The term “knight” comes from the Algo-Saxon term “cniht”; which means boy. They get this name because they are trained from a young age. Knights are highly trained soldiers who swear loyalty to a certain lord in exchange for land and power. Knighthood flourished in a time before guns and gunpowder, when battles where still won by hand-to-hand combat between heavily armored cavalrymen. Many high-powered lords were also knights, the title given to them by the king. A knight was often a vassal himself; he was given land by a higher ranking person in exchange for his support in battles.
The earliest knights where not more than a contracted soldier. After the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe, Europe was in chaos. Wealthy lords would try
…show more content…
As the middle ages went on, the lords began to give land to the knights to pay for their loyalty and to give them income other than from war. Knight began to treat this land, and thus, their position as hereditary, and soon knights became a part of the upper class in the middle ages. Knights soon found themselves part of local politics, justice, and the upper class society of the Middle Ages. By the end of the middle ages, knights where a very powerful social class; not just free-lance soldiers.
To become a knight, a young boy would leave his home at seven years of age to commence his education at the home or castle of a noble as a page. They would act as a servant to a lord and lady. The page would also receive an education in manners, religion, riding, hunting, and strategy. When a boy reaches fourteen, they will become a squire. A squire would pledge service to knight and then would be taught courtly etiquette, jousting, music and dancing. In time of war Squires accompanied Knights on the battlefield, leading and tending the horses and dressing them in the Medieval Knights Armor. They often came under fire and many squires were killed doing their duty. Usually by the time a
…show more content…
Some of the most famous literature about knights is the romantic stories about King Arthur and the round table; filled with the best knights in the land. One of the best knights in the round table was Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew. In the story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain proves himself as the perfect knight. He manages to be polite to women, never reject a challenge, and be pious. I believe that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was more than just a romantic tale of a perfect knight. I believe that Sir Gawain is supposed to serve as a role model for knights to strive
Others were more like slaves. They owned nothing and were pledged to their local lord. They worked long days, 6 days a week, and often barely had enough food to survive”(“Middle Ages History”). Knights were above the peasants and they were given land granted by the barons in exchange for their military services if the king needed it. They were responsible for protecting the baron who granted them land as well as the baron’s family and the manor they lived at. The knights were able to keep any amount of land they were given, and they gave out the rest to the serfs. The lord, or baron, was above the knight in the social class divide. They were given land by the king and in return they showed loyalty to the monarch. They provided the king with fully equipped knights if the king needed some to serve. If the baron “did not have an army, sometimes they would pay the king a tax instead. This tax was called shield money”(“Middle Ages History”). The king was at the top of the feudal system and held the most power and wealth. The king could not maintain control over all the land in England so he divided the land up to the barons which eventually
Before knights were created, the defense on the borders were low. Europe was being invaded from the north, east, south, and west. Knights were meant to protect their king and their land. The “invasions of the Magyars from the east, Muslims from the south, and Vikings from the north
Life during the Middle Ages was full of social change, division, and classism. This feudal society of Britain was divided into three estates. (social classes) Within the second estate was the the knight who was a soldier for the king who fought in many battles. Even though the knight is expected to have the strength and the skills to fight in battle, all knights during the Medieval period additionally had a chivalrous aspect to them. Chivalry was the honor code of a knight which included bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women. Within the stories of the “Wife of Bath’s Tale” and “Le Morte d’Arthur”, the code of chivalry was broken by knights which show the corruption of England’s feudal society.
KNIGHT At age seven a son of a noble family was sent to a nobleman or lord, often who was a relative. Here he was a page and taught how to ride a horse, and his manners. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a knight. As the squire to the knight he would take care of his horse, help him put the knights armor on and keep it clean. In turn he was taught how to use a bow, carve meat, and other knightly skills. The squire would have to go into battle with the knight to help him when he was wounded or unhorsed. If the squire was successful he would be knighted at the age of 21. When there wasn't a war going on knight would have to practice, practice, and practice some more. They would wrestle, fight with blunt swords, do acrobatics, and also do sports like javelin and putting which is throwing a heavy stone as far as you can.
In medieval times, the first-born son of a landowner is entitled to his father's estate, while other sons and daughters are not given anything. Knights are usually not the first-born son, and thusly do not receive any grants of land from their father. If a landowner only has a daughter, she becomes an heiress, and inherits her fathers land but has to find a husband to take over this land. A knight's dream is to marry a wealthy heiress, and become a landown...
