Sapphire Lebesque's Blog: Margin Notes - Posts Tagged "chivalrous-knights"

Chain mail was made by linking each ring through four others, either riveted, welded or butted together. Riveted rings were most secure as being most resistant to impact.

But there was a cost. Warriors had to lumber round and fight with an extra 10 or so kilos, plus a shield and sword, the combined weight was burdensome. One advantage of chain mail was flexibility and mobility over and above rigid plate armour, which also carried a weight cost, a necessary price to pay for added security on the battlefield.

It was also expensive in terms of labour, taking a skilled armourer many months to make and also in materials, quality steel or bronze being the most expensive.

Today, battle armour for a knight might cost thousands of pounds, euros or dollars, and only wealthier lords and knights could afford quality, and it carried a status. Sometimes rulers would foot the bill for chainmail for their elite warrior knights.