The Elizabethan court was a vibrant and colourful place, where the inherited traditions and technological skill that had characterised the Middle Ages came face to face with the decorative techniques of the Renaissance. The book includes fascinating background about the court, government and armies of the age (including the main protagonists of the Spanish Armada) together with information about the individual owners of many pieces. It features beautiful photographs of key objects from the Royal Armouries' collection including the Lion Armour, the 'Forget-me-not' Gun and the Burgonet of Smyth armour.