1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

Choose a Page:*What did soldiers wear?*What was a siege?When were the Middle Ages?What is the Bayeux tapestry?Who were knights?Did everyone go to school?Why were castles built?What were the Crusades?What was a joust?Who were the Templars?What did people eat?What were the towns like?Who was Marco Polo?What was the Domesday Book? What did soldiers wear? This German knight of about 1480 is wearing full battle armour, which weighed about 45 lb. (20 kg). Historians know from the Bayeux tapestry, which chronicles the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066, that Norman knights wore long chainmail shirts. These were made from hundreds of small iron rings linked together. Gradually steel plates were added to armour for greater protection, and by 1400 knights were covered from head to foot in plate armour.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: The Middle Ages