Armor Type:  Torso Protection

Brief Description:  The medieval breastplate was a solid, curved metal plate designed to protect a knight's torso. Ranging from 1 to 5 mm in thickness, it was worn over a padded garment (gambeson), and later evolved to incorporate outward-turned edges to deflect blows and prevent the wearer from being cut by their own armor. A breastplate was the centerpiece of a knight's defense and its design evolved significantly throughout the Middle Ages.

Coat of Plates (13th–14th Century): The precursor to the solid breastplate. Knights strapped smaller iron plates over mail or riveted them into fabric jackets.

Solid Steel Breastplate (c. 1340s): True, solid plates of wrought iron or steel reappeared in Europe. Early versions were hourglass-shaped and only covered the upper torso.

Gothic & Milanese Armor (15th Century): Breastplates were sculpted to fit the torso and featured central ridges (known as a tapul) and decorative fluting to add structural strength. They were frequently paired with a backplate to form a full cuirass.

Maximilian & Peascod Styles (16th Century): To protect against early firearms, breastplates grew heavier and thicker. They adopted distinctive styles, such as rippled "corrugation" or a bulging shape known as a "peascod".Historically, they were secured using a combination of leather straps, buckles, and laces that fastened at the back.