The Middle Ages was a very fascinating and crucial time period in which many important events occurred. It consisted of mighty knights who needed expensive armour and provided manors with protection. Feudalism was efficiently used in a way to keep societies intact and running at a good pace. The feudal system was nicely supported by the relationships between knights and the other social levels. Knights had a significant impact on the feudal system and everything surrounding its ways including culture, military, religion, and more. Knights were noble men who fought on horseback and often lived in castles (Brooks 4). Becoming a knight was not easy, training and hard work from a young age was required. In order to even consider becoming one, …show more content…
(Alchin). Religion, manners, riding, hunting, hawking, and strategic were all taught to the young pages (Alchin). They practiced sword play using wooden swords and shields and fighting on piggy back would introduce them to balance and skills that were a requirement in mounted combat (Alchin). Between pages, there was an age range from seven years old up to fourteen years old, when they would move forward to the next step in becoming a knight, serving in the position of a squire. Squires were servants to knights and were taught how to handle weapons and horses (Brooks 14). This role was one of the most important steps going into knighthood (Alchin). They were educated about Chivalry, the rules of Heraldry, horsemanship, and practice of the use of weapons and skills (Alchin). Not only that, but it was their duty to enter the social life of the castle and learn music/dancing, jousting, and courtly etiquette (Alchin). There was a practice called Melee as well, where knights participated with their warrior skills in a mock battle (Quigley 13). Individuals also competed against each other in jousts; a joust is like a melee except that it is done with two knights charging individually at each other …show more content…
Most people lived in the country and worked for lords, other lived in a city (Nelson). Although the city lifestyle was very different, it was not any easier. In cities, life was crowded and dirty, the majority of people worked as craftsmen and were members of a guild (Nelson). Young boys worked as apprentices for seven years learning a craft (Nelson). There were also other jobs in the city like Servants, Merchants, bakers, doctors, and lawyers (Nelson). Housing was not any better than the lifestyles during this time period. A lot of people just lived in one small home or two room homes (Nelson). Normally everyone slept in the same room and the house was alway crowded, sometimes even animals like a cow would live inside (Nelson). For the most part, homes in the middle ages were very uncomfortable with just a little smoky fire. Clothing between peasants and the wealthy had a significant difference. Peasants wore clothing that was plain and made out of heavy wool, this kept them warm in the winter (Nelson). Nobles clothing was made up of fine wool, velvet, and silk (Nelson). Womens wardrobe consisted of a long skirt, an apron, woolen stockings, breeches, and a cloak (Nelson). The long skirt they wore was called a Kirtle (Nelson). Men on the other hand wore a tunic, woolen stockings, breeches, and a cloak (Nelson). There were laws called ‘sumptuary’ laws that separated nobles
By the time of the Crusades in Medieval Europe, Knights were nothing out of the ordinary. A knight's training began at around four or five. It involved them learning how to ride a pony. Around the age of eight, the young trainee would be sent to be a page for a lord or a relative with influence. At this point, they would refine their swordsmanship, improve their horse skills, and would be taught more about their religion. At the age of 14, pages were eligible to become a squire, where they continued their sword fighting skills. They would accompany a knight into a battle, care for him, care for his horses, and would simply hope to be chosen to
The word knight got this name from the Old English word cniht. The Knight’s duty were very similar to the samurai's. They were hired to protect land and the people that owned the land. They also had a code like the samurai. This code stuck them to their duties and made sure that they kept their morals. Knights controlled land and the land was managed by the peasants of the kingdom. It was the peasants who mostly fought the battles instead of the knights. The knights led the peasants into the battle they fought.
Knights daily life is based on a set of unwritten rules called the code of chivalry. This means that a knight has to be loyal to their lords, brave, courageous, merciful, truthful, gentle kind generous, humble and truthful. Knights had to protect everyone that they knew and didn't know day in and out. Unfortunately all knights did not follow the rules they had to love in, they were mean and a part of their daily routine had become stealing from innocent people and sometimes they would even kill them and this would be a normal thing to do for them some knights. from the age of seven the sons of past knights start training to fight, hunt and ride a horse for the next seven years for every single day. At the age of fourteen knights daily routine changes from training, and all that basic stuff to becoming a squire, this means that you serve a particular knight this would mean that you have to look after his armour, horse, equipment and also help him get ready for battle. After a few more years it will be your time to finally become a proper knight and you will train everyday until you go on a battle or a
To be a knight, his fitness level had to be exceptional enough to last through a long, intense battle. Knights had to face a variety of challenges and were expected to handle them as any knight would. For example, some battles would last long periods of times, so these knights were expected to handle different weather changes, tiredness, and hungriness. The most important qualification that a knight had to have was modeling bravery due to the extreme battles that would be fought. Through these long battles, knights had to stay positive and not give up for what they are fighting for.
