LARP Steel Armour

Armour in the Middle Ages

The period known as the Dark Ages actually stretched over almost 1000 years. Early, High and Late Middle Ages are the names given to the epochs that stretched from about 550 AD to the late 15th century. These 1000 years ranged from succession wars over the Roman Empire to the attacks of the Hun hordes and the 100-year war between England and France.

During this time there were literally hundreds of warlike feuds and skirmishes for power and property. Often it was also about honour and revenge as well as religion and greed. This period also saw the Crusades, which really immortalised the reputation of the knights in armour in the annals of history.

The development of weapons and armour

The knights of the Middle Ages were certainly the fighting elite of their time in Europe. They fought each other with cutting and thrusting weapons. They used lances and catapults and, in the end, muskets. Given the medical skills of the time, even a minor injury could result in fatal gangrene. Leather as armour did not help very much against a stab or a firm blow. So, in addition to the development of weapons, a great deal of attention was paid to the development of protective equipment made of metal.

This began with leather breastplates and the successors to the helmets of the Roman legionaries. This was followed by the development of chain mails and partial protection for arms, neck and legs. In the course of time until the 12th century, these individual parts finally gave rise to the fully armoured knight in his armour of metal. The high Middle Ages were here!

A suit of metal armour - protection, adornment and burden

At the same time, the knights and their specially bred horses had to carry a great burden with the complete armour. The handmade armour of that time was not only of immeasurable value but very heavy as well. The armour consisted of the helmet, plate protection for all parts of the body and the metal chain mail. All of this together weighed 100 pounds or more.

So a real knight with his armour was not only rich but also extremely strong. A knight was trained from childhood to fight and kill. So it was no wonder that a powerful knight in his armour could take on a whole horde of highwaymen. All he had to do was not fall off his horse, because standing up in full armour was hardly possible without help. In this phase, the knight was very vulnerable despite his armour.

The knights were too immobile and too slow

Even the horses were partially equipped. Contrary to popular belief, however, the knights initially fought mostly on foot. The terrain at that time was mostly wooded and rarely suitable for horses. Despite all their strength and the skilful plate technology with its hinges, such a knight nevertheless remained rather immobile. This circumstance proved tragic in the later crusades or in the Mongol storm against Russia in the 13th century.

Many nobles and princes died in their heavy armour against the nimble mounted archers. After that, a change in thinking began, accelerated by the development of howitzers and muskets. Battles between knights in their armour became rarer. People only fought for honour in their armour at tournaments. With the slow disappearance of knights in their armour, the Middle Ages also began to take their leave.

A suit of armour from the online shop of Larp-fashion.co.uk

Every true LARP devotee goes into raptures when they see a high-quality suit of armour. A suit of metal armour is symbolic of the great Middle Ages. The armour makes an incredible impression and is wonderful to look at. In our online shop you can buy helmets, breastplates, bracers, greaves and chain mail. They are all of excellent quality and guarantee a grand entrance.

Nowadays you don't have to wear such heavy armour. A LARP armour is nowhere near as heavy as it was in the Middle Ages. Today's metal for LARP armour is simply more advanced than in the past. With a thickness of only one millimetre, you still get a stable suit of armour. It can really grow old with a little care. But the best thing about your LARP armour for the medieval game is the price. In our online-shop, you get high-quality armour at an excellent price-performance ratio.

Choose wisely from our range

When making your choice, bear in mind that the fully metal armoured fighter was the exception rather than the rule in the Middle Ages. A mix of materials with leather was often used for armour, as more mobility was achieved. So you can choose and put together your LARP armour as you see fit. For example, take a helmet, chain mail and perhaps metal shoulder plates.

If you add a padded gambeson or leather leg guards, you have an impressive suit of armour. With such armour you remain fully mobile. We are happy to advise you by telephone if you have questions about individual parts of your armour. Just get in touch with us. We look forward to making your acquaintance.

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