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Aim/Goal: How were wars fought during the Middle
Ages?
• Do Now: How are we fighting the war on
terrorism? Explain in a few sentences.
• Homework: Pretend you are a knight during
the Middle Ages. Explain in two paragraphs
how the training to become a knight was
similar or different to your present education.
Also, what are your views towards chivalry?
KNIGHTS
• The knight was one of three types of fighting men during the middle ages:
Knights, Foot Soldiers, and Archers. The medieval knight was the
equivalent of the modern tank. He was covered in multiple layers of
armor, and could plow through foot soldiers standing in his way. No single
foot soldier or archer could stand up to any one knight. Knights were also
generally the wealthiest of the three types of soldiers. This was for a good
reason. It was terribly expensive to be a knight. The war horse alone could
cost the equivalent of a small airplane. Armor, shields, and weapons were
also very expensive. Becoming a knight was part of the feudal agreement.
In return for military service, the knight received a fief. In the late middle
ages, many prospective knights began to pay "shield money" to their lord
so that they wouldn't have to serve in the king's army. The money was
then used to create a professional army that was paid and supported by
the king. These knights often fought more for pillaging than for army
wages. When they captured a city, they were allowed to ransack it,
stealing goods and valuables.
How did you become a knight?
•
There were only a few ways in which a person could become a knight. The first way was the normal course of action for the
son of a noble:
When a boy was eight years old, he was sent to the neighboring castle where he was trained as a page. The boy was usually
the son of a knight or of a member of the aristocracy. He spent most of his time strengthening his body, wrestling and riding
horses. He also learned how to fight with a spear and a sword. He practiced against a wooden dummy called a quintain. It
was essentially a heavy sack or dummy in the form of a human. It was hung on a wooden pole along with a shield. The
young page had to hit the shield in its center. When hit, the whole structure would spin around and around. The page had to
maneuver away quickly without getting hit. The young man was also taught more civilized topics. He would be taught to
read and write by a schoolmaster. He could also be taught some Latin and French. The lady of the castle taught the page to
sing and dance and how to behave in the king’s court.
At the age of fifteen or sixteen, a boy became a squire in service to a knight. His duties included dressing the knight in the
morning, serving all of the knight’s meals, caring for the knight’s horse, and cleaning the knight’s armor and weapons. He
followed the knight to tournaments and assisted his lord on the battlefield. A squire also prepared himself by learning how
to handle a sword and lance while wearing forty pounds of armor and riding a horse. When he was about twenty, a squire
could become a knight after proving himself worthy. A lord would agree to knight him in a dubbing ceremony. The night
before the ceremony, the squire would dress in a white tunic and red robes. He would then fast and pray all night for the
purification of his soul. The chaplain would bless the future knight's sword and then lay it on the chapel or church's altar.
Before dawn, he took a bath to show that he was pure, and he dressed in his best clothes. When dawn came, the priest
would hear the young man's confession, a Catholic contrition rite. The squire would then eat breakfast. Soon the dubbing
ceremony began. The outdoor ceremony took place in front of family, friends, and nobility. The squire knelt in front of the
lord, who tapped the squire lightly on each shoulder with his sword and proclaimed him a knight. This was symbolic of what
occurred in earlier times. In the earlier middle ages, the person doing the dubbing would actually hit the squire forcefully,
knocking him over. After the dubbing, a great feast followed with music and dancing.
There were only a few ways
in which a person could
become a knight. The first
way was the normal course
of action for the son of a
noble:
Pads worn under the armor
to help ease the weight.
They were called gambesons.
© Chivalry Sports, Inc. Used
with permission.
When a boy was eight years
old, he was sent to the
neighboring castle where he
was trained as a page. The
boy was usually the son of a
knight or of a member of the
aristocracy. He spent most of
his time strengthening his
body, wrestling and riding
horses. He also learned how
to fight with a spear and a
sword. He practiced against a
wooden dummie called a
quintain. It was essentially a
heavy sack or dummie in the
form of a human. It was hung
on a wooden pole along with
a shield. The young page had
to hit the shield in its center.
When hit, the whole
structure would spin around
and around. The page had to
maneuver away quickly
without getting hit. The
young man was also taught
more civilized topics. He
would be taught to read and
write by a schoolmaster. He
could also be taught some
Latin and French. The lady of
the castle taught the page to
sing and dance and how to
behave in the king’s court.
At the age of fifteen or
sixteen, a boy became a
squire in service to a knight.
