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Kenny Wells

Dr. Judith Reyna

SLA 200

7 December 2018

The Medieval Solider

At one point in our adolescence every young man wanted to be a knight in shining armor

saving the princess from the fire breathing dragon. All the young girls wanted to be the princess

that the knight would swoop her off her feet. Well we know there was not any fire breathing

dragons when the knights were roaming the land. Also not every knight’s tale is a princess story.

A Knight to us in the modern world and in the Middle ages was a huge deal. Not any man can

become a Knight during the Middle Ages. Knight s held a big role in the history of the Middle

Ages. Everything that a knight did was according to his plan, and most all Knights did their job

with the upmost pride. Knights are the face of medieval times, and without them the world as

you know it most likely would not be the same. The visual representation of a knight is already

incredible enough, and then add on all the circumstances that a knight had to face to put on it is

unbearable. A knight is single handedly one of the greatest things that has come out of the

Middle Ages. Knights are distinctive figure due to so many aspects of their lives. A knights

Amor stands out the most out of any solider during the Middle ages. A knights weapons were

designed and elaborate just for a knights taste. Knights were fearless, performing in tournaments

for the people is what they lived for. Knights are one of the most influential people during the

Medieval Middle Ages, everything from the way they presented themselves, to the armor they
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wore, the weapons they used, and the tournaments they performed in all implanted a picture of

greatness in our heads.

A Knight is a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armor. This

man is ceremonially inducted into a military rank. This usually happens one the man has done

service as a page and squire. A page is an attendant to a nobleman, a knight, a Governor or

Castellan. A squire is a young nobleman acting as an attendant to a knight before becoming a

knight himself. Becoming a Knight was not an easy thing to do there is a hard road from the time

one is a young boy. The training was not easy either it was often times a very long and taxing

process that had to be done in order to become the best solider during the Middle Ages. To

become a knight a boy started the journey when his basic education started. So along with

learning good manners etiquette and his basic education at a young age the young boy is also

learning how to become an elite warrior. The training for knighthood started at a very young age.

At the age of seven a boy is taken from its family and sent to a castle and homes of wealthy lords

or if they are lucky to have a relative as a knight to jump on their journey of becoming a knight.

At the age of seven to fourteen the boys were titled as a Medieval Page. These Medieval Pages

were more like servants, and along with being a servant of another knight they would get trained

in the process also. From fourteen to twenty-one the knights in training are called Squires.

During this time in a young apprentice knights journey the Squire is more or less a knights

delivery boy or errand runner. The Squire did what the knight told him to do. Along with all the

dirty work of the Medieval Page and the Squire the knights apprentice was also learning skills on

how to become a high caliber knight. The intensity of the training all depended on the boy the

older knight was training. Training would focus on developing mastery in weapon practice,
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equestrian skills, and being familiar and knowing how to use all the weapons. To become a

knight the apprentice had to become a master in Castle and Siege Warfare. The knights have to

know strategies to win in a battle and how to protect or advance on a Castle. Also to become a

knights mental side has to be elite. A knight is trained to learn bravery and be able to withstand

extremes. A knight must withstand extreme cold and heat along with exhaustion and hunger.

Once a knight is trained and ready to become a knight it is one of the highest honors in Medieval

Middle Ages.

When one thinks about a knight, one also thinks about chivalry and its code.

Chivalry is the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code. A knight had

strengths and skills to face combat when he had to face it in the violent Middle Ages. Along with

a knights violent side they were expected to have a chivalrous side to them also. A chivalrous

side meant that courteous and gallant, especially towards women. Chivalry was just a way of life

to a knight. It was taught throughout a knights life and is always improved upon. A knight had a

set of morals and ideals that included courtesy, honor, bravery, and gallantry towards women.

“To be most useful, those chosen should represent men highly praised by contemporary

practicing men-at-arms as well as by clerics or intellectuals. We seek figures who were, in fact,

elevated as model knights suitable for emulation”( Kaeuper 25).

