In the early middle ages a shield was the best thing a knight would have to protect himself. A shield was made from wood, leather, or metal. The most common shield used was the kite shield. The kite shield was round at the top and pointly at the bottom, it is shaped like a up side down rain drop! There were many other types of shields some were: The heater shield, The bukler shield, The pavise or wall shield, and the targe or target shield. The heater shield was used by knights that were jousting. The bukler shield was a small round shield that could be hung on our belt. The pavise or wall shield was used by crossbow men so that they could reload without getting shot in the process. The targe or target shield was the traditional Scottish round shield that the scottish would use in the middle ages. When plate mail was used to completely cover the knight from head to toe shields were not being use because it was not needed and it was just extra wight.http://www.furor-normannicus.de/images/galerie/shield-viking.jpg
Here is a link to making your own battle shield, it is a little different than the one I made but the idea is the same. http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-foam-boffer-shield-larping-214185/
