Medieval

Knights
 Origins
• Lords were entrusted to
provide soldiers for their
king.
• These soldiers were known
as knights.
• Knights were specially
trained soldiers who were
the sons of lords or others
serving knights.
• They formed the core of
medieval armies.
 Pages
• Knights went through three stages of
training.
• Firstly, they would become a page at
age seven.
• They would be fostered by a
neighbouring lord and live in his
castle.
• There they were educated and trained
in regard to good manners, music,
dancing, and horse riding.
• They also acted as servants to the
lady of the castle.
 Squires
• Pages became squires at age
fourteen.
• Their training became much
more serious as they started
to practice swordsmanship,
lancing, archery and
defence with a shield.
• They would also help their
lord put on his armour
before jousts (contests
between knights) and battle.
 Dubbing
At twenty-one, squires were
dubbed (declared) knights by
their lord.
The lord would tap the
kneeling squire’s shoulder
with the flat edge of a sword
and said to the newly dubbed
knight: ‘Arise, Sir .’
 Chivalry
Knights were expected to follow a
code of chivalry (morality). It
contained three parts.
1. To be truthful, generous and
loyal.
2. To be courteous (kind) to the
poor.
3. To protect women and
children.
The code of chivalry was not a
law that was strictly enforced. It
was a set of good behaviours that
were expected of knights.
Jousting
Please don’t try this at home