lawrence knight tabard bitone whiteThe tradition of wearing a surcoat over armor began during the Crusades. Surcoats helped prevent overheating by shielding the armor from direct sunlight. They also provided ideal protection for the hauberk and later helped protect plate armor from corrosion and rust. This surcoat features a split, allowing a knight to use it more easily for cavalry purposes. From the late 12th century, knights primarily wore long tabards. By the mid 13th century,