Knighthood

Thomas Reid
 Responsibilities of a
Knight
• A knight’s job in the middle age
consisted of fighting in battles for his
lord, and protecting his lord’s land.
They played a vital role in feudal
society and the feudal system and were
known widely for their code of
chivalry, lively tournaments, and fierce,
brute force in battle.

• Knights allowed for the major gap

between classes in medieval Europe.
They played a key role in a lord’s
ability to keep the peasants from
gaining much power at all and keeping
the nobles on top of and in complete
control of society.
 How Do They Do It?
• The true power of the individual knight comes from the
war horse they ride, called a destrier. At the time, only
the highest of nobles in society could afford a horse, let
alone train it in the art of battle. These mounted warriors
dominated all others on the battlefield and were very
difficult to to take down once they got rolling.

•Armed with fierce battle equipment such as the

lance, which could be used from horseback, the
mace, and a variety of different swords and shields,
the knights had the money required to gain the
advantage on the battlefield.
Who Are They?
• A knight in the middle ages was
most often from the upper class, most
likely a son of a powerful noble. The
reason for this is that in most cases,
being a knight was very, very
expensive. To be a knight, enough
money to buy and sustain a horse and
a full suit of heavy armor was
required. Also, extensive training
from a boy’s early life (as young as
age 7 in many cases) was required to
be such an elite soldier.
 Daily Life
• Daily life for knights of the Middle Ages mostly consisted of honing
their skills in battle and their mastery of weapons and horsemanship.
Their whole way of life centered around the idea of chivalry.

• It was up to the knight’s lord to decide his status and how much
power he received in society. Many knights would receive land grants
and even lower class people to watch over. A knight’s status allowed
him the power to potentially live a life of luxury, but this was rarely
the case. A knight’s duties and responsibilities in society were
extremely arduous. From the time he was a mere page, a knight’s life
was mostly spent putting in vigorous work to obtain the skills needed
to be the most elite of warriors at the time.
 The Code of Chivalry
• Chivalry was the knight’s code of conduct in the later
Middle Ages. This code required knights to be brave,
loyal, and true to their word. It was a policy that made all
knights out to be honorable men.
• For example, a knight in the Middle Ages was expected
to not attack his opponent before they had a chance to put
on their armor. A knight would also be expected to treat
captured enemy knights well or even release them if they
promised to pay their ransom.

•Perhaps the most significant piece of chivalry in

the Middle Ages was that it placed women on a
pedestal and set a standard for behavior of nobles
throughout history.
• At this time, chivalry only applied to knights and
nobles. The lower class peasants of society did not
even know what this idea was.
 Tournaments

• In the 1100s, when feudal warfare began to decrease, tournaments in which knights
practiced their knightly skills were held. These tournaments were ceremonies in which
hundreds of knights from all around would come together and compete in various forms
of combat. It was a great way to keep the knight’s in top condition and a large source of
entertainment for those that could attend.
• The overall winner of one of these tournaments was awarded a prize or a purse of
money.
• Perhaps the most famous event held at these tournaments was the joust, in which
mounted riders rode at each other, each possessing a lance, and attempted to knock their
opponent off of his horse.
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