The Knights – heroic warriors in shining armour. Many stories and legends are entwined around these brave and virtuous warriors of the Middle Ages. But how and when did chivalry form in the first place, what role did it play in medieval society and how did one become a knight in the first place?
Knight – definition
They were called knights defensive warrior in Europe of medievalwho went into battle mounted and clad in heavy armour. Roughly speaking, the time of the Armored Riders/Knights can be 8th-15th century date after Christ.
The German term knight derives from the Germanic word ride off, which means something like «riding».
The birth of the knights
The idea of mounted warriors was already in the antiquity – for example the Roman ones «equities». However, at that time the riders only made one small part of the military force – they still dominated foot soldiers.
The idea of bringing these tabs into one standalone and for attack and defense important branch of service to make, only came in early medieval Frankish kingdom of the 8th century on.
The Frankish Empire, also known as the Franconian Empire, was the most important and largest empire in medieval Europe. It stretched across large areas of Western and Central Europe, from present-day France to present-day Poland and the Czech Republic.
The Frankish Armored Riders
in the 8th century the Arabs had Moors conquered large parts of Spain and now invaded direction of the Frankish Empire before. The fast and skillful horseman of the Moorish army were a novel and big threat for the Frankish armed forces – especially for the very much slower and more immobile infantry (foot soldiers).
Faced with this danger, the decided Frankish commander Karl Martell build a new branch of troops – the Frankish Armored Rider were born. On the horse they were not only more quickly than the foot soldiers, but also very much with their iron armor more robust.
Of the martial success the armored rider spoke for himself. she established themselves quickly in the kingdom and were mainly used for border security deployed.
By the way could Charlemagne preserve and secure his Frankish kingdom and its borders only with the help of the armored riders.
Figure 1: Drawing of Frankish armored riders from the 9th century. Source: wikipedia.org
The beginning of the knight era
Also the Division of the Frankish Empire in the East, West and Middle Kingdom Year 843 did not detract from the success of the armored riders. In the western empire they proved themselves several times as «Border Security» in the fight against vikingwhich invaded from the north.
Knights and Castles – How the knight came to the castle
in the East Frankish Empire on the other hand, the greatest danger came primarily from the Hungary from which the tracts of land at the eastern border threatened. the army of the East Frankish Empire, which at that time, however not yet had a sufficient number of armored knights, only had low chances against the Hungarians.
So decided Emperor Heinrich I of Saxony a armistice to agree – against one significant sum of money should be the kingdom for the Hungarians next nine years leave in silence.
This «peace break» used Henry Ito the defense of his empire to strengthen. On the Reichstag in 927 the following resolutions were passed:
- To ward off and defend against the Hungarians should in each Gauen (today roughly «administrative area» or «region») stone castles be built.
- cities and settlements should protect against enemies with fortification walls be provided.
- It should be one mounted and armored force become – after that Prototype of the Franconian armored riders.
- They became warlike communities of solidarity established that together around manage a piece of land should. While a member on the castle lived and made the preparations there, took care of them remaining members about tilling the land and the crops. → This measure led to later the trained knight on the castles lived.
- It was also noted that Taxes (e.g. grain) to the castle had to be done – among other things, to provide for the living there knights.
When the castles were built, the armored riders ready and all other preparations were completed, finished Henry I prematurely signed the armistice with the Hungarians. The Hungarians then reacted with another attack on the East Frankish Empire.
Heinrich’s strategy but it worked and the successes of its defenses and its armored cavalry against the Hungarians was the beginning of a new military structure.
During the 11th century then established itself in German speaking space of today well-known term of «knight» as a designation for those armored riders.
Life of Knights in the Middle Ages
How did one become a knight, what values and tasks did a knight have and what was his position in the social hierarchy?
Feudalism – The knights as vassals
Knights were very successful in battle, but theirs was gear also accordingly expensive. Horses specially trained for battle and heavy metal armor cost a fortune at the time. And of course the knights themselves wanted to be rewarded for their service.
So it was decided from knights vassals close.
