Armor of Maximilian I at the Met Museum

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File this under "fancy gifts from grandpa I never use" 🥴 ️ ⁣ ⁣⁣ In 1512 Maximilian I ordered this astonishing armor to be made as a gift for his 12-year-old grandson Charles V. Alas, the suit took years to create, and it's likely Charles outgrew it by the time it was complete. ⁣ ⁣⁣ Reflecting the high status of its wearer, the suit is adorned with gilded silver bands fretted with the X-shaped cross of Saint Andrew and the badges of the Order of the Golden Fleece, of which Charles had just become the sovereign. 👑 ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ You have just ☝️ month left to see this and more in "The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I,” closing January 5, 2020. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⚔️ Conrad Seusenhofer (Austrian, died 1517). Ceremonial Armor of Charles V, ca. 1512–14. Steel, silver, gold, copper alloy, textile, leather. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Imperial Armoury. On view in Gallery 899. #TheMet #MetLastKnight @metarmsandarmor

A post shared by The Met (@metmuseum) on Dec 5, 2019 at 8:24am PST

The German armor of Maximilian I is particularly breathtaking for a couple of reasons including 1 - The armor is made of luxurious materials including real gold and features incredible detail and 2 - it was made for a 12-year-old! He would eventually outgrow this armor but for this type of armor to be made for a 12-year-old just goes to show you how wealthy and powerful the Emperor really was at the time.