Knighthood

Becoming A Knight

“Knight” was a term used to refer to a nobleman or warrior, but its root English word was “cniht”, which meant “page boy”.  The ideas of knighthood are more closely related to the Roman equites.  Equites is a Latin word meaning “horsemen”.  The equites were made of Romans wealthy enough to afford horses.  Knights in the early middle ages were just horsemen, but it became a sign of nobility and social status as it grew more expensive to get equipped for fighting on horseback.  Eventually “knight” became a formal title.

When a high born boy reached the age of seven, he was sent to live in the castle of another lord, usually a close friend of his father's or relative. There he began his education as a page, running errands in the castle and performing humble services for noblemen and ladies. He learned good manners, reading, writing, numbers, singing, dancing, strumming the lute, reverence for God, how to use a sword, and how to ride a horse. In the morning, he helped his lord dress, and served at meals, bringing in food and drink.

Around the age of 13, the boy was apprenticed to a knight and became a squire. He was taught skill with the sword, lance, and shield and he learned the duties and responsibilities of a knight. Squires engaged in mock battles against each other and against dummies. If the squire hit the dummy exactly in the center, it fell over, but if he hit it anywhere else, it would swing around and smack the erring squire in the back. Squires also served their mentor. He looked after his master's horses, polished his weapons and armor, and served him at meals. As the squire grew older, he was expected to follow his master into battle, and protect his master if the knight fell in battle. Some squires became knights for performing an outstanding deed on the battlefield, but most were knighted at home by their lord or father when their training was judged to be complete.

When the squire was judged ready to become a knight, usually between 18 and 21, a time for the knighting ceremony was set. On the night before the ceremony, the squire would take a cleansing bath, fast, and would make confession. He would spend the whole night in the chapel praying to God for guidance in his journey as a knight. The next morning , he dressed in white and entered the crowded hall with his sword strung around his neck. The priest would bless the sword and then the squire knelt before his lord (often the knight who had trained him). The lord asked the squire his reasons for wanting to become a knight and if the lord was satisfied with his answers, the knight agreed to perform the ceremony. The ladies and the knights would then dress the squire in new armor and the squire again knelt before the lord. The Lord would then take a sword and tap him lightly on the shoulders three times and made a short declaration such as "In the name of God and Saint George, I make thee a knight."

Knighthood was about more than just fighting, it was also about chivalry. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, this meant good horsemanship, but by 1100 it had become a whole new way of life. Knights were expected to be brave, and honorable, to uphold the honor of women, and to protect the weak. Tales of chivalry were very popular during the Middle Ages, but even so, many knights failed to live up to these high standards.

This was just the beginning of the young man's career as a knight. Knights protected the lord's lands from invaders and fought in the lord's battles against other lords.

Armor

A knight had many pounds of armor that he had to wear to protect himself from arrows and swords. The armor was put on by one or more squires or pages. First, the knight put on a linen shirt and drawers, which were similar to loose boxer shorts. Over the drawers he wore a long woolen hose and arming doublet, which was a shirt with chain mail padding on the arms and chest. Around his neck, he wore a chain mail neck collar. Breast and back plates were strapped onto his chest, which had a little skirt of armor attached to protect his groin. More armor was strapped onto his arms, legs, hands, and feet. This armor came in many pieces so that the knight would be able to move more easily. The last piece of armor placed on the knight was his helmet. The helmet was very hot, so if the knight was not going into battle immediately, he would hold the helmet by his side. The knight also used a metal or wood shield to ward off enemies blows during a battle. This shield was carried on one arm, usually the left, and the sword was carried with the other.

The distinctive full-plate armor we associate with knights didn't show up until the mid to late medieval period.  The Romans had been manufacturing plate armor, but when the Roman Empire ended, so did the manufacturing processes they used.  Knights wore chainmail throughout most of the middle ages.  Chainmail consists of many small interlocked rings that are closed by rivets or welding.  It is believed to have been invented by the Celts in Eastern Europe around 500 B.C.  Small plates were added on top of the mail over time.  Armor development increased due to the threat of improved crossbows and gunpowder weapons.  This started an arms vs. armor race that ended when only very heavy armor would offer any protection.  The last armored soldiers were cavalry because their armor was so heavy they would have trouble moving on foot.  Armor was worn until the early 1800's, mainly by generals and royalty so they could survey the battlefield without the threat of being killed by a stray bullet. 

Weapons

The knight's chief weapon was his sword. At the beginning of the Middle Ages it was a double edged slashing sword, but toward the middle of the Middle Ages, it had evolved into a stronger, stiffer, diamond-shaped sword that could thrust between the rings of chain mail more easily. Knights also used daggers, axes, falchions (a weapon like a butcher's cleaver), lances, and other pointed weapons. The plate armor and chain mail gave very good protection so daggers were used to thrust up through mailed armpits or through the vision slits of helmets.

Heraldry

Once they were dressed in armor, knights all looked the same. In order to keep from killing their comrades, knights painted colorful designs on their armor, shields, and weapons. These designs were unique to each knight and provided means of identification during battle.

Marriage and Family

A knight usually wanted to marry. Like most marriages during the Middle Ages, these marriages were arranged to the advantage of both parties. A knight wanted a wife who would be an heiress or would have a large dowry that would include land or enough money to buy land. When the knight went off to war or was away from home, the wife would look after the operation of his castles and estates. She might even protect the castles against siege while he was away.

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