ailette

armor

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

An ailette was a piece of armor, typically made of forged iron or steel, worn over a coat of mail to protect the shoulder. These shoulder defenses were a brief feature in the development of plate armor, appearing between approximately 1290 and 1325. They were eventually replaced by more integrated jointed plate defenses that covered the gap between the breastplate and upper-arm armor. The term "ailette" comes from the Old French word for "small wing".12

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military technology
Plate
…the extremities; square plates called ailettes, which protected the shoulder, made a brief appearance between about 1290 and 1325 before giving way to jointed plate defenses that covered the gap between breastplate and upper-arm defenses. Helmets with hinged visors appeared about 1300, and by mid-century armourers were constructing closed, visored…
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…the extremities; square plates called ailettes, which protected the shoulder, made a brief appearance between about 1290 and 1325 before giving way to jointed plate defenses that covered the gap between breastplate and upper-arm defenses. Helmets with hinged visors appeared about 1300, and by mid-century armourers were constructing closed, visored…
Read More