The first knights did not wear any armor to protect the hand. They depended on their shields and swords to protect their hand. In the eleventh century, knights began to defend their hands by extending the sleeves of the mail armor. This method was very popular for about 150 years.
    Towards the end of the thirteenth century, the knights started to wear a seperate glove made of leather called Gauntlet. Soon the Gaunt was made stronger by making it out of tough whale bone or metal. By 1350 most of the knights wore gauntlets with steel plates on outside. By 1430 gauntlets were made of steel and most of the knights wore them.

\