Medieval Suits of Armor

Medieval suits of armor, the transition from chain mail armor to plate armor seems to have taken place in the 13th century. The elements of plate armor were emerging as early as the 12th century but did not become primarily dominant until a century later. Some plated armor did not evolve until the late 14th and 15th centuries. Although plate armors popularity and effectiveness far outweighed chain mail, it was still used in some cases as long as armor was used.