Research Paper: The Medieval Knight

What is a knight? Who is the person young children aspire to be, the person Halloween costume designers and movie makers profit of off, the person who is supposed to be the template of a man.

In the beginning of the era of, "knights", they weren't really anybody to look up to, let alone someone to generate billions off of. First of all the word knight came from the Anglo-Saxon word, "cniht", which meant boy. Knights in the beginning were hired boys rich people and warlords paid either for protection or military force. Basically a hired goon, not saying some kids don't look up to these guys, but they don't generate the billions our noble knights do. Soon, grants of land were made so the young soldiers could receive an income from those lands and afford the high cost of outfitting themselves with the accoutrements of war, such as horses, armor, and weapons. The era of the medieval knight had begun.

So how did these hired goons come to be the noble warriors we know of today. Well shortly after the invention of paying knights in land, those same knights started to make their earned self worth hereditary possessions. From there the Knights oldest son would hold his father's worth when it became his turn to step up. Eventually the knights found themselves involved in politics, being authority/justice figures, and other tasks supplied by their liege lords. Also, as far as their self worth elevating from goons to templates, had a lot to do with their highly sought after combat abilities. One of the most important skills of a knight was his combat ability while mounted on a horse. And this was something that was highly prized because it lent a very big advantage in battle. This skill on a horse took many years to master and a lot of resources, horses, weapons and armor were expensive. The charge of mounted and well armored knights with polearm weapons could effectively break the defensive lines of the normal foot soldier.

So how did you get to become the rock stars of the century. According to my sources this was no easy task. Unlike today to get in a fraternity of this high prestige, you couldn't just get daddy to buy your way in. Although having a rich father couldn't make you a knight, it sure helped. Realistically any free man could become a knight. The process of training and equipping a knight with a horse and appropriate weapons was very expensive. Because of this knights generally came from noble or well of families. Although knights had their future decided for them from birth, the steps to knighthood started as a boy. The childhood of a knight was not the same as other kids who were going to do something else with their lives. They lived with their parents until the age of about 7, here they were taught manners and other things in regard to being a good member of society. Where they differed from their peers was that they learned the role of the knight, chivalry and loyalty to his liege lord. Also they were given and exposed to many things that would fuel their ambitions of wanting to become a knight. Games would be played mimicking the role of a knight. Toys would include a wooden sword and shield. A boy's aspirations to becoming a knight would be fuelled by attending tournaments and hearing stories of brave knightly deeds and combats. Once the boy became seven he would be sent to commence his education at the home or castle of a noble. Here he was known as a page. As a page he was basically a servant of his future lord. He would wait his table, do his laundry, and etc. The young page would receive an education being taught religion, manners, riding, hunting, hawking and strategic games such as backgammon and chess. A Page would soon start to acquire the skills required of a Knight by practicing the skills of tilting a lance

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