The ownership of this armor by Ferdinand I (1503–1564) is suggested by the heraldic emblems on the toe caps: the imperial double-headed eagle surmounted by a royal crown, which signifies Ferdinand's status as king of the Romans and designated successor to his brother, Emperor Charles V. The image of the Virgin and Child on the breastplate was also used by Charles V on his armors. The backplate is decorated with crossed staves and firesteels, the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece, of which Ferdinand was a member. Kunz Lochner, Nuremberg's most celebrated armorer of the period, made several armors for both Ferdinand and his son Archduke Maximilian (1527–1576), including two matching armors produced about 1546 that are similar to the one seen here.

The helmet was not originally made for the Museum's armor but has been associated with it since at least the early nineteenth century.

Open full-size and alternate view(s)