A gauntlet is a variety of glove, particularly one having been constructed of hardened leather or metal plates which protected the hand and wrist of a combatant in Europe between the early fourteenth century and the Early Modern period.

What were gauntlets used for?

What were gauntlets used for? Historically, leather gauntlets were used by knights and soldiers to protect their hands and arms from injury during battle.

How were medieval gauntlets made?

Some of these early separate gauntlets were made of mail but many are made of leather with metal pieces attached. ... Like other parts of the coat of plate armor, the metallic plates used on gauntlets were riveted to leather. At first, the lames were cut in strips to cover all the fingers, like a mitten made with plate.