Knights weren’t just armored warriors. In the Middle Ages, they were fighters, celebrities, and sometimes, eccentric characters.

Becoming a Knight
Training began at age seven as a page, learning courtly manners and swordplay. As a squire, you shadowed a knight, caring for armor and weapons. Only after proving your skill in battle would you kneel for the ceremonial sword tap that made you a knight.

Life in Armor
A full suit of plate armor could weigh 60 pounds, turning even simple tasks into a challenge. But knights weren’t always on the battlefield—tournaments were their version of pro sports, part combat, part spectacle, and sometimes pure obsession.

Unforgettable Knights

• William Marshal: A tournament fanatic who rose from landless knight to one of England’s most powerful men, serving four kings.

• El Cid: A legendary warrior who fought for both Christian and Muslim rulers, earning the title “The Lord.”

• Ulrich von Liechtenstein: A 13th-century knight who once jousted dressed as the goddess Venus—all for love.

Chivalry and the Code
Knights swore to protect the weak, uphold honor, and serve with loyalty. Reality didn’t always live up to legend, but the Code of Chivalry shaped the ideal of knighthood for centuries.

The Decline of Knights
Gunpowder and cannons eventually made armor obsolete, but the knight’s image never faded. 

Today, knighthood survives in ceremonial honors like the Order of the Garter—yes, the members still wear garters.