Reinforced Half-Armour of Henry IV
2023 © Maxim Tabachnik
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Reinforced Half-Armour of Henry IV

721
This reinforced half-armour (c. 1600) features fleur-de-lis and a backplate pierced by a projectile, possibly alluding to an assassination attempt. Its bold, practical form reflects the martial life of Henry IV, King of France. Crafted by a master active in Spanish courts, the set fuses French royal symbolism with European military innovation of the early 17th c.