Medieval knights needed to protect themselves in battle. Their armour also defined ones social class. During the Middle Ages, only the wealthy knights could afford armor, and the more wealthy they were, the better the armour would be. One of the first metal armours used by the medieval knights was chain link. Chain mail is an type of armour made from linking chains together. Each ring had to be riveted to keep them opening under the weight of the piece, because their steel was not very strong. Under the armor a knight were a padded clothing known as a aketon or gambson. also to protect a knight, they had a helmet and shield. As more powerful weapons became developed, chain mail became obsolete.
Close up view of chain mail showing rivets on each ring
During the 1200s and 1300s, plate-armour was added to the suit, first as protection for areas such as the chest or shoulders, but then used on the full suit during the early 1400s. When you think of a knight in armour, this is the fully plate-armoured knight. After that, chain mail was used to joints to allow movement. Shields became smaller, and eventually disappeared
Once gunpowder weapons were invented (1400s-1500s) not even plate armour could protect the knight, and it gradually became less used.