Armor Type:  Thigh armor

Brief Description:  Tassets are articulated steel or leather plates worn to protect the upper thighs and groin. Suspended from a cuirass's lower edge, a waist fauld, or a dedicated belt, they seamlessly bridge the gap between the torso and leg armor.

Tassets generally feature one of two classic designs:

Single-Plate Tassets: Simple, rigid metal shields that hang down over the hips, typically found in late-14th to 15th-century Gothic styles.

Segmented Tassets: Multiple overlapping horizontal steel plates (lames) held together by sliding rivets. This design, popular in 16th-century pikeman armor, provides excellent protection while bending and walking.

While they occasionally wrapped entirely around the leg, tassets were mostly designed as front-facing panels. This arrangement allowed knights to comfortably mount a horse.