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Mail was lightweight and versatile, but it could be pierced if struck by a sharp object with enough force.
Swords might be used as both slashing and piercing weapons, depending on their design, and knights looked for ways to deflect thrusting attacks with shields and metal breastplates. As the joust grew in popularity, the need for an armor less likely to be pierced by a driven lance grew, as well, especially for the jousts of peace that were supposed to be non-lethal affairs.
However,
more than any other factor, it was the increased power of the
bow
that spelled the end of mail as the foremost armor of the medieval
knight. Crossbows were notably deadly, and as the Byzantine princess
Anna Comnena would note, "not only can a crossbow bolt penetrate a
buckler [shield], but a man and his armor, clean through."
Just as fearsome was the longbow, which was so successful in the
Hundred
Years' War
that laws were passed in England requiring men to practice with
it.
Bit by bit, piece by piece, mail was replaced by the plate armor that we've come to think of as "shining."
Links of Interest
For more on armor, be sure to visit our index of armor and weaponry subject index, where you'll find links to photos and articles about armor, swords, bow weapons and siege engines of the Middle Ages.
Want to make your own chain mail? Visit some of our reenactment aids.
Sources and
Recommended Reading
The links below will take you to mySimon, where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the book's page at one of the online merchants.
Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight by David Edge and John Miles Paddock.
A Knight and His Armor by Ewart Oakeshott.
Go to the Knight Life Table
of Contents
Visit your Guide's picks for the Top
7 Books about Knights
This is Issue #7 of Knight Life.
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Knight Life #7: You've Got Mail is copyright © 2000-03 Melissa Snell. Permission is granted to reproduce this article for personal or classroom use only, provided that the URL below is included. For reprint permission, please contact Melissa Snell.
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