15th century knee cops with roundelsPoleyns emerged around the second half of the 13th century and were the earliest type of plate armor added to a knights equipment. They were worn over chainmail chausses and provided an extra layer of protection for the vulnerable knees. For mounted knights, the legs were always a particularly exposed area. The development of poleyns coincided with the rise of the shorter heater or knights shield, which replaced the older kite shields that had