The term «vassal» comes from the medieval feudalism. A vassal was a retainer of a noble ruler and received a piece of land to cultivate, the so-called, in return for his loyalty fief.
feudalism and feudalism
Feudalism is a social order dependent on nobles who own large estates.
The medieval manifestation of feudalism was the so-called feudal system.
In the Middle Ages, the feudal lord (a large landowner; for example the emperor, king or sovereign) a fief (usually a piece of land) to free citizens.
In return for the land, the person who was granted the fief had to pay his liege the so-called oath of fealty, to swear an oath of allegiance. In exchange for land and protection, the liege demanded allegiance, advice, and allegiance from his vassals in combat or warfare.
If you want to know more about feudalism, check out our explanation!
Now admitted it beginning of the age of chivalry two possibilities:
-
It was decided to use an already capable knight as a vassal. Then he was given a fief and some serfs (slaves, serfs) who ordered it to finance the knight’s subsistence and military expenses (horse, armor, weapons).
-
Nobles who owned land and property could attain the title of knight and now pledged to protect their followers and to follow their liege into battle in the event of war.
As a vassal, the knight usually lived in the castle belonging to the lands, if there was one.
Did you know that full knightly armor with charger, shield and spear cost about 45 cows? This corresponds to the existence of an entire village in the early Middle Ages! That’s why only wealthy people could afford to be knights.
Figure 2: Representation of a knight in armor and sword – mid 13th century. Source: wikipedia.org
The knight in the social structure of the Middle Ages – the knighthood
Over time, the knights established themselves from a purely military profession to a completely new social class – this is mainly due to the feudal system just mentioned.
Depending on the fiefdom and the associated income, the knights were now part of the middle or upper class of society. Finally, in the 14th century, knightly vassalage was so widespread that the families of knights formed their own group within the lower nobility – the so-called knighthood.
Figure 3: Representation of a knight’s castle Source: wikipedia.org
Duties of the Knights in the Middle Ages
That knighthood is not to be confused with that knighthood. During knighthood the designation of a social noble group is, chivalry rather means the special way of life of the knights.
The knighthood was characterized by a sspecial code of honor out. Whoever wanted to become a knight had to abide by the requirements of this code.
The knightly virtues were based on values from the
- fiefdom: Obedience, bravery and loyalty.
- Christianity: defense of the defenseless, mercy towards the poor, humility before God and defense of the Christian faith and the values of the Church.
- Medieval ideal: moderation, generosity, decency, bravery, dignity and courage.
Another important task was protection of subordinates. The knight had to protect his fiefdom and the people living there from attacks and other threats.
Life of Knights in the Middle Ages
After a while, this knighthood became a completely new one chivalric way of life, with which the new nobility wanted to finally distance themselves from the working class. For example, the knights wore expensive and colorful robes, held festivals and tournaments and developed courtly manners.
In the Middle Ages there were so-called ministerials (Servants or officials) who the knightly virtues through stories or songs across the realm spread and so in their social acceptance contributed.
The Church and Chivalry
The Church played a crucial role in the spread and rise of chivalry in the Middle Ages. Because the church allowed the new and knightly nobility use of weapons and Armed force to safeguard faith and Christian values. So the knights acted with ecclesiastical approval.
This means, for example, that all wars against ethnic groups of other faiths in which the knights were involved in order to defend and protect Christian values were sanctioned by the church.
So it came later to the knightly crusades – with the belief in Christianity as the only true religion, the knights went against «infidels», e.g. B. Muslims, to war.
Figure 4: Richard the Lionheart as a crusader on his way to Jerusalem. Depicted in a painting by James William Glass – 1850. Source: wikipedia.org
Training to become a knight
Becoming a knight wasn’t easy at all. The training lasted around 14 years and you had to go through different stages.
page
In the first level of training you became a page. Pages could all male nobles become, but primarily those with descent from knighthood.
At the young age of only seven, the page was separated from his family and sent to another court to be educated.
There he learned above all:
- courtly manners and chivalrous conduct
- virtue
- riding and fighting
- Reading, writing and foreign language skills.
At that time, the page was mostly subordinate to the lady of the house (e.g. the lady of the castle).
After the training and consolidation of the knighthood, the honor of knighthood was usually only awarded within the associated…