Armour of Piet Heyn before 1629

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This is the breastplate of the Armour of Piet Heyn, a Dutch admiral who captured the Spanish treasure fleet in 1628. The armour dates from before 1629 and is composed of a breastplate and tassets, a type of armour covering the thighs. The breastplate is composed of a single, solid piece of steel that protects the chest and shoulders. The tassets are made of multiple, overlapping plates that protect the thighs and hips. This armour, now in the Rijksmuseum, is a testament to the skills of the Dutch armourers and the importance of warfare in the early 17th century.

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rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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According to tradition, Piet Heyn was wearing this armour in battle when he intercepted Ostend privateers in 1629. During the battle he was fatally injured in the shoulder. After his death, his armour and commander’s baton were placed above his tomb. There is no evidence of the fatal shoulder wound on the armour, although the cuirass does bear the traces of two repaired bullet holes.