The Medieval Knights

Medieval Knights

• The lives of the knights were hard and even brutal at times.
• Duty, honor and loyalty were key to their success.
• Land grants, power and even their homes depend their ability or inability to serve their lord.
• Mostly the boys picked were from the noble stock and were sent to train at lord’s castle.
• When first picked as a boy, he was called as page. Then, at the age of 15 or 16, he would be called a squire. A boy who is able to pass all the tests as a page and squire become a knight at the age of around 20.
• A knight had the job to protect his lord, and fight in battles for his homeland.

Becoming a Knight

• Becoming a knight was a hard and long process. A boy was brought to a castle for learning and would not be able to see his family again.
• Most of the boys who are selected to train to become knights are either from noble class or they were born into the knight class.
• A boy was brought to the castle as a page for training. He learned about horses, armor, weapons, hunting, warfare, etc. He also had to learn courtesy, etiquette and follow subscribed religious training.
• At the age of 15 or 16, a page advances to become a squire. Squires entered the battlefield with his masters and protected them if necessary. A squire might also fight alongside their knight in order to become one. A squire took care of the knight’s armor, weapons, and knights himself.
• At the age of about 20, a squire will become a knight if he proved to be worthy of it. A ceremony used to take place when a squire becomes a knight. The squire dressed in red and white colors. Red was for blood and white for purity. During the ceremony he took vows and swear his loyalty.

Code of Chivalry

• The code of chivalry was the code of conduct for the knights.
• It demanded that the knight fought bravely in defense of his master.
• It had rules for the knights such as: 
  • Defend the weak and defenseless.
  • Be polite to women.
  • Be loyal to their King.
  • Serve God at all times.
  • To live by honor and glory.

• The code of chivalry also demanded the knights to give mercy to a defeated enemy.
• If any knight broke the code, he faced public shame. His armor would be stripped; his sword would be broken over his head. Then a priest would give him a mock funeral.

Armor and Weapons of Knights

• Knights wear and carry arsenal armor and weapons.
• Swords were the main weapons of a knight. They also carry weapons such as knife, lance (long spear), metal axes, battle hammers, and maces.
• A knight wore a linen shirt and pant along with woolen pads underneath a metal ringed tunic. Then he also wore a chain mail, which was made of small metal rings. Later, knights also wore plates of metal that covered their chests, back, arms, and legs. The large helmet protected the knight’s head and a hinged metal visor covered his face. Some knights also protected their horses. A suit of armor weighed forty-sixty pounds.
• A knight had so much armor that he depended on a squire to keep his armor clean and in good condition.
• A knight also holds a shield during a battle. Shields were made of wood or metal.

Tournaments and Jousting

• A tournament was a mock battle in which knights would compete against one another to display their fighting skills.
• When two knights fought each other, it was called a joust.
• The tournaments and joust provided means of practice for the knights to practice and increase their strength.
• There used to be even an umpire who watched if the knights fought fair.
• Winners received fame, money, better life and even were favored by their lords.
• The tournaments were similar to the gladiator fights in Rome, because it was meant to entertain the audience watching.