Armor Type:  Armpit protection

Brief Description:  A besagew (also spelled besague) is a small, circular or curved metal plate designed to protect the armpit. Worn during the late medieval period, it covered the vulnerable gap between the breastplate and the shoulder armor, shielding vital axillary arteries without compromising a knight's arm mobility. Besagews were heavily utilized in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly as a pair attached to a knight's shoulder defenses.

Key features and functions include:

Placement & Shape: Positioned directly over the armpit, they were typically round rondels but also appeared in octagonal, crescent, or elongated kidney shapes. Many featured a prominent central spike, fluting, or ridges.

Attachment: They were usually laced directly to the underlying chainmail (hauberk), buckled to the shoulder plates, or tied via leather cords so they would hover directly in front of the arming garment.

Tactical Purpose: During close-quarters combat or jousting, they prevented deadly thrusts to the exposed underarm. In jousting, they also helped stabilize the lance and deflect lance strikes away from the shoulder.