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Styrian Armoury > Discover > Collection > Defensive arms

Defensive arms

The defensive armour in the Armoury dates back to 1500 - 1685 and was commissioned by the Styrian estates from armourers and mail makers in Graz, Nuremberg and Augsburg. 

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There are around 3,844 items: helmets, suits of chain mail, armoured sleeves, shields and suits of armour. Amongst the most interesting exhibits is a horse armour made in the workshop of Conrad Seusenhofer in Innsbruck in c. 1510 and came to the Armoury in 1814 as a gift from Karl, Count of Stubenberg.

There are more elaborate officer’s armours of aristocrats as well as pieces used in tournament: a field armour made in the workshop of Conrad Richter in Augsburg which belonged to Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria, a fluted armour made in the workshop of Hans Maystetter in Innsbruck as well as the great garniture for tournament of Kaspar Baron of Völs-Schenkenberg which was made in the workshop of Michael Witz the Younger in Innsbruck.

Horse armour

Produced in the early 16th century, this suit of horse armour from the workshop of the Innsbruck armourerKonrad Seusenhofer is today one of the showpieces of the collection.

Field armour with reinforcement plates

The equestrian armour for heavy cavalry is a striking testimony to the craftsmanship of the armourers. Some of these were made by Hans Prenner (†1645), an armourer based in Graz.

Armour for a nobleman

Michael Witz the Younger, a master armorer, made this exquisite suit for an unrecorded important client in Innsbruck in 1550s. 

Footman's armour

Soldiers in the infantry did not wear complete suits of armour in battle but just a breast and backplate, a neck collar, leg tassets that were pushed up several times and an open burgonet.

Hungarian-style armour

Hussars were lightly equipped horsemen who wore a close-meshed mail shirt and plate armour. 

Harquebusier's armour

The ‘light’ cavalry were protected by a ‘Trabharnisch’, or harquebusier’s armour, that consisted of a breast- and backplate and which had no short tassets.

Great Garniture of Kaspar Baron of Völs-Schenkenberg

There around two dozen parts of a set of armour in the state armoury. This so-called large set was once produced for Kaspar Baron von Völs-Schenkenberg and for a tournament which took place at the Wiener Hof in 1560.

Field armour of Archduke Karl II of Inner Austria

This field armour was made around 1560 by the Augsburg armourer Conrad Richter, who was brought to Graz by the Styrian estates because of his excellent reputation. Charles II probably wore this equestrian armour in 1566 during his campaign against the Ottomans.

Fluted armour by Hans Maystetter

In the first decades of the 16th century, so-called fluted or Maximilian armour became common.

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