Armor Type:  Elbow Armor

Brief Description:  The couter (also spelled "cowter") is a curved plate of steel specifically designed to protect the elbow joint. Often called an "elbow cop," it evolved from a simple disc into an articulated joint with overlapping plates, straps, and protective "wings" to preserve mobility and deflect blows.

The design and evolution of the couter can be broken down into a few key elements:

Early Models: In the late 13th century (around 1260), couters were simple, disc-shaped, or curved steel plates. They merely covered the point of the elbow and were lashed to the underlying mail or the gambeson.

Articulation: By the 1320s, as full plate armor developed, couters became articulated joints. They incorporated multiple overlapping plates that moved with the arm so the knight could bend their elbow freely.

Wings (Flaps): Advanced couters often featured projecting fins or "wings" on the inner and outer sides of the arm. These shielded the vulnerable inner elbow joint and armpit from strikes that would otherwise slip between the upper arm armor (rerebrace) and forearm armor (vambrace).