Knights are one of the most mistaken figures of the medieval era due to fairytales and over exaggerated fiction novels. When medieval knights roamed the earth, it was known that they were only human and, like humans, had faults. These knights did not always live up to the standards designated by society. However, in The Canterbury Tales, the knight is revealed as a character that would now be considered a knight in shining armor, a perfect role model in how he acts and what he does. Modern day people see them as chivalrous figures instead of their actual role as mounted cavalry soldiers. As time passes, the idea of what a knight is changes from a simple cavalry soldier to a specific type of behavior.
Between 500 to 1500 A.D in Europe, there was a period of time called the Middle Ages (OI). During this time, kings, nobles, knights and serfs lived together in a society called feudalism (Doc. 1). The Church was very important, trade began to grow, and the knights lived by a code called the Code of Chivalry. During this time, the social, political and economic lives were influenced by the feudal system and the Church.
The social structure of the Middle Ages was based on the practice of feudalism. Feudalism meant that the country was not governed directly by the king, but by individual lords
Knights were essential for providing security and a sense of safety during the Middle Ages. Knights took a rigorous training process to learn every aspect of warfare and to acquire skills needed for knighthood. After training was complete, knights would have to abide by the Code of Chivalry, which was studied during their training. An ordinary knight’s life involved forty days of service in wars to their lord, and the activities which occupied a knight’s free time . Although knights were elite warriors and honorable men, as Europe crawled out of the Middle Ages, their services were no longer needed.
Dictionary). At the beginning of the Middle Ages, chivalry was strictly pigeon holed by its followers and members into only protecting religious pilgrimages and to maintain the church of God, to serve in valor and combat, and to bind oneself to courtly etiquette and the respect and protection of women. Many of these beliefs and ideals stemmed from medieval literature, especially influenced by Spanish and Arabic literature, such as Arabian Nights, bringing forth
Feudalism was a medieval government system that a King offered Citizens fiefs or units of land for military service. This discouraged a unified government. Lords would divide their land into smaller sections. Then they would give these lands to lesser people then those people would divide their land to even lesser Knights. Next is the steps to becoming a Knight
A knight’s role and the impact heavy cavalry had on warfare have greatly varied throughout the period of the Middle Ages. Although knight’s dominated the battlefield and had a huge cultural value in society you cannot ignore the impact that technology has had on their role. These technological advances such as the longbow, the introduction of light cavalry and developments such as gunpowder and artillery, the tactical developments such as sieges and the general organisation surrounding warfare resulted in knights declining in social value, status and affectability as well as a more dramatic yet gradual metamorphosis into the heavily armoured tank divisions in today’s modern armies. It has always been a greatly contested debate as to when the Middle
They were given the arduous task of protecting the pheasants. They also protected everyone else that lived on the land of the baron or noble. Knights were hired by the baron to protect his land from the vikings and barbarians. They were payed money for their services. If a viking raiding party tried to raid the land of the noble, then the knights would defend the fief. They would protect the pheasants, the baron, and the family of the baron. The easiest way to become a knight would be to be a son of the noble. They wore heavy metal armor and carried a sword. The knights lived in the castle of the noble, but on the lower
Knights were a large part of the Middle Ages. A lot people think that knights are soldiers who were covered in metal, and fought dragons and evil people. Although they were warriors, or soldiers, knights never fought dragons. Knights fought for their king or lord because land was promised to them.
Peasants were at the bottom of the social class. Peasants were like servants, they would farm their lord’s land in order to support the feudal structure. Most of the peasants cared for the livestock and raised the crops. Every manor had peasants who were also shoemakers, smiths (metal workers), carpenters, and other skilled workers. Peasant women would only work in the fields
It was the duty of a Middle Ages knight to learn how to fight and so serve their liege lord according to the Code of Chivalry. The Code of Chivalry dictated that a knight should be brave and fearless in battle but would also exhibit cultured knightly qualities showing themselves to be devout, loyal, courteous and generous. Weapon practise included enhancing skills in the two-handed sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance. A knight would be expected to guard the castle and support his liege lord in Middle Ages warfare. To gain knighthood in the Middle Ages was a long and arduous task. Knighthood was not bestowed purely because a young man was the son of a noble. There were many steps to achieving a knighthood, requiring years of training. The steps towards achieving a knighthood started with training as a page and then as a squire, also referred to as esquire.