italy, and England was replaced by the sallet and armet. The armet remained exclusive to the aristocracy, but the sallet was worn by both common soldiers and knights. In the Holy Roman Empire, the sallet was almost exclusively used as part of the Gothic style. The sallet had integrated neck protection at the back and was worn with a bevor to protect the front of the neck. This combination was easily adjustable to the situation the wearer found themselves in, especially if the sallet had an adjustable visor. It could be worn either low or high on the head, providing either protection or a better field of vision. The bevor was usually lowered halfway when the sallet was worn low on the head.
Note: This composition is based on the equipment of a man-at-arms during the Wars of the Roses in England, although similar equipment was used by men-at-arms in France, Italy, and the Holy Roman Empire.
Composition Elric
The year is 1485. Elric is a poor man-at-arms during the Wars of the Roses, loyal to the Yorkists. He stands guard in York but has heard news of a large advancing Franco-Scottish and English force under Henry Tudor in Wales. Elric suspects that his king, Richard III, will soon send an army to confront them. The period of Yorkist rule in England, which he has known his entire life, may soon come to an end at the Battle of Bosworth—a battle in which Elric himself will fight.
Outfit
When not wearing his armor, Elric dons a pair of trousers with a shirt or doublet, along with ankle boots. On his head, he wears a red cap or a bycocket, bearing the symbol of his king. For self-defense, he carries a dagger on his belt.
Headwear
The bycocket (also known as the type of hat worn by Robin Hood) was a popular headpiece in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It was worn with or without a hood by peasants, townsfolk, and the nobility alike. Elric wears a small boar badge on his hat, a symbol of King Richard III. This badge shows his allegiance to the House of York. After the fall of this house, nearly all badges of this type would be destroyed by the Tudor dynasty.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/robin-hood-brown.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/cap-bertram-natural.html
Another option is a red cap, which was also commonly worn in Southern Europe.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-hat-armin-burgundy.html
Trousers
In the late fifteenth century, trousers had become common attire for men, with hose (chausses) having fallen out of fashion. Elric wears a mi-parti pair of trousers, which are divided into different colors or fabrics, featuring a front flap (codpiece). Beneath these trousers, he wears braies, the medieval style of undergarments.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/mi-parti-pants-gustav-black-red.html
Braies
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/trousers-gisbert.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/braies-philippe-natural.html
Undershirt / Shirt
In the Middle Ages, people preferred bright colors, contrary to how this period is often portrayed. If they could afford it, their clothing was richly decorated, but even without decoration, clothing in the Middle Ages was very expensive. By wearing a shirt or undershirt, the outer garment stayed cleaner for longer, reducing the need for frequent washing, which also helped prevent discoloration. The shirt was often worn loosely, especially by men of lower status.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/shirt-ulrich-natural.html
Arming Doublet
In the fifteenth century, fashion shifted from long, flowing garments to shorter, more form-fitting clothing. Men began wearing doublets that ended around the hips, emphasizing the chest and waist. As a result, full trousers also became increasingly fashionable.
A gambeson provided a padded layer of protection beneath chainmail and plate armor, but poorer soldiers often wore it on its own. As armor evolved, thick gambesons became unnecessary for knights, who began wearing a thinner, lighter padded version that matched the fashion of the day, known as the arming doublet. This close-fitting version of the gambeson allowed armor pieces to be attached securely and comfortably to the body.
In Italy, the arming doublet was even worn as everyday clothing by civilians and non-military nobility, giving them a warrior-like appearance—much like wearing combat boots or camouflage clothing in our modern times.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-acketon.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-doublet-red.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-black-arming-doublet-canvas-cotton.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-gambeson-aulber-black-canvas.html
Belt
Elric wears a belt with a dagger attached. People from all walks of life used their belts to carry pouches and various everyday items. When assembling your outfit, consider what you would find essential to carry in your daily life as a knight or man-at-arms, such as your utensils, but also your sword. The belt was a practical and vital accessory, serving both as a means of securing weapons and carrying important tools or belongings.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-belt-with-belt-end-london.html
Ankle Boots
In the fifteenth century, men commonly wore pointed shoes. Over time, the fashion trend pushed for longer and more exaggerated points. However, on the battlefield, practicality took precedence, and the pointedness of the shoes was far more modest to prevent tripping during combat. These ankle boots provided both protection and mobility, making them suitable for a man-at-arms like Elric.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-ankle-boots.html
Armor
Elric’s armor consists of a helmet with a bevor, a brigandine worn over a mail shirt, shoulder armor or jackchains, gauntlets, and thigh armor.
