Armor said to belong to Manuel the Fortunate, King of Portugal (1496–1521) Front view

The armor's rich decoration depicts an armillary sphere, which is the emblematic symbol of Portuguese royalty; this, combined with the fact that the piece dates to the 16th century, explains why it is said to have belonged to Manuel the Fortunate (1469–1521). He was one of Portugal's most important sovereigns as his reign coincided with the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco de Gama, as well as the route to Brazil by Pedro Cabral. These discoveries led to the constitution of the vast Portuguese colonial empire, making this small country one of the richest and most powerful nations in the world. We can also make out episodes from the life of Saint Jean-Baptiste on the left cuisse, with the theme of Orpheus above them. In parallel, on the right cuisse, we can see the fires of Vulcan. This suit of armor demonstrates the assets of the Milanese weapon enhancements and more particularly the skill of Niccolo Silva, whose hallmark of a compass surrounded by the initials N and S is clearly visible at the reinforcement of the right pauldron. Finally, a complete decoration of foliage, piastres, trophies of arms, slits, and flutes can still be seen on the tassets, which are otherwise burnished.
Nevertheless, there is regrettable restoration work, which is unsuitable in places (gorget, left pauldron, loin guard, poleyns, right gauntlet), dating back to the 19th century, which alters the overall harmony of the set.