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Knight in Shining Armor

WLRN 91.3 FM | By Mia Laurenzo
Published September 26, 2018 at 12:09 AM EDT

Sunday 10pm  NOVA: SECRETS OF THE SHINING KNIGHT - Documentary - Discover the world of medieval knights and see how their armor was made.https://youtu.be/fK0vNDhDEPEA knight in shining armor may sound like a character out of a storybook, but once upon a time, knighthood was serious business, and for countless medieval fighters, their armor was what stood between life and death. But what was it really like to live beneath the metal? How was that shining armor crafted, and how strong was it? Could it withstand impacts from the most lethal weapons of the day, including crossbows, muskets, and early guns? 

Blacksmith Richard Furrer creates the steel that will eventually become a replica of an armor made at Henry VIII's Royal Armoury at Greenwich - arguably the finest suits ever made.
Credit WGBH
Blacksmith Richard Furrer creates the steel that will eventually become a replica of an armor made at Henry VIII's Royal Armoury at Greenwich - arguably the finest suits ever made.

NOVA challenged blacksmith Ric Furrer and master armorer Jeff Wasson to recreate parts of an elite armor that was originally manufactured in the Royal Workshop founded by King Henry VIII. We trace their successes and setbacks from start to finish as they rediscover centuries-old metalworking secrets, then put their new armor to the ultimate test against a period musket. 

Armorer Jeff Wasson and Associate Curator of Arms and Armor Jonathan Tavares examine a 16th century armor at the Art Institute of Chicago.
WGBH /
Armorer Jeff Wasson and Associate Curator of Arms and Armor Jonathan Tavares examine a 16th century armor at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Copyright 2018 WLRN 91.3 FM
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Mia Laurenzo
Mia Laurenzo is a 30-year veteran of public television in Miami. She began her career learning every aspect of video production. Currently she is a writer, producer, on-air host and promotions coordinator for TV, radio and the web. Her experiences include producing for a series, special events and historical documentaries. As a native Floridian, she is a perfect fit for South Florida's Storyteller Station, WLRN. She has produced award winning, nationally distributed documentaries like Journey to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade where one year she followed a high school band and a clown as they prepared for the big day and the next year, she had the privilege of being a clown herself. Previously, she produced Weird Florida: On the Road Again, a sequel to the highly successful show Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled, where the cast and crew travel over 1,500 miles searching the Sunshine State’s weirdest and wackiest places. On a more serious note and what she considers to be her most important work, she produced Out of Darkness, Into Light, a documentary on child sexual abuse,which delved into the lives of three adult survivors, a show in which she was awarded her first of two Emmys.
See stories by Mia Laurenzo