To be a knight only the best of the best can become a knight. A knight must have

all the qualities in order to become a knight. Chivalry is something that the knights were very

dedicated too. Some codes of chivalry included Faith, charity, justice, sagacity, prudence,

temperance, truth, liberality, diligence, hope, and valor. A knights chivalry was a huge part of the

culture that made up the Middle Ages. Without the code of chivalry knights today would not be

as influential as they were and even today in our world.

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“A knight in shining armor” is a phrase that so many people say due to the

influence that a knight standing in his armor had on the people. Over the Middle Ages the armor

that the knights used has changed to suit what they had to deal with at the time. There are two

types of armor that was used during the Middle Ages. One of the armors was plate armor. Plate

armor was plates of iron that would come together to form a full body suit of armor for the

knight. The knight would wear a leather coat the every plate of armor would be attached to the

knight. This suit of armor would protect from various weapons that were used in battle during

the Middle Ages. The plate suit was immune against swords and slashes from swords. The armor

would also protect from spear or arrows being shot or thrown at the knights. Plate armor would

have some problems against swings from a hammer or a hard club, and it would cause some

trauma to a knight. Knights also used Chain Mail and chain mail clothing. Chain mail was a type

of armor that consisted of small metal rings that link together in a pattern to form a mesh. The

armor was often times referred to as hauberk, and sometimes a byrnie. Hauberk is a piece of

armor originally covering only the neck and shoulders but later consisting of a full-length coat of

mail or military tunic. A byrnie is a long tunic of chain mail that was worn by knights as a

defensive armor. Byrnie’s were usually sleeveless. Chain mail is also immune to sword slashes.

Blows to the armor by a club or hammer could cause some trauma to the knight in a way though.

A knights armor was very important to him and it was a representation of the knight.

“That twelfth-century knights carried pride with themes donned and wore their armor was

clear, writes Ralph Niger in 1187:

It is custom for the knights of this world firstly to fix their spurs to their shoes, and then

to protect their feet, legs and groin with mail leggings. After they throw their hauberks over the
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rest of their body and arrange it around their bodies and limbs with a belt. After that they put on

their helmets and lace them up to their hauberks and their heads, and finally belts on their

swords. After that they take up their lances and shields…

The Kite shield continued to be used by all troops, infantry, and cavalry, until the end of the

twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth centuries”(DeVries, Smith 67).

A knights armor was a statement of who the knight was and the knight took pride in his

suit of armor. The armor was for the knight and every knight took pride in what will save his life

on the battle field.

The offensive side of a knight was highly advanced for knights in medieval times. There

are multiple types of weapons that a knight would use during a battle. One of the weapons being

a lance. A lance was a very long wooden pole with a metal tip and hand guards. The lance would

be used for when the knight was on horseback. When the knight was riding on the horse the

knight could use his lance to be at a offensive advantage against foot soldiers. Using the lance

properly it could also be used to knock other knights off of their horses. In earlier medieval

period it was used both as a handheld thrusting weapon and a missile (DeVries. Smith 8).

Another weapon that was commonly used by knights was the sword. The sword was the favored

weapon of choice by the knight. A sword was most of the time always on a knight. When a

knight was dismounted or on the ground a knight would rely on his sword. Depending on the

preference of the knight a one-handed sword and a shield was sometimes preferred, while others

liked the stronger two handed swords to work with offensively on the battle field. The

Longsword is a type of European sword that many knights used during the late medieval and

renaissance periods, from the time period of 1350 to 1550. Longswords have a lengthy cruciform
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hilts with grips that provide room for two hands and a straight double edged blade. These swords

were used for striking, cutting, and thrusting (Ramsey 6). Other weapons that a knight would use

would be a Mace. A Mace was a club with a big steal head. The mace would deliver heavy blows

to another solider. The Mace was aimed to crush an enemy.

“During the Middle Ages metal armor and chain mail protected against the blows of edge

weapons and block arrows and projectiles. Solid metal maces and war hammers pproved able to

inflict damage on well armored knights, as the force of a blow from a mace is large enough to

cause damage without penetrating the armor” (Ramsey 11).

Another weapon that a knight would use is a longbow, or a crossbow. Although some of the

knights thought the bow to be a weapon of a coward. Due to the knights bravery and fearless

attitude a lot of knights did not use the longbow. Some knights covered their pride and used the

long bow. A lot of battles in the middle ages were won due to the longbow and the crossbow.

