Armor came in many varieties. The Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller, and Teutonic Knights, for instance, wore chain mail, usually covered by cloaks. Its advantage was that it could resist slashing blows; its drawback was its high cost. It was made from countless interlocking iron rings and required far more labor than plate armor. Only the Knights Templar could afford it.
The most popular armor in the fifteenth century was Milan armor, a common type because it represented the finest of European armor. During the war between Florence and Siena in 1432, it had a slightly black appearance, which was actually the result of surface treatment applied to originally white armor. Joan of Arc later wore the same Milan armor, though hers was white.
Armorers generally used the same craftsmanship when making armor, so identifying one's commander required some mark of identity. A king's helmet often bore a crown, allowing everyone to recognize him from afar.
Other feudal lords also carried banners and other symbols that displayed their identities. Some, meanwhile, embellished their armor itself. Magnificent armor was both a symbol of status and wealth. Some had elaborate patterns engraved into their plate armor, while others wore shoulder clasps like the one on Georgiana's shoulder.
Many people had tattoos on their arms, but no matter what sort of tattoo it was, it could not be seen once armor covered it. This shoulder ornament probably served a similar purpose, except it was geometric in design. According to the customs of the Middle Ages, if a knight was stripped of his or her title, the weapons and armor they had used would be thrown into the mud and smashed.
Joan of Arc's armor had surely met the same fate. If Rouen Museum had offered something from Joan of Arc's era, Georgiana would not