A brigandine, a form of body armour, is a cloth garment, generally canvas, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric. A hoplite wearing (only) a helmet, breastplate greaves and a shield. ... Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, and other functions where sturdiness is required. ... A rivetted buffer beam on a steam locomotive A rivet is a mechanical fastener consisting of a smooth cylindrical shaft with heads on either end, the second one formed in position. ...

The form of the brigandine is essentially the same as the civilian doublet, though it is it commonly sleeveless. However, depictions of brigandine armor with sleeves are known. Many brigandines appear to have had larger, somewhat 'L-shaped' plates over the lungs. The rivets, or naels, attaching the plates to the fabric are often decorated, being gilt or of latten and often embossed with a design. The unidentified tailor in Giovanni Battista Moronis famous portrait of ca 1570 is in doublet and lined and stuffed (bombasted) breeches. ... A gilt is any of the following: A thin covering of gold. ... Latten – refers loosely to copper alloys much like brass used in the Middle Ages up through to the late 18th and early 19th Centuries, for things like decorative effect on borders, rivets or other details of metalwork (particuarly armour) and for funerary effigies. ...

Modern reproduction of a 15th century brigandine

Similarly, the canvas is generally covered with a richer material, such as velvet, leather or, somewhat more modestly, fustian. Image File history File links Brigfront. ... Image File history File links Brigfront. ... Velvet is a type of tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it its distinct feel. ... Modern leather-working tools Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. ... Fustian is a term for a variety of heavy woven cotton fabrics, chiefly prepared for mens wear. ...

Brigandines first appeared towards the end of the 14th century, but survived beyond this transitional period between mail and plate, and came into wide use in the 15th century, remaining in use well into the 16th. 15th century brigandines are generally front-opening garments with the nails arranged in triangular groups of three, while 16th century brigandines generally have smaller plates with the rivets arranged in rows.

It was commonly worn over a gambeson and mail shirt and it was not long before this form of protection was commonly used by soldiers ranging in rank from archers to knights. It was most commanly used by Men-at-arms the knights body gaurd, who was typically a friend or bother. He wore a birgnadine along with plate arms and leggings, as well as a helmet. His job was to protect the knight; for example, should the knight fall to the ground, the Man-at-arms would stop enemy soldiers driving a blade through the knight's visor. However, even with the gambeson and the mail shirt, a wearer was not as protected as when wearing plate, which was typically more expensive. The brigandine filled this gap very well. The brigandine was simple enough in design for a soldier to make and repair his own armor without needing the high skill of an armorer. Perhaps due to this ease of repair and concealment, brigandine became a popular choice of protection for bandits and outlaws. Depiction of a 13th century Gambeson (Morgan Bible, fol. ... David rejects the unaccustomed armour (detail of fol. ... These arrows score as an inner 10, and a 9 Archery is the practice of using a bow to shoot arrows. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... Men at Arms is the 15th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. ... This article needs cleanup. ... An armorer or armourer (US English/Commonwealth English) was in former times a smith who specialized in manufacturing and repairing arms and armor. ...

Sources:

• Edge and Paddock. Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight. Saturn Books, London, 1996.