As a young man, Henry VIII (1491–1547) was an outstanding sportsman, known across Europe for his physical prowess and for his interest in the latest armour and weaponry. After a period of inactivity caused by a jousting accident, he resumed his sporting pursuits in the latter part of his reign, holding two tournaments in 1540. 

This armour may have been made for these events. It is a garniture – an armour with interchangeable pieces which make it adaptable for a number of different tournament activities. In this case, a grandguard, pasguard and manifer were supplied to provide extra protection to the king's left shoulder, arm and hand when participating in the tilt (joust). 

The armour provides a fascinating record of Henry VIII's changing weight and body shape. Made-to-measure, the cuirass (protecting the torso) had a considerable width of 50 inches, but was later extended by 2 inches on either side by the addition extra plate.