Coat of plates
Encyclopedia
A coat of plates is a form of torso armour
consisting of metal plates sewn or riveted inside a cloth or leather
garment.
The coat of plates makes a fairly brief appearance in the history of European armour during the era of transitional armour
, during a portion of the 14th century. The coat of plates was normally worn with a mail
hauberk
and a helmet.
and brigandine
. Unlike scale armour which has plates on the outside or splint armour
in which plates can be inside or outside, a coat of plates has the plates on the inside of the foundation garment. It is generally distinguished from a brigandine by having larger plates, though there may be no distinction in some examples.
, Sweden
. One of the best resources about coats of plates are the mass grave
s from the Battle of Visby
. The Visby coats of plates display between 8 and some 600 separate plates fastened to their backings. The mass grave from a battle in 1361 has yielded a tremendous number of intact armour finds including 24 distinct patterns of coat of plates style armour. Many of these were older styles similar to the armoured surcoat discussed below.
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The coat of plates likely developed from the armoured surcoat, such as seen on the 1250 St. Maurice coat.http://www.arador.com/articles/stmaurice.html These consisted of metal plates rivetted to the inside of a surcoat
. The plates did not overlap but the armour is otherwise similar. This type of armour is also documented in Norse written sources from around 1250: Tbe Konungs skuggsjá
calls it a Briost Bjorg and specifies that is should cover the area between the nipples and the belt, and the later Hirdskraa
of the 1270s calls it a Plata. The former source informs us that the armour should be worn beneath the hauberk
, which can explain why this form of armour so seldom appears in illustrations and statuary before the late 13th century.
This armor was improved in the 15th century, being altered to resemble a contemporary doublet. This version of the coat of plates, studded with rivet
s, was known as a brigandine
. The name is derived from "brigand," the name for a common soldier, many of whom would become bandits to survive after the war ended.
The coat or Jack of plates remained in use until the end of the 16th century. It was identical to contemporary brigandines although the metal plates were sewn in place rather than riveted. Jacks were often made from recycled pieces of older plate armor, including damaged brigandines and cuirass
es cut into small squares Although the coat of plates was obsolete by the time of the English Civil War
many were taken to the New World
by the Pilgrim Fathers as they provided excellent protection from Indian
arrow
s; one dating back to 1607 was recently found at Jamestown
.
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
consisting of metal plates sewn or riveted inside a cloth or leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
garment.
Transitional armour
Transitional armour describes the armour used in Europe around the 14th century, as body armour moved from simple maille hauberks to full plate....
, during a portion of the 14th century. The coat of plates was normally worn with a mail
Chainmail
Mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.-History:Mail was a highly successful type of armour and was used by nearly every metalworking culture....
hauberk
Hauberk
A hauberk is a shirt of chainmail. The term is usually used to describe a shirt reaching at least to mid-thigh and including sleeves. Haubergeon generally refers to a shorter variant with partial sleeves, but the terms are often used interchangeably.- History :The word hauberk is derived from the...
and a helmet.
Construction
The plates number anywhere from eight or ten to the hundreds depending on their size. The plates overlap but usually only enough to guarantee full coverage even when moving around and fighting. The coat of plates is similar to several other armours such as lamellar, scaleScale armour
Scale armour is an early form of armour sometimes erroneously called scale mail consisting of many individual small armour scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armour was worn by warriors of many different cultures as well...
and brigandine
Brigandine
A brigandine is a form of body armour from the Middle Ages. It is a cloth garment, generally canvas or leather, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric....
. Unlike scale armour which has plates on the outside or splint armour
Splint armour
Splint armour, also referred to as splinted armour. Splint armour first appears in a Scythian grave from the 4th century BCE..-Splint Armor:...
in which plates can be inside or outside, a coat of plates has the plates on the inside of the foundation garment. It is generally distinguished from a brigandine by having larger plates, though there may be no distinction in some examples.
Visby armour
The coat of plates is known amongst the history re-enactors as Visby armour due to archaeological findings of this type of armour in VisbyVisby
-See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. One of the best resources about coats of plates are the mass grave
Mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple number of human corpses, which may or may not be identified prior to burial. There is no strict definition of the minimum number of bodies required to constitute a mass grave, although the United Nations defines a mass grave as a burial site which...
s from the Battle of Visby
Battle of Visby
The Battle of Visby was fought in 1361 near the town of Visby on the island of Gotland, between the forces of the Danish king and the Gutnish country yeomen. The Danish force was victorious.-Background:...
. The Visby coats of plates display between 8 and some 600 separate plates fastened to their backings. The mass grave from a battle in 1361 has yielded a tremendous number of intact armour finds including 24 distinct patterns of coat of plates style armour. Many of these were older styles similar to the armoured surcoat discussed below.
Terra Cotta Army
Coat of plates armor (along with lamellar) is also seen among the terra cotta army - soldiers representative of the Qin DynastyQin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
.
Development
Surcoat
A surcoat was an outer garment commonly worn in the Middle Ages by both men and women. It can either refer to a coat worn over other garments or the outer garment of a person...
. The plates did not overlap but the armour is otherwise similar. This type of armour is also documented in Norse written sources from around 1250: Tbe Konungs skuggsjá
Konungs skuggsjá
Konungs skuggsjá is a Norwegian educational text from around 1250, an example of speculum literature that deals with politics and morality...
calls it a Briost Bjorg and specifies that is should cover the area between the nipples and the belt, and the later Hirdskraa
Hirdskraa
The Hirdskraa , 'The book of the hird', is a collection of laws regulating many aspects of the royal hird of late 13th century Norway. Compiled somewhere in the first part of the 1270s at the order of King Magnus VI , it was recopied widely in the 14th century. The earliest extant texts, the AM 322...
of the 1270s calls it a Plata. The former source informs us that the armour should be worn beneath the hauberk
Hauberk
A hauberk is a shirt of chainmail. The term is usually used to describe a shirt reaching at least to mid-thigh and including sleeves. Haubergeon generally refers to a shorter variant with partial sleeves, but the terms are often used interchangeably.- History :The word hauberk is derived from the...
, which can explain why this form of armour so seldom appears in illustrations and statuary before the late 13th century.
This armor was improved in the 15th century, being altered to resemble a contemporary doublet. This version of the coat of plates, studded with rivet
Rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
s, was known as a brigandine
Brigandine
A brigandine is a form of body armour from the Middle Ages. It is a cloth garment, generally canvas or leather, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric....
. The name is derived from "brigand," the name for a common soldier, many of whom would become bandits to survive after the war ended.
The coat or Jack of plates remained in use until the end of the 16th century. It was identical to contemporary brigandines although the metal plates were sewn in place rather than riveted. Jacks were often made from recycled pieces of older plate armor, including damaged brigandines and cuirass
Cuirass
A cuirass is a piece of armour, formed of a single or multiple pieces of metal or other rigid material, which covers the front of the torso...
es cut into small squares Although the coat of plates was obsolete by the time of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
many were taken to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
by the Pilgrim Fathers as they provided excellent protection from Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
s; one dating back to 1607 was recently found at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
.