Complete Guide to Medieval Forearm Armor: Types of Vambraces and Their Role
Oh, you want to know about them medieval forearm armors, do ya? Well, let me tell you, them old knights used to wear some mighty fine stuff to protect their arms, especially around the forearms where the danger was real. Now, back in them days, they called these things “vambraces.” Fancy name, ain’t it? But really, they were just a type of arm guard, kinda like a sleeve made outta metal to keep your forearms from getting sliced up in a fight. They were part of the whole plate armor set, you know, all them pieces put together to keep a feller safe. Vambraces were mighty important ’cause they covered the arms, right from the elbow down to the wrist. A lot of times, they’d be worn with a good ol’ pair of gauntlets or elbow guards to make sure the whole arm was well protected.
Now, these vambraces, they were shaped a bit like a tube, you see? Just enough space for your arm to slide in, but tight enough to keep them sword strikes from getting through. Some folks called ’em “lower cannons” back in the Middle Ages, which sounds mighty fierce, don’t it? I reckon it was to show how important they were in a fight. You didn’t want to have your arm exposed, now did you? That could be a quick way to lose a limb in battle, especially when them swords and axes were flying all around you. So, the vambraces made sure that didn’t happen, giving the knights a bit more peace of mind when they were out there fighting for their lives.
When we talk about vambraces, we gotta mention the elbow guard too. That’s called a “couter.” They didn’t have no fancy names for this stuff back then, just simple words to get the job done. The couter, or sometimes spelled “cowter” by some folks, was a metal piece that covered the elbow. It wasn’t a big ol’ thing like a chest plate or a helmet, but it was mighty important. See, your elbow’s a weak spot, and if that got hit, well, you’d be in a bad way. So, the couter was there to keep that from happening, with a nice curve that helped deflect the blows away from your arm.
Now, these vambraces weren’t just a single piece of metal. Nope, they were often made from several parts that were joined together. And they’d have some leather straps or buckles to keep ‘em tight on your arm. You didn’t want that armor sliding off in the middle of a fight, did ya? So them straps made sure it stayed where it needed to be, snug and secure.
Let’s talk about how these things were used in battle. You see, a knight needed to move quick, so the armor couldn’t be too heavy. But it had to be tough enough to take a hit. That’s why vambraces were so important—they let the knight protect his arms without weighing him down too much. When they got into a tussle, them vambraces helped block strikes and shield the arms from arrows, swords, and all manner of nasty weapons. Without them, well, that could be a mighty painful situation.
And it ain’t just knights that wore these things. Folk in all sorts of battles, from common soldiers to lords and nobles, they’d wear vambraces if they had the means to get ‘em. It was all about keeping safe, and them metal arm guards sure helped. Over the years, them vambraces got more fancy too, with more curves and bends to fit the body just right. They made sure to cover the forearm and the elbow, like I said before, but some folks even added extra pieces for the wrist, making them a little more protective all around.
In them medieval days, you didn’t always have time to put on a full suit of armor, so these vambraces and couters could be added to whatever else a knight had on, like a chainmail shirt or even just a padded tunic. They’d give a feller that extra bit of armor needed to keep him in one piece when the fight got hot and heavy.
So, to sum it all up, vambraces and couters were mighty important pieces of medieval armor. They protected the forearms and elbows, which were often vulnerable spots in battle. With their help, knights and soldiers could face the enemy without worrying too much about their arms getting hacked up. And though the designs might’ve changed a bit over time, the purpose stayed the same—keeping you alive in the heat of battle. That’s what them medieval forearm armors were all about, protecting the ones who wore them so they could live to fight another day.
Tags:[medieval forearm armor, vambraces, couter, plate armor, medieval knights, elbow guard, historical armor, medieval weapons]
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