His duties included dressing
the knight in the morning,
serving all of the knight’s
meals, caring for the knight’s
horse, and cleaning the
knight’s armor and weapons.
He followed the knight to
tournaments and assisted his
lord on the battlefield. A
squire also prepared himself
by learning how to handle a
sword and lance while
wearing forty pounds of
armor and riding a horse.
When he was about twenty,
a squire could become a
knight after proving himself
worthy. A lord would agree
to knight him in a dubbing
ceremony. The night before
the ceremony, the squire
would dress in a white tunic
and red robes. He would
then fast and pray all night
for the purification of his
soul. The chaplain would
bless the future knight's
sword and then lay it on the
chapel or church's altar.
Before dawn, he took a bath
to show that he was pure,
and he dressed in his best
clothes. When dawn came,
the priest would hear the
young man's confession, a
Catholic contrition rite. The
squire would then eat
breakfast. Soon the dubbing
ceremony began. The
outdoor ceremony took
place in front of family,
friends, and nobility. The
squire knelt in front of the
lord, who tapped the squire
lightly on each shoulder with
his sword and proclaimed
him a knight. This was
symbolic of what occurred in
earlier times. In the earlier
middle ages, the person
doing the dubbing would
actually hit the squire
forcefully, knocking him
over. After the dubbing, a
great feast followed with
music and dancing.
A young man could also
become a knight for valor in
combat after a battle or
sometimes before a battle to
help him gain courage.
A helmet of the type worn by
knights during the crusades.
One can see the holes cut in
the front. This made it easier
for the knight to breathe.
Chivalry
• Knights believed in the code of chivalry. They promised to defend the
weak, be courteous to all women, be loyal to their king, and serve God at
all times. Knights were expected to be humble before others, especially
their superiors. They were also expected to not "talk too much". In other
words, they shouldn't boast. The code of chivalry demanded that a knight
give mercy to a vanquished enemy. However, the very fact that knights
were trained as men of war belied this code. Even though they came from
rich families, many knights were not their families' firstborn. They did not
receive an inheritance. Thus they were little more than mercenaries. They
plundered villages or cities that they captured, often defiling and
destroying churches and other property. Also the code of chivalry did not
extend to the peasants. The "weak" was widely interpreted as "noble
women and children". They were often brutal to common folk. They could
sometimes even rape young peasant women without fear of reprisal, all
because they were part of the upper class.
Is chivalry dead?
Armor and Weapons
•
A knight was armed and armored to the teeth. He had so much armor and weapons that he
depended on his squire to keep his armor and weapons clean and in good working condition. At
first the armor was made of small metal rings called chain mail. A knight wore a linen shirt and a
pair of pants as well as heavy woolen pads underneath the metal-ringed tunic. A suit of chain mail
could have more than 200,000 rings. However, chain mail was heavy, uncomfortable, and difficult
to move in. As time passed, knights covered their bodies with plates of metal. Plates covered their
chests, back, arms, and legs. A bucket like helmet protected the knight’s head and had a hinged
metal visor to cover his face. Suits of armor were hot, uncomfortable, and heavy to wear. A suit of
armor weighed between forty and sixty pounds. Some knights even protected their horses in
armor.
A knight also needed a shield to hold in front of himself during battle. Shields were made of either
wood or metal. Knights decorated their shields with their family emblem or crest and the family
motto.
A knight'’s weapon was his sword, which was about thirty-two pounds. It was worn on his left side
in a case fastened around his waist. A knife was worn on the knight’s right side. Knights used other
weapons in combat as well. A lance was a long spear used in jousts. Metal axes, battle hammers,
and maces were also used to defeat the enemy.
Medieval Weaponry
A rather plain medieval sword.
An example of a dagger that
could have been used.
A mace used during the
middle ages.
Tournaments
• Tournaments provided a means for knights to practice warfare and build
their strength in times of peace. Tournaments were essentially mock
battles with audiences. The audience was usually made up of "fair
damsels". This was another way in which a knight was expected to act
chivalrous. The tournaments had different rules that had to be followed.
They were judged by umpires that watched for dishonest play.
Tournaments were usually fought between either two people or two
teams. If two people fought a tournament, it was usually by jousting. The
two knights would gallop across the playing field at each other. They
carried long, blunt poles and shields. The objective was to knock the other
person out of his saddle. Team play was conducted with fierce mock
combat between two bands of fighters. They fought with wooden or
blunted weapons so as to reduce the risk of getting hurt. However, this
was often not the case. Many people did get hurt or die by accident.