How You Became a Knight in Medieval Times
During medieval times all throughout Europe, fearless warriors who fought wars and countless battles for their King were known as knights. To become a knight was a most highly esteemed position to be bestowed upon only the most worthy. Knights were the true warriors of the battlefield and were held in the highest regard for their abilities and chivalry. During the heat of battle knights displayed tremendous courage and defied fear to conquer their opponents. While there were many fearless and courageous Knights, there were even more individuals seeking to become Knights. When seeking knighthood, many perspective men sought out to do what ever it took to wear the armor and carry the designation of Knight.
To officially become a Knight, a prospective candidate had to have been lucky enough to be born into a noble family. Noble families had the means to facilitate training and stewardship to allow their sons to obtain knighthood. Perspective young men usually served as pages and were mentored under a Knight to learn the proper behavior and skills. When pages reached the age of 14 they were then transitioned into a squire. Squires were given more responsibility than that of pages and often times they were trained in combat. The training consisted of utilizing wooden poles to mimic swords in an effort to enhance their sword fighting skills. If a squire showed a high degree of proficiency and carried a track record that set them apart from the rest, their training would conclude in a dubbing ceremony. The ceremony would see the squire graduate to knighthood. This iconic ceremony is often repeated today, as the Squires mentor would touch each of the young man shoulders with the sword symbolizing the ascension to knighthood. This event often culminated in joyous celebration.
When people ask the question, how does one become a Knight, the progression from page to knighthood took many years and countless hours of training and preparation. One of the most important factors to allow students the opportunity to get knighted started with the family. Boys often asked how to become a knight quickly. If the boy did not have the appropriate family heritage often times it was extremely difficult for them to be eligible. The Kings lords and barons were ultimately responsible in training young men how to become a Knight. Through these men they learned the basics and principles surrounding how to become a knight of great honor and respect.
The road to knighthood was extremely difficult and often times deadly for many young men. To become Knighted was an extremely sought after position and only a few ever achieved this position. The mystique and aura of the Knights commanded was felt throughout the Middle Ages as these fearless warriors engaged in battle over and over again protecting the kingdom of their leader. The life of a full-fledged Knight was marked with combat and constant vigilance. These fearless warriors will be forever remembered for their honor and bravery while they proudly wore the armor of their kingdom.
I live in North Carolina with my two dogs and my wife, who thinks that I should have been born a few hundred years ago. I'm obsessed with medieval history, and I recently made a site called Knight Certification. You can go there and become knighted under one of three orders. Each order is represented by a knight with his own story and journal. It's a novelty site and I think it helps people remember what knightly virtues is all about. Plus it's great fun and an awesome present for kids or any other history buff. Check us out at http://www.knightcertification.com/ for more info.
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