King Henry VIII’s Field Suit of Armor (c. 1544)
King Henry VIII, known for his disastrous marriages and his religious reforms, was also the leader of a powerful army. He was known to accompany his soldiers on the battlefield in a display of might. This suit of armor was crafted for him in 1544, three years before his death, during his military campaign in Boulogne. The armor is suited for use both on horseback and for walking and has a detachable breastplate.
The postmortem inventory of Henry VIII’s personal items includes this suit, claiming it is “of italion makinge.” The decoration on the suit confirms this, the artwork is typical of Italian forms. The suit allowed Henry, suffering from numerous physical ailments, movement. The breastplate and backplate are made of smaller, horizontal, overlapping plates held together by leather straps and rivets on the inside. Although Henry was in decline, the suit gave him the impression of a still-mighty King.
