Becoming A Knight Essay

How to Become a Knight at Medieval Times
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
“Knight’s weapons consisted of a two-handed sword, bow and arrows, crossbow, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance. Knight’s armor consisted of a hides, leather, and bone, progressing to bronze, steel, ballistic cloth, ceramics, and depleted uranium. Armor has been primarily a way to protect oneself from harm in combat and military engagements.”
(Hopkins, Knights) Their duty was to guard their lord’s castle/manor and support them during times of war. To improve their skills as knights they would enter tournaments to practice jo...

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...ons to becoming a knight was rather harsh, because (Gies, The Knight in History) during times of wars they were going to be stressed. As a result they received extra training to survive high as well as low temperatures. Sometimes they wouldn’t be fed because they didn’t fulfill their task, and other times it was for training.” To be a more successful knight, the knight now served his liege lord; they work more offer military service up to forty days in a year in peace time, however if they are needed in times of war when different manors go to war then they can be called in to work those days as well. Military duties included castle guard, serving in the lord's "bodyguard", and participating in battle if needed. Thus to be a successful knight they must follow these steps described in this text and follow up by continuing to follow the code of chivalry until death.