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Medieval society and knights in Europe
Everything about knights in the middle ages
Everything about knights in the middle ages
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Recommended: Medieval society and knights in Europe
Have you ever wonder what happens in the knights daily life? The medieval knights are brave, strong soldiers who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldiers in armor. During the Middle Ages the knights had jobs to do for example protecting the king from danger or fighting in a battle. “It was the duty of a Medieval Knight to learn how to fight and so serve their liege Lord according to the Code of Chivalry”(Medieval Knights). During the Medieval Ages the medieval knights were tough opponents to fight because of the armor they wear. The armor was made of iron that cover the entire body, which made the person harder to move and fight. Also the medieval knights had weaponry in order to fight. The medieval knight train to master their weapons. …show more content…
The medieval knights used swords, warhammer or a bow. The medieval knight have their own style of weapons and combat when fighting with weapons or not. These weapons are very different and used differently in a battle. For example the bow are used for long ranges. These people who uses bow are called “marksmen”, marksmen was necessary because the marksmen were to provide support from a distance in a battle. Another example is the warhammer, the medieval knight who used the warhammer had to be strong to carry this weapon. The purpose of the warhammer was to bash the opponent and armor to cause damage to the opponents. This weapon was based on strength and accuracy in hitting. The medieval knights used these weapons to fight or support each others during …show more content…
The job of a knights was to defend their sovereign or lord with their lives. They devoted their lives to serve, protect and fight for their sovereign and lord. This was a very dangerous job to do during the Medieval Ages. However, before becoming a full-fledged children left their homes to train very hard to become a knight when their older. “At about age 7, the sons were taken to a different castle to be trained as a page. They spent their time becoming strong, riding horses and mastering the use of weapons”(Medieval Knights). This was a very difficult child to leave their homes for years and train to become full-fledged
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
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
Long distance weapons were essential to European combat. The main long distance weapons used by Europeans during that time were the longbow and the crossbow. Each form of weaponry had its unique advantages and their pejorative. The long bow (shown in figure 1) was the original form of distance weapons. The term ‘bow’ means to be made from wood, iron or steel. The Welsh, who inhabited England, were the first people to use longbows. Longbows were 6-7 feet long and had a range of 250 yards, and still had the ability to pierce a knight’s armor (Byam 12). A well trained archer could shot 10- 12 arrows in a single minute. Despite these pro’s the longbow had a lot of disadvantages as well. One draw back was only skilled archers, who were costly to train, could use a longbow. Another disadvantage was it didn’t have a ready loaded arrow (Edge 34). The crossbow (shown in figure 2) on the other had been emphatically different. The crossbow had a span of 2-3 feet and could kill a knight on horseback with one shot, because of good aim (Byam 30). Crossbows had ready loaded projectiles, while the longbow didn’t and the crossbow could be used by anyone since it didn’t require any skill. The crossbow did have a down side though, it had slow reloaded because of a crank and it was expensive. Crossbows were also used for other thi...
This is a brief paragraph or two on each of the major siege weapons. For the not just the besiegers but also the defenders. Please note most of these weapons were not used alone and often had many different versions of the same weapon.
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.
In medieval Europe there were many different weapons and types of fighting. It depended on the time period they fought in. “A soldier's choice of armor depended on the time during which he lived, the type of fighting he did and his economic situation” (Blackwell 1). Some types of fighting were hand-to-hand, which were swords, axes, and many more. Another type would be projectiles, like crossbows, javelins. The last one would be firearms which guns and others. “Many medieval soldiers wore armor to protect themselves from the weapons of their enemies” (Blackwell 2). Siege weapons such as catapults helped armies break into castles and towns. Most soldiers carried some blades in addition to their swords. “A dagger had a hilt like sword and a double-edged blade that was typically between 6 and 12 inches long” (Blackwell 1). Medieval soldiers used many weapons for hand-to-hand combat. All knights carried a sword with them and were expected to be skilled at swordplay. If you could afford swords then there was always something cheaper like the Quarterstaffs, which are long...
