Not every mounted soldier could afford, or needed, the fully articulated plate harness worn by the wealthiest knights and men-at-arms. A cavalry half armour offered a practical middle tier of protection, typically a cuirass and upper-body defence without the full leg harness, giving riders meaningful torso protection while keeping cost, weight, and complexity in check. This reproduction recreates that practical cavalry standard, suited to mounted re-enactment as well as general display.
Cavalry Half Armour
As plate armour spread through the 15th century, mounted troops below the rank of fully harnessed knight often wore a half armour, combining a breastplate and upper body protection without the complete leg harness of a knight. This cavalry half armour recreates that practical standard, offering meaningful torso protection suited to mounted combat while remaining lighter and less costly than a full knightly harness. It reflects the reality that plate armour existed across a real spectrum of coverage, not solely as the fully articulated suits associated with the wealthiest knights.
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The single-piece steel breastplate emerged through the second half of the 14th century, replacing the coat of plates and mail hauberk as the standard torso defence of the late medieval knight.
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Chastity Belt with Lock, Novelty Piece
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