††††By the 11th century chain mail had appeared, a form of armour which could either cover the entire body or the torso (like a coat). It restricted movement (it weighed up to 23 kg) and was favoured by knights who fought from horseback. It also had the disadvantage of splitting under blows from very heavy weapons.
The development of solid suits of armour (made from plates of steel) was partly a response to the weaknesses of chain mail. However, these were even heavier, weighing up to 27 kg.
Modern armour, used by the army, police and security guards, is light and often made of nylon and fibreglass and worn beneath their clothing.
