Western Europe: The Middle Ages

Knights are one of the most mistaken figures of the medieval era due to fairytales and over exaggerated fiction novels. When medieval knights roamed the earth, it was known that they were only human and, like humans, had faults. These knights did not always live up to the standards designated by society. However, in The Canterbury Tales, the knight is revealed as a character that would now be considered a knight in shining armor, a perfect role model in how he acts and what he does. Modern day people see them as chivalrous figures instead of their actual role as mounted cavalry soldiers. As time passes, the idea of what a knight is changes from a simple cavalry soldier to a specific type of behavior.

In ancient times there was a hierarchy and as a knight, everything was done to serve the lord of the realm. To be a knight is to have honor and uphold oneself in a manner that's respectable. A knight is a representative of his kingdom and his lord, and he must conduct himself in a manner that is pleasing to his king. A knight must also seek out glory for his kingdom. So to obtain riches, land, or conquer

Between 500 to 1500 A.D in Europe, there was a period of time called the Middle Ages (OI). During this time, kings, nobles, knights and serfs lived together in a society called feudalism (Doc. 1). The Church was very important, trade began to grow, and the knights lived by a code called the Code of Chivalry. During this time, the social, political and economic lives were influenced by the feudal system and the Church.

Not all men were assured to be knights. There were only two ways a man can become a knight. If a knights had a son, then his son is assured to have a position to becoming a knight. Those who their fathers were not knights had to prove there capability through bravery and courage. If they were qualified then they were able to be a knight. For those boys who were born from a royal family since they were more likely to become a knight they were sent off at the age of 8 to the local lord court to become a page (). There they learned everything on the topic of knighthood, other things like the rules of court, weapons, chivalry, writing, and music (). As the boy becomes older, around 13 years of age he then would be a squire because he is starting to develop into their manhood. His training would focus more on horsemanship, weapons, and mainly combat fundamentals (). As combat training advanced for the boy, they focus much more on horse mounted combat where he learns to fight on horses. This type of combat is more typical and essential aspect for a knight

Knights, were from the medieval era. At age twelve or thirteen a boy born in to nobility would become a squire. They became assistants to knights, they would look after the knight's armor and weapons. They would be able to follow the knight in to battle and learn the use of the weapons. When the knights were in tournaments, the squire was the only person allowed to help him. Once the squire was old and skilled enough, he would become a knight himself.

“At the age of 7, young boys started their knighthood training to become a Page. From the age of seven to fourteen, they were given the role of a Squire. At the age of 21, they officially became a Knight.” (Knighthood Training, 2017, para. 1). His extended period of training prepared him for battle and protecting the lord and his kingdom. There, he would learn horsemanship, swordsmanship, and would learn the chivalric code of conduct. “At the age of 3, they began practising fencing with a wooden sword, a mamorigatana sword for self-defence between 5-7. They then finished their training at age 15.” (Childhood and Samurai Training, 2004, para.1). As compared to a knights training, Samurais were not as skilful as Knight’s due to their short length of training of 15 years, compared to a Knight of 21 years. Therefore, a Knight had more experience due to his lengthier

Knights were essential for providing security and a sense of safety during the Middle Ages. Knights took a rigorous training process to learn every aspect of warfare and to acquire skills needed for knighthood. After training was complete, knights would have to abide by the Code of Chivalry, which was studied during their training. An ordinary knight’s life involved forty days of service in wars to their lord, and the activities which occupied a knight’s free time . Although knights were elite warriors and honorable men, as Europe crawled out of the Middle Ages, their services were no longer needed.

It was not easy to become a knight. They started off by becoming a page. A noble's son could start training to be a knight when he was seven years old. Nobles' sons had to train with weapons of course, but they also had to learn how to ride a horse, how to behave towards their liege lords and ladies, and even about music and the other arts. It was just like going to school, only their teachers were the squires. Once they reached a certain point in their training, they would be appointed as a squire. A squire, who was generally a teenager, had a different set of duties. They had to teach the pages of course, but they also had to wait on the knights. They continued their training in battle, but also were assigned to a specific knight who completed their training. As a squire you went into battle with the knight and fought at his side. This

The knights were the warriors of the time period in between the fall of Rome and the beginning of the Renaissance, also known as the Middle Ages. Knights had to undergo years of training starting as a young boy. Though they were well trained, knight still needed protection. To protect themselves, knights would wear complex armor that usually took over and hour to put on, and usually needed the help of his squire. In order to fight well, they needed strong weapons. A knight’s weapons were sharp and durable.

A knight in the middle ages was having possessed great combat skills and who adhered to the code of Chivalry. Any free man could become a knight but the process of becoming a knight and equipping a knight with a horse was very costly this meant that knights would generally come from a noble, or wealthy family. A potential knight had to have the right connections. The honour of being a knight eventually passed from a knight to his sons.

Knights were essential for providing security and a sense of safety during the Middle Ages. Knights took a rigorous training process to learn every aspect of medieval warfare and to acquire skills needed for knighthood. After training was complete, the knights would have to abide by the Code of Chivalry which they learned about during their training. An ordinary Knight’s life involved forty days of service a year to their lord, as well as frequent practice to hone their skills. Although knights were skillful and brave in battle, as Europe crawled out of the Middle Ages, their services were no longer needed.

The Christian religions rise to supremacy in the middle ages was the result of several factors. Christians had long been persecuted by the Roman Empire because the Romans felt that Christianity challenged and offended the Greco-Roman Gods and the Christians were prone to revolt against Roman rule. Christianity survived because it had many teachings that appealed to the downtrodden in Roman society, these teachings being that even though they were suffering they would gain equality and possibly superiority in the next life, Christianity gave them hope.

Not anyone can become a knight it has to be a seven year old boy born of noble birth and he would be sent to Nobleman to train to become a knight. When he becomes fourteen he will be apprenticed to a knight and serve as a squires. If the young knight is successful as a squire he will become a knight at the age of 21. According to Gies “The knight may be defined from three different stand points, each of them important: the military, economic, and the social.”(Gies).

A knight is a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armor. They were well-trained fighters, “knights were military retainers, often of humble means, but defined by their military vocation and their ability rather than any lineages”( Richard). They surfaced in the Middle Ages because it was a time when Lords needed protections along with their territories. To become a knight was not easy there were many steps towards fulfilling knighthood. Not only did it take years of training to become a knight, but it also took bravery, courtesy, and honor known as chivalry and courtly love. A man without those qualities did not have what it takes to play this role. Knights of the Middle Ages were first and premier warriors who fought from horseback, wore body covering armor, and used weapons such as swords and daggers to fight and protect in battle.

Western civilization can be traced back to the Western Mediterranean and Western Europe. It has been linked by many Historians to the Roman Empire, as well as with Medieval Western Christendom which came out of the Middle Ages in order to experience transformative ideas such as the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment. On the surface it may seem that there are abundant reasons to why Western Civilization was able to develop and grow during the Middle Ages. But ultimately it comes down to three main reasons Western Civilization in the Middle Ages was able to grow so rapidly. With all of this said, In order to truly understand how Western European Civilization was able to flourish and grow during the Middle Ages, one must look at the role of the Church during these times, how war and conflict shaped territories, and how disease and famine changed the world. First, during the Medieval Ages the Catholic Church was able to rise to one of the most powerful institutions in Europe. Second, wars such as the Crusades where the Catholic Church began to start military expeditions, otherwise known as Crusades, to kick Muslims out from what they considered the Holy Land. Finally, diseases such as the Black Death changed the way people during the Western Civilization acted and felt.