Medieval Life Documentary: The Strength and Limits of Medieval Armor

By its very nature, combat has always been brutal and dangerous. Even today, when fighting is often accomplished from a distance by dropping bombs and by firing bullets, artillery shells, or missiles, combat remains the most terrible and dangerous of human activities. While technology has extended the range at which combatants can strike each other, the need for close quarters fighting on the ground has not been eliminated and remains an essential part of warfare. Of all the forms of combat, directly engaging an enemy at close range and even fighting hand-to-hand if necessary remains the most demanding and grueling type of combat. And this was the primary mode of fighting in the Middle Ages. Though projectile weapons such as bows were often used in medieval battles, no battles were fought exclusively as duels between opposing archers and crossbowmen. Knights and other warriors armed with swords, spears, polearms, and other weapons always played a vital role in battles during the Middle Ages. Striking a blow with any of these weapons required the warrior to press in close to the enemy; to be close enough for the combatants to look each other directly in the eyes as they fought, often to the death. To stay alive in these dangerous and horrifying conditions, men sought out the best forms of protection they could afford. This protection took the form of armor for the head and body. Yet, even as armor was being developed and improved, weapons were also being developed to defeat the advantages of armor, revealing that “arms races” existed long before the 20th century.