The Medieval Knights were fighting men during the Middle Ages who were hired by wealthy noblemen or warlords to perform military service. They belong to their own level of social standing and considered to be the wealthiest of soldiers. Other types of soldiers during medieval times were foot soldiers and archers.
Medieval Knights were paid with land, money or any loot that their wealthy masters can provide them or anything they can get from cities they have captured and ransacked. However, a large portion of their hard-earned money were used to purchase horses, armors, shields and weapons which were very expensive during the Middle Ages.
Medieval Knights began their careers as soldiers and mounted combatants during the rise of feudalism in Europe and the reign of Emperor Charlemagne. The term “knight” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “cniht” which means “boy.” This meaning may have been derived from the practice of sending 8 year old boys to the nearest castle to be trained as pages and eventually become knights. These boys were trained to strengthen their bodies, wrestle, ride horses, and fight with a spear and a sword against a wooden dummy called a quintain. They were also taught to read and write, learn Latin and French, sing and dance, and court etiquette among many others.
When they turned 15 or 16 years old they went up in rank as squires whose main job was to serve knights. As squires, they were expected to perform the following duties: dress the knight in the morning, serve meals, care for the horses, clean armors and weapons, and assist the knights during tournaments and battles. In the duration of their services under a knight, they learned how to fight with a sword and a lance while wearing an armor weighing 40 pounds and riding a horse. At the age of 20 and after proving themselves worthy, these squires were then dubbed as knights during an elaborate ceremony wherein they promised to defend the weak, be courteous to all women, be loyal to their king and serve God at all times. This was their code of chivalry.
Even though they swore to follow their code of chivalry, Medieval Knights were known to be merciless against common folk, plundered villages they captured and even rape young peasant women without fear of being punished. However, they still were able to prove their role as soldiers who fought and defended their masters until the end. The 16th century saw the end of knighthood when professional armies were developed and trained all throughout Europe.
Learn more about the Medieval Knights and view historically acurate suits of armor at realmcollections.com.