While not exactly shining, this is a suit of armure (armor) that was likely worn by a soldier in the late middle ages in France. I can't be certain, of course, because I don't have a photo of the description (visible on the base in front of the knight's left foot). It stands in the Royal Residence in Loches.
I think we Americans tend to think that all those who wore armor were knights, but as the British well know, the term "knight" is bestowed as an honorific title by a monarch, and not necessarily on a soldier. In France, the term chevalier refers to both a soldier on horseback (cheval means "horse") and the honorific title of "knight." At least that's what I glean from the Wikipedia articles on the subject. Perhaps the most famous of the historical knights were les chevaliers de la table ronde, the Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian legend. Modern day knights include the likes of Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Elton John, Sir Loin of Beef, and Sir Osis of Liver. Ok, those last two are from Loony Toons.
Made-to-measure armour must have been expensive but most of these suits show how short and slight the warriors were. I gather that the English longbowmen were well able to finish them off though. Good old Loony Toons.
ReplyDeleteSo difficult to imagine anyone successfully doing battle (or anything) in that get up. I wonder what Elton John's "armure" looks like.
ReplyDeleteAs knight in English, chevalier is a title, no horse involved. A man on a horse is a cavalier.
ReplyDeleteChevaliers have lost their horses in late Middle Ages. Now we talk about cavalerie that became obsolete with WWII.
DeleteThe guy who wore that suit of armor had a very strange shape! Absolutely must visit Loches.
ReplyDeleteIt might have been Joan of Arc!
Deletepotty, they must have been hard to move around in.
ReplyDeletemitch, I'm sure it's fabulous.
chm, giddy up!
bettyann, or pregnant.