Longbows could attack from a distance or behind a wall. There are so many weapons that the

knights got to use during their time period. A knight would have a long list of weapons that a

blacksmith could make for him. Each weapon was designed specifically for the knights liking.

All these weapons were not cheap the wealthier the knight the higher quality of the weapon and

the more detail that was put into the weapon. As years went on also the weapons became more

advanced and the weapons could cause a lot more damage that they used too. The weapons that a

knight used was very important to him. Knights fought with a lot of pride and the weapon that

they had on the battle field was important to the knight without his weapon the knight would

have a very hard time in a battle. Weapons to a knight are very influential in the way that they

are designed to the way that a knight used them.

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“It might well be an exaggeration to claim that the Middle Ages would mean little to the

modern world without its characteristics offensive and defensive armament”(DeVries, Smith 1)

Knights tournaments were a big deal in the Medieval Middle Ages. When you think of a

knight you do not think of sporting events. Knights did not have a ultimately hard life their

whole lives. During the High middle Ages Tournaments where knights would split up and

perform in melee’s and jousting events. Melee is a general fight where the knights were divided

into two sides and acted like they were in a real battle. These Knights would participate in a

series of combats, fought in contests and the knight who was in the final round with the best

record would be declared the winner and be granted with a prize. This was a sport back in the

Medieval times and most knights would take these tournaments very seriously due to the prize

money that was involved. Most knights would fight as individuals, but there were many events

that called for a team effort. One of the events that is very popular is The Joust. The Joust is an

individual knight event. Jousting is engage in a sports contest in which two opponents on

horseback fight with lances.

“The tournament arose as a socially acceptable alternative to the private warfare that

plagued the nobility in the Middle Ages, and joust eventually became the main event of the

tournament” (Spielvogel 246).

Jousting was the main attraction of these tournaments. Many knights became famous at these

tournaments. Some knights would win so much money that they had to hire clerks to take care

of all the money. Strong proud knights would compete in these tournaments to gain a lot of

respect. “Within an eight-month span English Knight William Marshall made a tour of the

tournament circuit, defeating 203 knights, and made so much money that he had to hire two
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clerks to take care of it” (Spielvogel 246). The knights were born for a fight they loved to fight

they needed it in their lives in order to function properly. Knights want to take deadly blows just

like monks want peace (Hardy 91). The tournaments were for the rich and knights that were

thirsty for battle.

Knights are one of the most influential people during the Medieval Middle Ages, everything

from the way they presented themselves, to the armor they wore, the weapons they used, and the

tournaments they performed in all implanted a picture of greatness in our heads. A knight doesn’t

have an easy road to becoming the knight that they become. Chivalry is the way of a knight. If a

knight did not act in the manner that it was taught throughout all the years of training, they

would not be talked about today as much as they are. A knights armor is everything to him

without it he is defenseless. The armor is built just for the knight who wears it. A knights weapon

is a masterpiece from every detail that is on the sword, mace, lance, spear, shield, or whatever it

is it tells a story of the knight and what kind of knight he was. Being a knight was not all

seriousness. Knights that were wealthy were able to perform in tournaments. These tournaments

were a highlight of the middle ages and many knights became famous from these tournaments.

Knights and their weapons, armor and tournaments will continue to influence many generation to

come just like they are right now.

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Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization. Volume I: to 1715. 10th ed., vol. 1, Cengage

Learning, 2016.

Hardy, Stephen H. “The Medieval Tournament: A Functional Sport of the Upper Class.” Journal

of Sport History, vol. 1, no. 2, 1974, pp. 91–105. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/43609164.

DeVries, Kelly, and Robert Douglas. Smith. Medieval Military Technology. University of

Toronto Press, 2012.

Syed Ramsey. “ Tools of War: History of Weapons in Medieval Times” Alpha Editions May 30,

2016

https://www.amazon.com/Tools-War-History-Weapons-Medieval/dp/9386101661

Kaeuper, Richard W. Medieval Chivalry. Cambridge University Press, 2016.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/medieval-

chivalry/60934D80A106C756B82F4EC7440D7A62
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