By the end of the fifteenth and the beginning of the sixteenth century, armourers’ workshops had proliferated throughout Europe; Germany and Italy were no longer the only centres of manufacture. European rulers took into their service Italian and German armourers, who brought with them the latest technological and stylistic innovations. Among the best known of the new centres were London (Greenwich), Ipswich and Southwark in England; Paris, Tours, Lyons, Bordeaux and Valenciennes in France; Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent and Tournai in Flanders, and Seville, Burgos and Calatayud in Spain.

The first three decades of the sixteenth century saw the widespread use of armour with radially disposed grooves (flutings or crestings); this was called ‘Maximilian’ armour, but the name was sometimes taken to mean any armour of the period, thus blurring distinctions. In any case, there is no evidence that Emperor Maximilian I (1493-1519) was responsible for its creation or use, although he did take a practical interest in the production of armour (he founded the court workshop at Innsbruck in 1504) and the intricate engravings of Burgkmair of Treitzsaurwein.

It seems beyond doubt that the armour was created by fusion of the German and Italian styles, but it is not clear whether the intention was to strengthen the plates or to follow fashion. The fluting probably had its roots in the ‘rippled’ surface style of gothic armour. By about 1510, this had developed into real fluting, which sometimes covered the whole suit. Fluted armour seems to have gone out of fashion in Italy by about 1520, but remained in use in Germany until the next decade. Smooth-surface armour, however, was as popular during Maximilian’s reign as the fluted variant; indeed, outside Germany, it was the most universal.

Armour of the beginning of the sixteenth century used larger plates to cover the joints of the limbs, which had been the weak point of the gothic style; and the helmet no longer rested on the head but on the shoulders. The beginning of that century also brought about an important innovation: pieces of exchange or double pieces. These were bits of armour which reinforced the original construction, or which could be exchanged to alter the original shape for various purposes.

Shortly after the turn of the century, large bards became fashionable throughout Europe, and remained in vogue until the mid-century. Horse armour was decorated too, of course, and its decoration clung closely to patterns used for the knights’ armour. In Germany, special helmets for horses taking part in jousts and tournaments were produced: they had no visors, so the horses effectively ran blind. This innovation was probably intended to prevent the horses from turning away from each other.