Munition armour (also called munition-quality armour) were 15th and 17th century harnasses that were made and stored in large quantities in weapon storage facilities. It was intended to equip both ordinary foot soldiers and heavily armed cavalry (cuirassiers) alike.
Armour in the Late Middle Ages
In the Late Middle Ages, a complete metal plate harness was incredibly expensive. It was usually specially made to measure for the person wearing it. Because of this, only wealthy people, such as knights and nobles, could afford it.
Rise of Large Armies and Mass Production
In the Early Modern Period, the first permanent, professional armies came into existence, with soldiers serving full-time. These soldiers all needed weapons and protection that could be made in large quantities and at an affordable price. From the second half of the 15th century onwards, European armies began producing armour that could be manufactured in large quantities, was cheap, consisted of standardized parts, and was easily interchangeable. This form of protection became known as munition armour.
During the English Civil War (1642 - 1651)
a heavy cavalry harness could weigh between 32 to 45 kilos. Such a harness was not only incredibly expensive but also enormously heavy, making its use increasingly impractical. Because of this, full plate armour fell out of fashion early in this war and was worn less and less.
How Munition Armour Was Made
Munition armour had a fixed design, so that loose pieces could be easily replaced or combined. It was usually made from iron, sometimes mixed with a small amount of phosphorus. This made the metal slightly harder.
The presence of phosphorus probably came about because people used iron ore that already contained a lot of phosphorus, or because they used charcoal during forging.
The Almain Rivet Armour
An Almain rivet was a type of flexible armour that was developed around 1500 in Germany. The intention was to create armour that was easy and quick to produce, remained affordable, but still provided sufficient protection.
It consisted of a breastplate, a backplate, and movable thigh pieces (tassets) that were made up of overlapping small plates.
Almain rivets were usually not of the best quality, but they were very cheap compared to other harnasses.
In 1542, English King Henry VIII determined that an Almain rivet could cost only 7 shillings and 6 pence β roughly one-sixth the price of a more expensive half-harness. Because this type of armour was cheap and could be mass-produced, it was often purchased in large quantities to equip entire armies or personal bodyguards of the nobility.
The Origin of the Name
The word rivet refers to the overlapping metal plates that could slide by means of rivets. The word Almain means "German" in archaic or poetic English.
The term came into use around 1530 and remained common until approximately 1600. Because the word almain-rivet became so well-known, the word rivet itself sometimes also took on the meaning of armour, though this was rarely used.
How to Wear It
Munition harnasses were worn by both infantrymen and cavalrymen. Both types resemble each other but in most cases differ from one another. Munition harnasses were by far most commonly worn by cavalrymen.
How Do I Wear Munition Armour
Under the armour, one did not wear a gambeson or arming doublet, but a leather jacket (jerkin). Underneath that, a doublet could be worn, and underneath that a shirt with wide sleeves. As breeches, one wore loose puffed breeches, the trunkhose.
Shoes and Belts
This type of armour consisted exclusively of half-harnasses; the lower legs were protected by sturdy leather boots. Around the shoulders, a bandolier was sometimes worn, to which the rapier, side sword or Katzbalger was attached. This could also be fastened around the waist.
Types of Helmets
As a helmet, one usually wore the burgonet and for infantrymen the morion or cabasette. But around this time, burgonets were also often worn and sometimes later-type armets and closed helmets.
Of course, one also wanted to look fashionable, so some wore a cloth hat, but underneath a secret β this steel skullcap offered hidden protection to the wearer.
Cavalry Weapons
European wars around this time were fought mainly by the combination of musketeers and pike lines; cavalry played a less prominent, but essential role in late 16th to early 17th century warfare.
Around this time cavalrymen were armed with long rapiers, which unlike civilian rapiers were broader and often had cutting edges. Side swords may even still have been used, though these were outdated. Early backswords were also used.
Cavalrymen were armed with wheel-lock or later snaphance pistols. Until 1580 the lance was still widely used, but its use declined sharply after this period. The main weapons of cavalry around this time were pistols, with which they could shoot at pike lines and cannoneers, after which they could quickly withdraw out of enemy firing range.
Infantry Weapons
The main weapons for infantry around this time were the pike and the firearm; as a secondary weapon they could be equipped with rapiers or even backswords. Additionally, the halberd was still used and the partizan was also employed.
Internal links
- The cuirass: medieval breastplate and backplate
- Gorget: metal collar for neck and upper chest
- Gauntlets: medieval gloves for hand and wrist
- Tassets: upper leg protection in plate armour
Sources:
- Museum reference: The Landeszeughaus in Graz (Austria). This is the largest intact munition arsenal in the world, with thousands of identical, mass-produced cuirasses for foot soldiers.
