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15th Cent. French Plate Armour
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Melisende View Drop Down
Pretorian
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Joined: 05-May-2006
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Posts: 157 		  Quote Melisende Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 15th Cent. French Plate Armour
    Posted: 15-Jan-2008 at 06:35
Wasn't sure whether to post this here on in "Medieval History" but ...
 
Simple question - how much did a full (no expenses spared) suit of early 15th Cent. French plate armour weigh?
 
I am curious ....... an approximate weigh would do - doesn't need to be exact ....  just want to get an idea .....
 
 
Oh, and as an after-thought - how much would the "optional extras" also have weighed - eg: sword, etc .... just so I can get an idea of overall additional weight a mounted soldier would be expected to carry .....


Edited by Melisende - 15-Jan-2008 at 06:37
"For my part, I adhere to the maxim of antiquity: The throne is a glorious sepulchre."
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Eondt View Drop Down
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Posts: 279 		  Quote Eondt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jan-2008 at 09:10
Hi,
 
Perhaps the following actuals from museum pieces would help:
Armour for the joust (sport):
"1530 (circ.) Madrid, A, 26  - Man       79lb. 0oz
                                          - Horse     79lb. 0oz"
 
War Harness:
1439 Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, I, Man and Horse     163lb. 0oz
1514 Tower, II, 5  - Man     64lb. 13oz.
                             - Horse  69lb. 3oz"
 
The above quote is from "The armourer and his craft" - Charles Ffoulkes
 
The book goes on to quote "Arms, clothes, saddlery etc." at about 30lb.
 
I also know that the bastard sword at the time weighed +-3lb.
 
Hope the above is of some help.
 
Cheers.
 
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Cataln View Drop Down
Pretorian
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Posts: 178 		  Quote Cataln Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jan-2008 at 16:31
Anybody know the amount of carbon in the steel?  Hardness?
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Melisende View Drop Down
Pretorian
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Posts: 157 		  Quote Melisende Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Jan-2008 at 08:52
Thank you !
"For my part, I adhere to the maxim of antiquity: The throne is a glorious sepulchre."
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Arch Duke
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Kastrophylax kai Tzaousios

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Posts: 1800 		  Quote Byzantine Emperor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-Feb-2008 at 02:54
Originally posted by Cataln

Anybody know the amount of carbon in the steel?  Hardness?
 
For later medieval plate armor, the foremost modern authority on all aspects of the subject (including weights and metallurgy) is:
 
Alan R. Williams. The Knight and the Blast Furnace: A History of the Metallurgy of Armour in the Middle Ages & the Early Modern Period. Boston, MA: Brill, 2003.
 
It is quite expensive, as it was produced by an academic press and has many detailed pictures and diagrams.  I would suggest finding it at a library or seeing if the library can interlibrary loan it.
 
Late Byzantine Military
Ottoman perceptions of the Americas
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