TIP: Throughout the Middle Ages, knights relied on squires or other attendants to help them don their armor, as plate armor was almost never designed to be put on by the wearer alone. We recommend asking someone to assist you in fitting, dressing, and adjusting your armor for the best and most practical experience. Click here to read how to put on a harness.
Mail Shirt
The haubergeon, a shorter mail shirt with half-sleeves, became more common in the fifteenth century due to advancements in arm armor. Italian knights continued to use full-length mail shirts until the end of the fifteenth century, while in the Holy Roman Empire, mail armor was divided into voiders and mail skirts to reduce weight. Elric wears a full mail shirt beneath his brigandine. Whether you choose to wear a haubergeon or attach individual pieces of mail to your arming doublet depends on personal preference and the region on which you base your composition.
Voiders
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/flat-ring-chainmail-half-haubergeon-joined-sleeves.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/flat-ring-chainmail-paired-full-sleeves-riveted-an.html
Mail skirt
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/chain-mail-skirt-mixed-rings-6-mm.html
Haubergon (full chain mail with half-length sleeves)
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/halflong-hauberk-mixed-flat-rings-wedge-rivets-8m.html
TIP: You can adjust your chainmail to your own size by removing rings, but a simple way is to tie the sleeves with leather cords at your elbow.
Helmet and Bevor
During this period, open-faced helmets were often worn to provide the wearer with a better field of vision and to facilitate giving commands, especially when the immediate threat from the enemy wasn’t dire. It was often a matter of personal preference whether a knight wore an open helmet with a bevor or a closed helmet with a visor. Poorer men-at-arms and soldiers could typically only afford an open helmet with a bevor. Since Elric isn’t wealthy enough for a closed helmet, he opts for this combination.
There are various options for Elric's head protection. To protect his head, he might wear either a sallet or a kettle hat with a bevor. This setup can be adjusted depending on the situation. For instance, the helmet can be pushed back to improve his field of vision or pulled forward for greater protection. The bevor can be lifted for better protection or lowered to improve breathing and make commands more audible. You can choose your own helmet and bevor combination in your composition. Here are examples of open helmets and bevors from this time period:
Bevor / gorget
The bevor protects the neck and chin when not integrated into the helmet. This piece of armor was popular among both soldiers and men-at-arms, as it could easily be paired with various open helmets as well as half-closed helmets like the sallet.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-gorget-unpolished.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-bevor.html
Sallet
The sallet was a helmet that was worn either with or without a visor. This helmet had integrated neck protection at the back but was open at the front. As a result, it could be worn either on its own or with a bevor/gorget. In the fifteenth-century Gothic style of the Holy Roman Empire, the sallet was almost exclusively worn by common soldiers, knights, and even the emperor.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-sallet-black.html
Kettle Hat
The kettle hat is an open helmet shaped like a wide-brimmed hat, designed to protect the wearer from projectiles while providing a good field of vision. The construction of a kettle hat was often simple, making it a common choice for ordinary soldiers. However, it was also used by men-at-arms in the late Middle Ages.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-kettle-hat-with-antique-finish.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-burgundian-kettle-hat.html
Brigandine
To protect his torso, Elric wears a brigandine, a later development of the coat of plates. It consists of overlapping steel plates held together by black leather. Elric doesn't need a squire to help him put on the brigandine, allowing him to prepare for battle more quickly and easily than if he were wearing a breastplate or cuirass.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/15th-century-brigandine-leeds.html
Arm and Shoulder Armor
Elric is not wealthy enough to afford custom-made arm armor, but to protect his arms and shoulders, he still has several options. He can choose to protect his shoulders with shoulder pieces or "jackchains."
The shoulder pieces are large and have "besagues" to protect the armpits. The upper arms are well covered, but the elbows lack hard protection.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/pauldrons-with-roundels.html
Alternatively, he can choose to wear jackchains. This simple type of plate armor, connected together in the form of a chain, was intended to provide hard arm protection over a mail shirt. Unlike more complete arm armor, it did not need to be custom-made, which is why it was mainly used by common soldiers and poor men-at-arms.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/jackchains-14th-15th-century.html
Gauntlets
Elric uses mitten-style gauntlets to protect his hands. Underneath, he wears separate leather gloves. Other knights and men-at-arms of this period often preferred gauntlets with individual finger protection. It’s up to you to choose which form of gauntlets you use in your own composition.
