Medieval Knights

 Training for Knighthood

Training for knighthood during medieval times usually began at an early age. Often the prospective knight was sent to live

with a relative or lord who had the resources to train the young boy (also known as a Page) in use of weapons and, most importantly, the skills to handle a horse in combat. In

addition to some training in basic literacy skills, Pages learned how to fight with a spear and a sword, whilst strength was gained through wrestling with other boys.

A knight-in-training would often serve as a squire (assistant) for an established knight, attending his needs, helping him don his armour, and making ready his horse and weapons. The word "squire" comes from a French word meaning "shield-bearer."

As Squires they were seen as men capable of fighting in battles. This then meant that their Knighthood training became far more dangerous. Injuries were a common occurrence. Skills with the lance, an important part of a knight’s weaponry, had to be perfected. The tool used in the practice of the lance was called the quintain. The quintain consisted of a shield and dummy which was suspended from a swinging pole. When the shield was hit by a charging squire, the whole apparatus would rotate. The squire's task was to avoid the rotating arms and not get knocked from his saddle. A variation of the quintain added heavy swinging sandbags which also had to be avoided. Accuracy was also an important factor and squires practised "Running at the Rings" where the lance was aimed at a target in the shape of a ring - these rings were obviously much smaller to lance than a man and this skill was therefore difficult to master.

Once his training was completed and he reached "fighting age" (usually around 16-20 years old), he would ceremoniously become a full-fledged knight. The ceremony became more elaborate as the Middle Ages progressed, until only the richest nobles or a king could afford to "knight" someone.

The Duties of a Knight

The new knight now served his liege lord (which may or may not be the king himself), bound to offer military service up to 40 days a year in peace time, more, as needed, in war time. Military duties included castle guard, serving in the lord's "bodyguard", and participating in battle.

Apart from military duties the knight could also participate in administering justice (as part of assizes--a medieval form of our modern juries), manage his estates (which was his prime source of income), and continue to hone his combat skills in tournament.

Equipment

The most important piece of equipment for a Knight was his warhorse. The knight's effectiveness depended greatly on his ability to stay mounted on his

horse during combat. With the advent of the stirrup during the 8th and 9th centuries, a man could brace

himself on horseback as he charged the ranks of his enemy, transferring the power of man and charging horse onto his opponent. This "shock" combat by

mounted men armed with a spear or couched lance, and protected with armour, proved a powerful military innovation.

Even though he might dismount to fight, the war horse gave him status, speed, manoeuvrability, and extra height in battle.

The sword was a standard fighting weapon long before the evolution of the medieval knight. Nevertheless, the medieval knight found the sword to be an effective weapon. Medieval swords usually were made from a mild steel (low carbon steel). Most swords were double-edged, and featured a crossguard, hilt, and pommel. Many surviving examples of medieval swords feature some form of engraving, such as a prayer, or the sword owner's name. How

elaborate the sword was decorated depended upon its owner's wealth, with some of the more intricate ones encrusted with jewels and fine engravings.

YEAR 5 READING VIPERS- Knights and castles

Extract we are using:

Medieval Knights- various reference sources TES/Lordsandladies website

Vocabulary to discuss:

BRONZE SILVER GOLDMedieval suspended manoeuvrability

What did a Page learn to fight with? [1]

Approximately how old was a Page? [1]

Use the text to explain what a quintain was and what it was used for [2]

State two duties of a knight [2]

Give reasons as to why a war horse was a valuable piece of equipment for a knight [ 2]

What type of text is this? Use the features and language to state the type of text (genre). [2]

Using information from the text, do you think that being a knight was easy? [2]

YEAR 5 READING VIPERS- ANSWERS

Inverness castle (non-fiction reading example)

BRONZE SILVER GOLDMedieval-from the middle ages post Roman until 15th

century

Suspended- to hang from (above) in this extract.

Manoeuvrability- ease with which the person/thing can be moved or directed.

Sword and spear

Younger than 16-20. Old enough to learn to ride a horse/ work with a spear/ learn to fight.

A quintain was a type of dummy for the squire to practice fighting. One point to describe its features- A dummy on a swinging pole It could rotate, it might have a shield attached for target practice with a lance or sandbags for the squire to attack.

Any two from-Serve his liege lord as a bodyguardOr castle guardIn the lord’s army in warOr 40 days in peacetime of serviceAdminister justice (like a juror)Manage his land and farms (estate)Take part in tournaments

Any two of-It gave him height in battle over opponentsIt gave him the ability to charge at opponentsIt gave him speedHe could move about the battlefield (manoeuvre)It made him look powerful or important/statusOne mark for identifying the text type: information text or non-chronological reports.One further mark for any feature (must have supporting evidence copied from the text to receive the mark):

Information organised into paragraphs with sub headings- training for knighthood, duties of a knight, equipment.

Factual and technical language- eg.carbon steel, spear, couched lance, assizes, liege lord, squires, quintain.

Formal tone- eg. In combat, the ceremony, now served, could also participate, the knight’s effectiveness, ability to stay mounted.

Third person, past tense- eg. The knight’s effectiveness depended greatly..Either 2 points for or against or allow an example from both lists to answer both yes and no in some ways.No- dangerous trainingNo – expected to go into battle which was dangerousNo- sent to live away at a young agedOrYes- a knight had help- squiresHe had land/income and so would be well off in medieval timesA knight was well trainedA knight had enough wealth to have the weapons and horse ready for battleYes- 40 days service a year isn’t much to pay back for the training.