The Armour Archive

Gents, I don't follow plate armor as a rule, except in large lines... I'm too focused on my folks where I'm one of about three guys interested in the topic. And so I gotta ask... are there any specific changes to Italian armors that can be pinpointed to the late 1350s-mid 1360s?

Most of the Italian stuff I've been looking at is a bit later, but I think your time frame might bracket the introduction/increaes use of solid metal breastplates. Other than that, a general increase of plate defences seems to start a decade or so befor this time frame and contiunes through it.

Wisby was 1361 and seems to represent a lower class of armour. Check out the book. I agree with Cet, more breastplates, arm and leg defences.

Chef would say that you can identify style changes every 5 years or so, I think that Armatura is the book that shows them best.

Think of armor being like the Detroit auto industry, and it will make sense. Some changes will be for functional purposes, others for style.

Oops, he's right. I'm talking 15th, not 14th.

Most of what we have to base style on is in artwork for the 14th c. If you only look at the few extant pieces, you end up with too many people in segmented breastplates. Armatura does not have a lot to offer for 14th c pictures, but there are a few. It does, however, focus on Italy and not Wisby or the Black Prince.