Arms and Armour - (Page 2 of 4)

Central to conflict is the necessity to protect your body in battle and to have appropriate weapons with which to defend yourself and attack the enemy. Here you can see two armours made for men from two different cultures. The armour of Lord Buckhurst was made in c.1587 at a time when the Spanish Armada was approaching Queen Elizabeth I's England, while the Rajput armour (called Chilta Hazar Masha. 'Coat of a thousand nails') was made around 1800 for an Indian warrior. These armours were made to be used, they both conform to local styles and traditions and are constructed of material reflective of the type of warfare and even local climate. For example, fabric armour was very popular in India because metal became very hot under the Indian sun.

However, a good armour could not only provide protection but offer an opportunity to show one's status. Lord Buckhurst's is decorated with gold and follows the shape of the latest Tudor fashions. The Rajput warriors were legendary on the battlefield and this armour was expensive and decorative, as its studded pattern suggests.