A piece of medieval armor that protects the knee, consisting of plates that cover and shield the kneecap during combat.
From Old French 'genouillère,' derived from 'genou' (knee) and the suffix '-ère' (place or thing). The knee was a vulnerable point in armor, so specialized protection was designed for this joint.
Medieval knights needed special knee protection because their legs were constantly bent in the saddle—imagine riding a horse in 60 pounds of metal; your knees would be in trouble without genouilleres!
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