An example of an early Norman knight, he wears light armour. Not much protection from people looking to stab you.
Knights
Knights were a social class in feudal medieval Europe. A knight’s social status was below lords whom which they served but above the majority of the population which were the middle class of merchants and artisans as well as the lower class peasants. Knights had to follow a set of rules and guidelines called chivalry to be considered honourable and trustworthy to their lord. In times of war knights lead a company of men-at-arms which were middle class soldiers or mercenaries and formed a company of heavy shock cavalry with other knights. When at peace knights often ruled over a fief of land given by a lord or made up a court in a lord’s castle. Honourable knights were highly respected among society and often would rise to the position of lord once they trained a squire to take their place when they grew too old to fight.
To become a knight you would have to be born into a noble family. At the age of seven sons of nobles would be sent to a knight’s manor or castle to serve as a page. Pages would learn manners, good behaviour, how to conduct diplomacy and debate. At the age of fourteen a page would progress into a squire. Squires learnt physical skills for battle such as horse riding, swordsmanship, wrestling and acrobatics. Squires would train constantly to build up their muscle and would further develop their speech and behaviour. Once they reached the age of twenty-one they could take an oath of chivalry to a lord, this ceremony was called ‘dubbing’. The squire would kneel in front of a lord who would ‘knight’ the squire by touching the squire’s head and shoulders with a sword. The squire would then say an oath to the lord while holding a holy object and then would receive his sword. From that point on the squire was considered a knight until he broke chivalry by breaking allegiance or dishonouring a lord. New knights would compete in tournaments held by lords to prove their skills in combat and to further develop strength and expertise.
Knights were a social class in feudal medieval Europe. A knight’s social status was below lords whom which they served but above the majority of the population which were the middle class of merchants and artisans as well as the lower class peasants. Knights had to follow a set of rules and guidelines called chivalry to be considered honourable and trustworthy to their lord. In times of war knights lead a company of men-at-arms which were middle class soldiers or mercenaries and formed a company of heavy shock cavalry with other knights. When at peace knights often ruled over a fief of land given by a lord or made up a court in a lord’s castle. Honourable knights were highly respected among society and often would rise to the position of lord once they trained a squire to take their place when they grew too old to fight.
To become a knight you would have to be born into a noble family. At the age of seven sons of nobles would be sent to a knight’s manor or castle to serve as a page. Pages would learn manners, good behaviour, how to conduct diplomacy and debate. At the age of fourteen a page would progress into a squire. Squires learnt physical skills for battle such as horse riding, swordsmanship, wrestling and acrobatics. Squires would train constantly to build up their muscle and would further develop their speech and behaviour. Once they reached the age of twenty-one they could take an oath of chivalry to a lord, this ceremony was called ‘dubbing’. The squire would kneel in front of a lord who would ‘knight’ the squire by touching the squire’s head and shoulders with a sword. The squire would then say an oath to the lord while holding a holy object and then would receive his sword. From that point on the squire was considered a knight until he broke chivalry by breaking allegiance or dishonouring a lord. New knights would compete in tournaments held by lords to prove their skills in combat and to further develop strength and expertise.
A late Medieval knight from the 14th-15th century. At this time knights started wearing heavy plate armour over their chain mail. This was to protect them from new weapons such as crossbows, firearms, maces and war hammers. Knights became very few in number as anybody with a crossbow and a good aim could kill a knight way before they got into melee combat.