Visure

Visure refers to a type of medieval armor. It is characterized by its construction from overlapping plates of metal, designed to protect the wearer's body. Unlike earlier forms of armor like mail, visure provided more robust protection against blunt force and piercing attacks. The development of visure was a gradual process, evolving as weaponry became more effective.

The term "visure" itself is sometimes used broadly and can encompass various stages of plate armor development. Initially, plate elements were often integrated into mail armor, offering localized reinforcement. As techniques advanced, larger and more complete suits of plate armor emerged, with visure representing a significant step in this evolution. These suits were typically custom-made for individual knights and were extremely expensive, limiting their use to the wealthy aristocracy.

The effectiveness of visure lay in its ability to distribute the force of a blow over a wider area, reducing the risk of penetration and serious injury. However, it also presented challenges. Visure was heavy and could restrict movement, requiring significant physical strength and stamina from the wearer. Maintenance was also a considerable undertaking. Despite these drawbacks, visure remained a dominant form of armor on European battlefields for several centuries.