greave

Greave is a piece of leg armor designed to protect the shin and often the calf. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, greaves were part of a full suit of plate armor and were worn in combination with cuisses (thigh armor), poleyns (knee guards), and sabatons (foot armor). The term also appears in reference to shin protection in classical antiquity, where greaves were worn by soldiers and athletes in bronze or leather and secured with straps or lacing.

Designs varied by period and region. Most greaves were shaped to fit the contours of the lower leg and could be a single curved plate or two overlapping sections that allowed flexion at the ankle. They were typically strapped to the leg with leather thongs or metal buckles, and sometimes included an inner lining for comfort and impact absorption. Some earlier or lighter forms used splints or segmented construction for easier movement.

Materials and construction. Metal greaves were usually steel or iron, sometimes with decorative embossing or surface treatment for status as well as protection. Leather or fabric linings improved wearability, while leather straps and buckles secured the pieces over chausses or stockings. The level of protection provided by greaves depended on design, weight, and the armor system they complemented.

Decline and legacy. With the decline of heavy plate armor in the early modern era, functional use of greaves diminished, though variants persisted in ceremonial armor and historical reenactment. In modern contexts, greaves appear in replicas, films, and museums as representative examples of leg protection from European armor traditions.