When we remember medieval knights, we don’t always think about how men dressed in steel armor went to the toilet. However, this question is quite interesting, and you will find the answer below.
Plate of a medieval knight
But if you move a little away from the romance and remember that the knights were ordinary people, then a completely ordinary question may arise: how did they relieve themselves while in armor.
Knight's armor with a metal codpiece
Usually squires dressed knights in armor, and this procedure took quite a lot of time. It happened that the weight of the metal uniform reached 50-60 kilograms, so no matter how much he wanted, the knight could not quickly undress and relieve himself. But to think that he walked directly “under himself” is not entirely correct (with the exception of prolonged battles in military battles).
Knight's "pants"
Because Since the knight most often remained on horseback, the lower part of his vestment was not clad in armor. There were no pants in the modern sense then. Stockings were worn over the underwear, which were tied with strings at the waist. In front there was a codpiece, which was a triangle made of fabric, more like a bag. Therefore, if a knight needed it for minor needs, then it was not at all necessary to take off everything.
Knight's armor with armor at the causal place
Knight armour
Over time, the codpiece also began to be covered with metal, which served not only a practical, but also an aesthetic function. Often the dimensions of the metal plate were much larger than necessary. In this way, everyone could flaunt their “male strength.”
The medieval knight had all parts of his body clad in armor