Mitten-style gauntlets
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/late-medieval-gothic-gauntlets.html
Gauntlets with individual finger protection
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/courtly-gauntlets-5968117.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/german-gauntlets-1450-1500.html
Leg Armor
Elric's thighs are protected with plate armor, but he has left his lower legs unprotected. This is because he spends much of his time on foot and prefers greater mobility when wearing armor. It’s up to you to make similar decisions between protection and mobility, which we will explore further under the section "The Perfect Armor."
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/gothic-upper-leg-armor-16-mm.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/ribbed-cuisses-1460-1500.html
Armor Belt
Often, an arming doublet or other gambeson was equipped with points to attach leg armor, but this was not always the case. To secure leg pieces and mail skirts to the body, an armor belt was commonly worn. This belt helped to support the lower body armor, ensuring it stayed in place during movement and battle.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-armor-belt-black.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-armor-belt-natural.html
TIP: When selecting your armor, make sure it fits well with the layers you’re wearing underneath and the other armor components you've chosen, especially for your arms and legs. It would be a shame to have a well-chosen armor setup that doesn’t align properly with your mail or other armor pieces. Unsure about it? Feel free to send us a message!
Weapons
Elric primarily uses a poleaxe on the battlefield. As secondary weapons, he carries a messer and a buckler.
Poleaxe
Elric's primary weapon is the poleaxe, a type of polearm used by heavily armored knights and men-at-arms. It resembled the halberd but was often shorter and had a war hammer on the head of the weapon, while halberds typically had a hook to pull riders off their horses or to trip foot soldiers. With its hammer, the poleaxe was better suited for combat against other armored opponents.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/pole-axe-1475.html
Sword and Buckler
As a secondary weapon, Elric carries a sword and a buckler. The sword he uses is a "langes messer" (literally: long knife), an inexpensive type of sword with a single edge, particularly popular in the Holy Roman Empire. The sword was named as such because it was constructed like a knife and could therefore be made by knife makers, undermining the monopoly of swordsmith guilds. It was a self-defense weapon for peasants and townsfolk but was also popular on the battlefield and sometimes worn by nobles as a hunting sword.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/langmesser-talhoffer.html
Elric uses a buckler based on those seen in the fighting manual of the German fencing master Hans Talhoffer. The buckler was a small shield commonly used by peasants and townsfolk for self-defense throughout the High and Late Middle Ages. Detailed fighting systems for these small shields existed in England, the Holy Roman Empire, and across Europe. Bucklers were also often used on the battlefield, especially by archers. However, since they offered little protection against arrows and other projectiles, infantry tended to prefer larger shields for better defense.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-talhoffer-dark-buckler-shield-fencing.html
Dagger
On his belt, Elric carries a dagger designed to be thrust into the gaps of plate armor, in case he faces another heavily armored opponent in battle. In everyday life, this type of dagger was also commonly used by people from all social classes as a self-defense weapon.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/german-quillon-dagger-with-sheath-16th-c.html
The Perfect Armor
Contrary to popular belief, armor was never designed to make the wearer completely invulnerable. Armor was always a compromise between mobility and protection. This balance is clearly seen in the difference between battle armor and tournament armor (all of our armors are battle armor). During tournaments, much heavier but less mobile armor was worn to provide the wearer with as much protection as possible from the impact of a lance. This was possible because tournaments were meant as spectacles and not life-or-death combat. On the battlefield, mobility was much more important, so battle armor offered less protection but was lighter and allowed the wearer to move more freely.
Armor throughout history was worn by people who were fully trained and specialized in the warfare of their time. 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, as it was more comfortable for marching, while cavalrymen were often more fully armored. Knights sometimes chose mitten-style gauntlets where the fingers could not move, but at other times preferred gauntlets with individual finger protection. Consider what is important to you and adjust your armor components and composition based on your own preferences.
On medieval battlefields, only the aristocracy wore fully custom-made armor. The rest of the armies wore armor that had been gathered or inherited from previous owners. These soldiers would modify the collected armor to fit their size and decorate it with religious symbols and the heraldry of their lord. The armor parts we sell are not custom-made, but they are adjustable. As the owner of armor, you’ll regularly need to adjust it to your measurements for maximum comfort. This can be done by lengthening straps, adding additional straps, adjusting arm and leg pieces, and adding laces.
For more information on modifying mail and armor, see our knowledge base.