Knightly Wear Trivia Quiz

Answer: on the head

The sallet was a common helmet (especially in Germany) during the 15th century. Recognizable by its tail and deep skull piece. It was held in place with a chin strap. Most were also fitted with a sliding visor.

This was the helmet commonly worn by the orcs in the Middle Earth Trilogy to give a good visual example.

Answer: the chin

The bevor was a plate that was added with the sallet to protect the lower half of the face. It jutted out from the chin and when the sallet was worn with the visor down the head would be completely covered.

Answer: on your lower legs/ shins

The greaves were attached to the lower legs usually by leather straps.
Early armor was quite easy to put on. Mail was pulled on over the head, and a coat of plates was buckled at the back or on the sides and shoulders. Plate armor was more difficult, but a knight could be armed with the help of his squire in a few minutes. A knight was always armed starting from the feet up.

Answer: on both the chest and back

Chest and back plates together are called the cuirass. They were usually held together by waist straps and also connected at the shoulders.
Armorers would make armor by heating a piece of metal in a furnace to soften it and then would hammer it into shape over an anvil that was usuallly set in a tree trunk. He could also use curved formers set in the tree trunk to hammer a piece of metal into its required shape. A very skilled blacksmith with his assistant could make a full suit within a week.

Answer: on the thigh

The cuisse's top edge was generally attached to the upper torso with laces. Also a leather strap was mainly used that wrapped around the back of the thigh.

Plate armor was by no means stiff and clumsy. A knight in armor could pretty much do anything a man could do not wearing it. Armorers made plates in a way that they would move with each other and with the wearer. Some plates were attached with a rivet which allowed two parts to pivot. Others were joined by a sliding rivet set into a slot so the plates could move in and out.

Answer: on the shoulder

The pauldron was a plate that was attached to the cuirass and to the vambrace (upper arm protection). With some armor the pauldron and the vambrace was one piece. If this was the case they were held together with rivets to allow for easy movement.

A padded garment known as an arming doublet was worn under the armor. It would have waxed thongs called points sewn to it. These were used to fasten different parts of armor. Most of the time armor could not be put on without the arming doublet. Parts of mail was located on the doublet that would help protect under the gaps that was left unprotected by plate armor.

Answer: the head

Another helmet that was either open faced or had a visor. The visor came in many diffrent shapes. Some where made to look like animals or even the likeness of the face of the wearer. Most though had a pronounced conical shape. These were called dog head or pig faced basinets. Sometimes mail was attached to the lower part of the helm to cover and help protect the wearer's neck and shoulders. This mail was known as "camail". This type of helmet is usually portrayed in most of the Middle Ages movies such as "Excalibur".

Answer: the armpit

The besague was usually attached to the pauldron. It appears as a metal disk hanging from the front of the shoulder.

A suit of armor typically weighed about 44-55 pounds. The weight was spread over the body in such a way that a knight could run, lie down or mount his horse without help. Stories of knights being put onto their saddles with a crane are untrue.

Answer: the head

The coif was a piece of chain mail worn on the head that also usually extended down to protect the neck and the shoulders. It could be worn alone or a helmet could be worn over it for even more protection.

An arming cap was also usually worn under the coif. It was a cloth stuffed with either straw or down to provide padding. Not only did this provide extra protection but also helped to keep the coif from pulling the hair and it helped to keep sweat out of the eyes. The combination of arming cap, coif and helmet could make the wearer incredibly hot.

Answer: the hand

Gauntlets were usually fitted with a leather glove to allow the knight to grip his weapon. Minature plates covered the fingers above and below the joints separtely for flexibility. Some gaunlets were long enough to protect not only the wrist but the forearm as well.