European Armour in the Royal Collection
An introduction to European armour in the Royal Collection.
Round buckler
second half of the sixteenth centuryRCIN 72865
This shield incorporates a trap for the blade of an opponent's weapon. In the sixteenth century, the use of the point in sword-fighting had become more common, prompting updates to the design of the small round shields used in the Middle Ages. This example features two rings of metal and a central hook to catch and break the point of an adversary's sword.