European Plate Armor (14th-Century Form)

Timeline

1. 1341–1343Western Europe · Western EuropeIn the early 1340s, European knights commonly layered plate coats or partial steel plates over mail to protect the chest, abdomen, elbows, and knees. Plates were mostly riveted to cloth or leather linings, with numbers varying by region and wealth, forming the typical transitional protective system of the mid-14th century.
2. 1346Crécy · Hauts-de-FranceAt the Battle of Crécy in 1346, both English and French heavy infantry and knights were equipped with transitional plate armor. Dense arrow and crossbow fire remained lethal at plate joints and at mail-exposed areas of the limbs, face, and neck, prompting a post-battle increase in plate coverage and the proportion of single-piece breastplates.
3. 1347–1350Northern France · Hauts-de-FranceAfter about 1340, the multiple chest plates of plate coats gradually merged into larger single-piece breastplates, while limb plates also developed toward forms fitting the body more closely. Continued fighting in the Hundred Years' War, such as the Siege of Calais (1347–1350), further accelerated Western European armor workshops' demand for plate armor craftsmanship and output.