Knights were an integral part of medieval society. They originally began with primitive warriors such as the Mongols who fought on horseback for added speed and power, but quickly advanced to chivalrous gentleman such as the Normans. Much has been written about medieval knights with the most famous being a series of legends about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Arthur and his knights were the ultimate example of what a perfect knight should have been. They were brave and skilful in battle, but merciful to their enemies once vanquished. They were courteous to ladies, and never ate or drank to excess.
According to document C-2 written by PBs, “ By the age of seven or eight the boy would be sent to serve as a page...There he would run errands...and practice with blunted or wooden swords. He would also refine his horse riding skills and learn more about religion.” It was good that knights learned at a young age to battle on horse, and foot, and to be honorable to the code of chivalry. It was also stated in document C-2 that the knights not only learned loyalty, but they learned at a young age to be disciplined and to show bravery. This would have been helpful because they would be fearless at battle and have confidence against any contender. Although there were many other contributing factors, the training warriors received determined the outcome of most
people to base there values and way of life on. During the 1400's knighthood was coming
In 1118 Hugues de Payan and eight fellow knights went to Jerusalem and offered their services to the king, Baldwin 1. King Baldwin offered housing to the knights at the former mosque al-Aqsa, which was located on the site of King Solomon's great temple. The order received its name from this fact. Templars ...
Though the Knights of the Round Table are courageous romantics, the journey to becoming a real knight is not so. A long and prestigious process had to be completed before a boy could become a knight. Children knew that a noble boy must pass through long years of training before ever becoming a knight. The training began usually around the age of seven. Noble fathers often did not raise their own children. Instead the child was sent off for his education and training to the castle of some lord of higher rank or greater reputation, sometimes to the court of a king. It was not always the Father’s choice to send away his son, however. The higher ranking lor...
The term knight is often connected to the image of armored men in an epic tale, where they go on journeys to fight foul creatures to save the day. However, a knight is much more than a warrior. In the Middle Ages, knights were noblemen who served their kings, in time of combat, after undergoing intense training that helped them reach their social and military rank. Bound to chivalry conduct, they were commonly characterized as loyal, humble, and righteous. “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer tells the story about a young knight, searching for what women desire the most as his punishment after the wicked offense he has committed. Although the knight was indecent, one can infer that the knight was able to gain an understanding throughout the course of the story.
He also was prideful and used his knighthood to impress others “And had done valiantly in little space / Of time, in hope to win his lady’s grace.” (89-90). He wore flashy clothing and had curly locks “With locks as curly as if they had been pressed. / … / He was embroidered like a meadow bright / And full of the freshest flowers, red and white (83, 91-92).” The Squire can be compared to The Knight by his connections, battles, sin or virtue, and
The Medieval period was a time of noblemen who fought for love, honor, and country under a code of chivalry. "Chivalry comes from the French word cheval, chivalry means someone who fights from horseback. The term also meant "knighthood".(Matthews, Platt, Thomas p.234-235)." In this period the nobility used war as a way to show their power and hold their status by being professional soldiers. There were also lots of soldiers from the lower classes who were led into battle under nobles. These soldiers fought for the nobleman to maintain their safety and land. The soldiers rode into battle on their horses in full armor with weapons drawn ready to defeat their enemies one by one. They laid siege castles for weeks and months at a time until the battle was won.
In Medieval Times knights are the protectors. The knights fight for, and obey the king. And for that reason Knight’s are in high rankings in the class system, compared to the peasants and merchants. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, people are going on the pilgrimage to Canterbury for Salvation. The knight is Chaucer’s ideal of a night should be. The knight is a highly principled killer who travels the world and fights for what he believes in with unequivocal bravery and valor.
Do you remember as a kid you dressing up as a knight, imagining saving someone from a castle from a dragon? Haven’t you always been fascinated by the image of the "Knight in shining armor?" Who hasn't wondered what it was really like to live the life of a knight? Sadly real knights from the Middle Ages aren’t about rescuing people from dragons. This guide will teach you all about how to be a successful knight in European history, the Middle Ages, or Medieval period, lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. It began with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and merged into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. A knight was a male warrior during Medieval Times that served a lord under the code of chivalry, much like samurai with their code of bushido. This code made knights follow a set a rules, and described qualities they should possess. (Hopkins, Knights) For example he is to be fearless and valiant while having qualities such as being loyal, generous, and polite. Women couldn’t become knights because the only purpose they had at that time was: to marry well, be loyal to their husband, and to have sons. (Edge, Arms & Armor of the Medieval Knight) stated that