Täyslevyhaarniska

Täyslevyhaarniska, known in English as full plate armor, is a type of metal armor that was developed during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. It offered extensive protection by covering the entire body with shaped metal plates. The design evolved over centuries, becoming increasingly articulated and sophisticated to allow for mobility despite its weight.

Early forms of full plate armor were often pieced together, but by the 15th century, it had reached its peak with a unified, form-fitting design. This armor was typically custom-made for the wearer, with each piece precisely shaped and fitted. Key components included the helmet, gorget (neck protection), pauldrons (shoulder protection), vambraces (forearm protection), rerebraces (upper arm protection), gauntlets (hand protection), cuirass (breastplate and backplate), tassets (thigh protection), cuisses (thigh protection), poleyns (knee protection), greaves (shin protection), and sabatons (foot protection).

While offering excellent defense against swords, arrows, and polearms, full plate armor was expensive and labor-intensive to produce. It was primarily worn by wealthy knights and soldiers on the battlefield, and also saw use in tournaments. The weight of a full suit could range from 20 to 30 kilograms (45 to 65 pounds), distributed across the body. Despite its bulk, a well-made suit allowed for remarkable freedom of movement, enabling the wearer to mount a horse, wield weapons effectively, and even perform acrobatic feats. The widespread adoption of firearms and evolving military tactics in the 16th and 17th centuries gradually led to the decline of full plate armor as the primary form of battlefield protection.