Name Kunz Lochner | Died 1567 | |
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Kunz (Konrad) Lochner (1510–1567) was an eminent master plate armourer from Nuremberg, Germany. He was the son of an armourer with the same name, and his two brothers Heinrich and Hans were also blacksmiths. In 1543, Lochner started working for the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, and the following year he began his service at the future Maximilian II's court. Lochner's workshop produced some of the most magnificent plate armours made during the 16th-century renaissance period for mounted warfare, tourney and ceremonial occasions. Lochner's patrons included royalty and nobility from all over Europe. Armour bearing Lochner's hallmark, can be found preserved in museums such as the Swedish Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Parade Armour for man and horse
The armour is made in 1550 for Sigismund II Augustus of Poland. He was the last king of the old Jagiellonian dynasty. In his wills he divided his legacy between his sisters. One of them was Catherine Jagiellon, queen of Sweden, married to John III of Sweden. Since Poland didn't have a given heir to the throne, John III wanted his son Sigismund to be the next successor. In the complicated process of choosing a new king, Catherine's sister Anna sent this armour to calm John III concerning the heritage and to ensure herself of support from Sweden. The armour remains of a full plate armour and a horse armour.