Armor Type:  Shoulder armor

Brief Description:  A pauldron is a piece of medieval plate armor designed to protect the shoulder and upper arm. Evolving from smaller, simpler shoulder defenses, they provided knights with critical coverage for the armpit, collar, and chest while maintaining articulation for melee combat.

Key Features and Components:

The Cop: The main, large dome-shaped steel plate that covers the top of the shoulder joint.

Lames: Multiple overlapping metal plates (or lames) were riveted below the main cop to protect the upper arm and allow for a full range of motion.

Attachment: Pauldrons were typically secured using leather straps that buckled to the breastplate (cuirass) or by lacing them to a gorget.

Asymmetry: Especially in Italian styles, pauldrons were often asymmetrical. The left pauldron (shield-arm side) usually featured larger, wrap-around protection, while the right (weapon-arm side) was often cut away to allow freedom of movement for swinging swords or using a lance rest.