Medieval Times Knight – The Evolution of Nobility
The story of a medieval times knight begins at the start of the period when they were simply hired hands for battle and ends with the close of the era when knighthood was an honored station.
What comes in between for the medieval times knight is a lot of warfare, a rise to landed power and the creation of a mystique that keeps their legend alive today.
At their first appearance, medieval times knights were quite literally hired hands to help fight battles. The medieval times knight of the early period was a warrior who would swear loyalty to a leader and fight for him in exchange for land or money. It was the medieval times knight’s mission to spill blood or have it spilled on the field of battle should a liege call.
The Anglo-Saxon word from which knight evolved simply means boy. As the history of the medieval times knight wore on, however, the word came to mean so much more as it was packed with stories of honor, bravery and daring.
As the middle ages continued, the medieval times knight began to pass on land grants from father to son, creating a class of nobility in and of itself. With the land came responsibility for the medieval times knight. As time marched forward the former mercenary, the medieval times knight, was involved in local politics, justice dealing and other workings of government.
Gone were the days of a simple exchange for a sword in battle. With the crusades and other organized battles, the medieval times knight became bound to codes of honor along with their oaths of loyalty. Whether chivalric law or religious convictions, medieval times knights were expected to act a certain way and fight a certain way, giving rise to the legends that made the class of medieval times knight famous.
When it came to fighting, the medieval times knight was expected to follow his code of honor. With the church heavily involved in the politics of Europe, the medieval times knight was subjected to rules that included the limitations of days of battle to exclude days of religious importance. In addition to religious restrictions, the medieval times knight also became subject to a romanticized law as well. Medieval times knights, especially after the crusades, were expected to behave in a certain manner.
Weaponry and armor are often what set medieval times knight class members apart from commoners over and above any land one might own. Well made steel armor and weapons were a sign of wealth and status and were often handed down from father to son along with land and title. The more elaborate the weaponry and armor, the higher the status of the medieval times knight.
The life of a medieval times knight was not all romance and glory, however. Knights were expected to fight and die for their liege. Their oaths of loyalty bound them to a single noble or warlord and that noble or warlord’s own oath could have them fighting in battles that had little or nothing to do with their own concerns. From hired sword to landed wealth, the medieval times knight both shaped and was shaped by the period giving rise to legends that inspire enthusiasts today.