Description

This armor was made for ten-year-old Andreas of Austria, the son of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595) of the Habsburg dynasty. The Habsburg dynasty was prominent among European aristocracy for being enthusiasts of tournaments and patrons of fine armor, including small armors for young sons, which allowed these sons to familiarize themselves with such equipment at an early age. As necessity for knights declined with the advancement of firearms, training youths in armor became less necessary. As a result, arms and armor for the young increasingly became merely extravagant symbols of social status.