Armor Type:  Protection armor

Brief Description:  Medieval shields were crucial defensive equipment made of laminated wooden planks covered in leather or linen, edged with metal, and centered with an iron boss. They varied from early circular types to later teardrop designs, offering essential passive protection against slashing, piercing, and ranged weapons. Throughout the Middle Ages, the design of the shield adapted to complement changing combat tactics and advancements in body armor.

Round Shield: Early medieval warriors (like Vikings and Anglo-Saxons) carried these wooden, center-gripped circular shields that were frequently reinforced by a metal hand cover.

Kite Shield: Emerging in the 11th century, this tall, teardrop-shaped shield was widely used by Norman cavalry because it offered extended leg coverage.

Heater Shield: As leg armor improved, shields shrank. This triangular shield, named by Victorian antiquarians because it resembles a clothes iron, became the standard knightly shield in the 12th and 13th centuries and served as the primary canvas for heraldry and coats of arms.

Buckler: A small, lightweight circular shield gripped in the fist rather than strapped to the arm, used primarily by archers, lightly equipped infantrymen, and in civilian duels.

Pavise: A massive, flat rectangular shield used primarily by infantry, archers, and crossbowmen in sieges. They could be set in rows on the ground to build mobile defensive walls.

Shields were typically carried by a series of arm straps called enarmes and a padded cushion, while a guige strap allowed the knight to sling the shield over their back when traveling. As full plate armor became widespread in the later Middle Ages, handheld shields on the battlefield were largely rendered obsolete, though they remained highly popular for jousting and tournaments.