...ription and explanation of the purposes a broad range of weapons, armour, vessels, fortifications and machines had on the evolution of medieval society and military technology.
During the Medieval Times, knights hold high status and are seen as sovereign, yet their actions are contradicting. Knights stand for loyalty, justice, and chivalry; however, most are liars, cheaters, and foolish. Throughout medieval literature, authors create characters that contain both attributes and utilize literary elements to highlight this medieval crisis. Many Knights maintain a loyal and noble character because chivalry outlasts hypocrisy.
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.
In the Medieval Period, knights dedicated their lives to following the code of chivalry. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a number of characters performed chivalrous acts to achieve the status of an ideal knight. Their characteristics of respect for women and courtesy for all, helpfulness to the weak, honor, and skill in battle made the characters King Arthur, King Pellinore, and Sir Gryfflette examples of a what knights strove to be like in Medieval society. Because of the examples ofchivalry, Le Morte d’Arthur showed what a knight desired to be, so he could improve theworld in which he lived.
The medieval times were filled with many events that have helped to shape our society today such as the rise of the bubonic plague, the birth of feudalism, the growth of the Catholic Church, and among these is the beginning tales of mythical monsters. The stories of mythical monsters were spurred by the imagination of men who saw an unusual creature or something unexplainable. A world renown German physicist by the name of Albert Einstein claimed, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” (brainyquote.com) Mythical creatures were founded by the creativity of very bright individuals who wanted to entertain people by telling elaborate stories that contained a strong antagonist. Mythical creatures also allowed society to have heroes because with every evil monster there must be a savior to slay the hideous beast. Although many different monsters have been mentioned the Dragon, the Kraken, the Basilisk, and the Griffin were among some of the most popular and well known creatures.
Knights and Chivalry Chivalry was a system of ethical ideals developed among the knights of medieval Europe. Arising out of the feudalism of the period, it combined military virtues with those of Christianity, as epitomized by Arthurian legend in England and the chansons de geste of medieval France. The word chivalry is derived from the French chevalier, meaning horseman or knight. Chivalry was the code of conduct by which knights were supposedly guided. In addition to military prowess and valor and loyalty to God and the knight's feudal lord, it called for courtesy toward enemies and generosity toward the sick and oppressed, widows, and other disadvantaged people.
Medieval soldiers used a variety of weapons for hand-to-hand combat. All knights carried swords with them, and the best soldiers were expected to be skilled at swordplay. A sword consisted of a long blade and a handle called a hilt. Hilts could be made to accommodate one or two hands. Basic hilts were topped with a crosspiece that kept an opponent's sword from sliding down the blade and striking the soldier's hands. Some later swords had more elaborate hand guards. At the end of the hilt was a lump of metal called a pommel, which served as a counterweight to the blade. Sword blades could have one or two cutting edges, and the blades could be curved or straight, depending on how they were meant to be used. Most swords had a sharp point at the end to allow stabbing thrusts. Sword blade lengths varied greatly. The Vikings in the 800s used a sword that was about 3 feet long with a hilt that was usually held in one hand. Blades grew slightly longer during the 11th and 12th centuries. The long sword was common in the 14th through 16th centuries. It had a thinner and lighter blade than earlie...
He would also wear a coat of chainmail called a hauberk It would have short sleeves so the knight could bend his arms and slits in the back and front so it could be worn on horseback. He wears hose that are cross-gartered with leather thongs. A knight would also wear leather shoes. He would carry his lance and helmet but his sword and mace are within easy reach. The knights lady in 1095 was not much different than in 1070. Her gown fitted her figure and had lacing down the back. After a few years, the sleeves got longer.
Can chivalry be in possession of someone who has little or no morals? In the Medieval era, there lived many knights. Whom of which lived their everyday life based on the quintessence of chivalry; fair play, courtesy, valor, loyalty, honor, largess, and piety. Without these admirable traits, the righteous knights like the ones from Chaucer’s “The Prologue” and “The Knight’s Tale” wouldn’t be able to call themselves knights in the first place. Unlike the other two knights, the knight from Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath Tale” doesn’t wield an ample amount of chivalry.