gambeson

armor

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

A gambeson was a medieval garment made of stuffed and quilted cloth or leather. Initially, it was worn under a hauberk (a suit of mail) to provide padding and absorb the shock of blows. Over time, the gambeson evolved and was also used as a standalone piece of defensive armor.1

During the 11th century, knights began wearing gambesons beneath their mail shirts for added protection and comfort. Ordinary soldiers often relied on the gambeson as their sole form of defense. It's possible that both the gambeson and the surcoat (a garment worn over armor) were adopted by Europeans from Muslim technology during the Crusades.2

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Knights began wearing the gambeson, a quilted garment of leather or canvas, beneath their mail for additional protection and to cushion the shock of blows. (Ordinary soldiers often wore a gambeson as their only protection.) Use of the surcoat, a light garment worn over the knight’s armour, became general…
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Knights began wearing the gambeson, a quilted garment of leather or canvas, beneath their mail for additional protection and to cushion the shock of blows. (Ordinary soldiers often wore a gambeson as their only protection.) Use of the surcoat, a light garment worn over the knight’s armour, became general…
Read More