Medieval poleyns, 13th-14th century, 1.6 mm

Product description

Poleyns appeared around the second half of the 13th century and were the earliest type of plate armor added to a knight’s armor. Poleyns were worn over chainmail chausses and provided an extra layer of protection for the vulnerable knees. For mounted warriors, the legs were always a weak spot. The development of poleyns coincided with the introduction of the shorter heater or knight’s shield, which replaced the older, taller kite shields that extended to protect the rider’s legs. Heavy shields were cumbersome in battle, making the development of poleyns together with the heater shield a major innovation. Poleyns remained in use even into the 16th century.

These knee guards are modeled on various examples from the 13th and 14th centuries.