Knghtly Armes answers the question...
Answers to some of the most frequently questions submitted to Knyghtly Armes.
Q: Was armour worn only by the knightly class?
For a man of sufficient means, however, there could be no substitute for hardened steel. The term ‘man-at-arms’ was used to refer not only to a knight but also any soldier who is outfitted in harness. Men-at-arms could be anything from veteran mercena...
Q: What did it take to become a knight?
Obviously everyone was not born into the gentry. It was a pool that had to be continually refilled. There was a practice in England, if not other countries, known as distraint for knighthood where the crown compelled wealthy persons to be knighted. It began...
Q: Did a knight’s armour really shine?
The previous assertion should not be taken to mean that the vast majority of armour was hideously ugly or completely un-fashionable. At least some were elaborately painted, perhaps to distinguish the wearer’s company, while others were coated in a heavy lacqu...