LafayetteCCurtis wrote:Hardened leather was used, but it was nt quite as common as padded/quilted cloth or even munitions-grade metallic armor. Armor-grade leather was expensive and rather hard to get before the advent of extensive ranching practices in the 16th or 17th century (probably the former) but doesn't give much more protection than the considerably cheaper cloth-based armors. In this sense, Hollywood is definitely guilty for using way too much leather and way too little cloth for armoring the people in their medieval scenes. Leather became a lot more popular during the Renaissance--perhaps because it also got a lot cheaper.
That only applies to sedentary agricultural Europe, however. In primarily pastoralist cattle-raising societies like those of the nomads on the Eurasian steppes, leather armor was much more prevalent than it was in medieval Europe.
Lafayette's excellent answer here points out one of the most difficult things I have personally found when trying to discuss details on Medieveal and Renaissance Europe. When and where exactly is one thinking?
The Middle Ages essentially lasted for 1000 years, stretching from the slow decline of the Western Roman Empire to the beginning of the Reanissance, and included everything from the Highlands in Scotland to Sicily, and everything in between. The Renaissance tags on a few extra hundred years to the equation. When you take in that much time with so many different people, the answer will invariably start with, "It depends..."
So anyway, the answer to your question is pretty much spot on what Lafayette said. I have nothing helpful to add to that, just wanted to point out the difficulty getting a clear answer when we wonder about things in the Medieval era.
Thank you.
Scott A. Richardson
Company of the Iron Gate
"Strike like Lightning, Fight like Thunder"
WAR EAGLE!!! 
