Armor Type:  Shoulder armor

Brief Description:  The grand guard (or grandguard) was a heavy, specialized piece of 15th- and 16th-century tournament armor designed to protect a knight’s left shoulder, the side of the chest, and the neck during jousting. It acted as an overlapping reinforcement piece, effectively immobilizing the left shoulder to deflect heavy lance impacts.

Key Characteristics of the Grand Guard:

Function and Purpose: It was specifically used for jousting (tilting) to shield the most vulnerable, forward-facing areas of a knight's torso and neck from a direct hit.

Placement: It was attached to and worn over the standard breastplate and pauldron (shoulder armor) on the left side, which was the side facing the opposing knight during a pass.

Design Features: It often featured an integrated reinforcing plate, sometimes extending upward along the left side of the helmet (the bellow or bevor) to prevent the opponent’s lance from striking the face or throat.

Mobility Trade-off: Because it locked the left shoulder and arm in place to absorb the shock of a lance collision, it severely restricted movement. Therefore, it was exclusively a tournament piece and was not worn for standard battlefield combat or sword fighting.