arm es , ▁le ather ▁stra ps ▁used ▁to ▁g rip ▁the ▁shield ▁tight ▁to ▁the ▁arm . ▁U sed ▁by ▁foot ▁and ▁mounted ▁troops ▁al ike , ▁it ▁gradually ▁came ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁round ▁shield ▁as ▁the ▁common ▁choice ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁when ▁more ▁efficient ▁lim b ▁arm our ▁allowed ▁the ▁shield s ▁to ▁grow ▁shorter , ▁and ▁be ▁entirely ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁ ▁As ▁body ▁arm our ▁improved , ▁kn ight ' s ▁shield s ▁became ▁smaller , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁familiar ▁he ater ▁shield ▁style . ▁Both ▁k ite ▁and ▁he ater ▁style ▁shield s ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁several ▁layers ▁of ▁l amin ated ▁wood , ▁with ▁a ▁gentle ▁curve ▁in ▁cross ▁section . ▁The ▁he ater ▁style ▁inspired ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁symbol ic ▁her ald ic ▁shield ▁that ▁is ▁still ▁used ▁today . ▁Event ually , ▁special ised ▁shapes ▁were ▁developed ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁bou che , ▁which ▁had ▁a ▁lance ▁rest ▁cut ▁into ▁the ▁upper ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁lance ▁side , ▁to ▁help ▁guide ▁it ▁in ▁combat ▁or ▁tournament . ▁Free ▁standing ▁shield s ▁called ▁pav ises , ▁which ▁were ▁pro pped ▁up ▁on ▁stands , ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁medieval ▁cross bow men ▁who ▁needed ▁protection ▁while ▁re loading . ▁ ▁In ▁time , ▁some ▁arm oured ▁foot ▁kn ights ▁gave ▁up ▁shield s ▁entirely ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁mob ility ▁and ▁two - hand ed ▁weapons . ▁Other ▁kn ights ▁and ▁common ▁soldiers