Knights

A knight was a soldier on horseback who fought for a lord or king in medieval Europe. Knights served their rulers in war and in return received land, money, and the right to live in their own manors. They were most important from about 800 to 1500, during the Middle Ages. Knights were the heavy hitters of medieval armies, charging into battle in armor on powerful warhorses.

Becoming a knight took most of a young man's youth. A boy from a noble family usually started training around age seven. He served first as a page, learning manners, reading, and how to ride. At about fourteen he became a squire, helping an older knight with his armor, weapons, and horse. He also practiced sword fighting and jousting. If he proved himself, he was knighted around age 21 in a ceremony that often included a tap on the shoulder with a sword.

Knights wore armor that changed over time. Early knights wore chain mail, made of thousands of tiny iron rings linked together. By the 1400s, they wore full suits of steel plate that covered them from head to toe. Their main weapons were the lance, the sword, and the shield. A warhorse called a destrier was as valuable as a small house.

Knights were part of the feudal system. A king gave land to his lords, and lords gave smaller pieces of land to knights. In return, the knights promised to fight whenever their lord called. They also helped run the lord's lands and keep order among the peasants who farmed them.

Knights were supposed to follow a code called chivalry. Chivalry told a knight to be brave in battle, loyal to his lord, honest, and protective of the weak. The reality was often messier. Many knights robbed villages, fought for pay, and broke their promises. But the ideal of the noble knight became famous through stories, especially the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Knights were not only European. The samurai of Japan played a similar role at the same time, fighting on horseback for lords and following their own code called bushido. Historians still debate how much real life looked like the chivalry stories. Some argue knights were mostly violent landowners. Others say the code shaped how they actually behaved, at least some of the time.

Knights faded out as gunpowder weapons spread in the 1500s. A bullet could pierce armor that swords could not. Today, "knight" is an honor given by some countries, like the United Kingdom, for great service. The armor is gone, but the title remains.