Knights and Chivalry
Chivalry is an ideal system of behavior that was influenced by the church and gradually formed during the 11th and 12th centuries. It represented a code of honor and ethics, or moral virtues, that knights were sworn to live by. This code included bravery in combat, religious piety, and manners for behaving in court.Ā
Pages
The process of becoming a knight was only available to the nobility and they had to start training at an early age. There were three stages to becoming a knight and the first one was to be a page.Ā By the age of seven or eight, young boys were sent to be trained by the families of other nobles.
During this first stage of training, the boys served as pages, meaning they acted as a servant for a knight. In exchange for education and training, pages served all of the knightā€™s needs.
Squires
The second stage of training was to be a squire. At this stage the boy learned how to handle weapons properly, as well as how to fight, hunt, joust, and ride a horse.
These were critical skills that would be needed in the life of a knight and the training lasted throughout the boyā€™s teenage years.
Knights
By the age of 21, when a squire had mastered all of the skills necessary, he was ready to be dubbed a knight. This took place in a formal ceremony led by the knightā€™s sponsor.
The dubbing was a ceremonial tapping of three times on the shoulders with a sword blade that officially made the young man a knight. After that, he returned home where he practiced his fighting skills by jousting and in battle.
Knights then demonstrated the code of chivalry through a combination of noble virtues and actions. Knights pledged to defend the weak and uphold justice. They often participated in tournaments to hone their combat skills and prove their valor.
Most importantly, however,Ā knights protected their lord's interestsĀ and served as protectors of the realm.Ā Adherence to chivalry meant treating captives and opponents with respect and fairness, even in times of war. By embodying these principles, medieval knights showcased their prowess and cultivated a sense of nobility, integrity, and duty that defined the ideals of their era.