Knights - Origin, Characteristics and Weapons

Photo Source: nauka.club

The Middle Ages championed romanticism and sophistication, and are still studied today. But not all his fans know who Knights are. Cinema and literature do not fully convey the nuances of life and activities of brave warriors.

This estate played a significant role in the distribution of European territories, it was no less important than the clergy and peasants. 

Origin of the concept 

In Western Europe, since the reign of Charlemagne, a mounted army has appeared. Soldiers served their vassals, they completely refused to conduct their own economy. Soldiers devoted their whole lives to service. The etymology of the word "knight" has several roots. 

Its meaning was almost identical in different languages:

• French - chevalier, from "cheval" - horse; 
• English - Knight, a mounted soldier in armor; 
• German is a ritter, a horseman.

It was believed that knights, along with priests, feudal lords and peasants, played a significant role in shaping society. They helped to eliminate disorder, protected the king, participated in wars and campaigns. And about romanticism and the exploits of horsemen and there are still legends. 

Education of young men 

Knights were raised in special conditions. According to information from historical documents, the main thing for young men was the ability to wield weapons, stay well in the saddle, dance and sing, be gallant. Literacy was an optional condition. A knight might not be able to read and write. For seven years, he had to serve an experienced man - to clean his weapons and horse, to monitor his uniforms. 

Then the future rider underwent a special rite of initiation. This procedure indicated that the young man was moving to independence and maturity. The ceremony took place in several stages. The boy was put on spurs, girded with a sword and given a slap - the only one in life to which a knight should not respond. After that, the young man had to deftly jump on his horse and pierce the installed target with a spear. 

Later, the rite was changed under pressure from the church. Before the day of initiation, the young man had to spend the whole night in the chapel praying. At dawn, he laid out his weapons on the altar and dedicated them to God. Then the boy was put on a silk white shirt and a scarlet surco. These two colors symbolized the purity and blood that a knight would shed in the name of faith. And he also wore brown pants, indicating that after death, every person returns to the ground. 

Armor and weapons 

The Middle Ages are also called the age of chain mail. But there was little metal to produce them, so they were very expensive. And the manufacturing process itself required a lot of effort and time. All the uniforms and weapons of the knight of the Middle Ages, together with the horse, were estimated at 15 mares or 45 dairy cows, and this is the farm of one village.

Horsemen wore high-quality clothes and weapons:

• quilted shirt.
• scaly and plate armor.
• later chain mail.
• chain stockings.
• dome-shaped helmets.
• Shields; long spear.
• iron sword.

On the naked body of the young man wore long quilted shirts. Less wealthy knights wore armor sewn from two layers of leather. Put this caftan over the head or tie it on the back. Later, metal scales began to be sewn on leather parts. 

Then there was chain mail - a special uniform consisting of one or more rows of steel rings. It hung down to the knees, and for convenience had incisions in the back and front. Chain mail quickly supplanted leather armor. 

Metal stockings were put on the legs of the young man, and chain mail was complemented by hoods and long sleeves. The head was protected by a helmet. It was worn over a soft hood. At first, it resembled a dome with cheeks and a nozzle. And at the end of the XII century, pot-shaped helmets appeared. They covered not only the head, but also the shoulders. The top could be bent forward. At the same time, the internal volume expanded, which reduced the risk of injury to the face. 

The main weapon of the knights is the spear, it was used to attack the enemy. The equipment was made of ash pole and a tip of iron. But horsemen could use the spear only after the invention of stirrups. Before that, they didn't have a foothold to lift up in the saddle. Although the weapon could be called strong, it rarely survived one tournament. 

The spear was not enough to conduct a full-fledged battle. Knights also used swords made of iron. The weapon was long and massive, it was given nicknames. King Arthur has Excalibur, Rolland has Durandal. The hilts were decorated with precious stones, and the swords themselves were passed from father to son, as a family heirloom. 

Features of coats of arms 

The knight's coat of arms was depicted on a shield and a surco. Its main part was of geometric shape, and it was painted with different colors, depicting heraldry and symbolic pictures. If the shield of the coat of arms consisted of several colors, then the surco was sewn from fabric of the same shades. At first, coats of arms were used only during military campaigns, but later they migrated to everyday life. They were depicted on furniture and costumes to emphasize the title and title of knight. 

Since the riders appeared in the ring or battlefield, chained in armor, they could not be distinguished - they looked the same. And so they invented coats of arms - distinctive signs that adorned shields and helmets. Many stories about knights are associated with them. One famous crusader, an Austrian duke, became so stained in blood during the battle that his white clothes remained clean only under his belt. Upon returning home, he made himself a new coat of arms: a white belt in a red field. 

The famous Aragon received a new distinctive sign also on the battlefield. 

As a delight for his courage, King Charles the Bald dipped his fingers in knightly blood and ran them across the golden coat of arms of the warrior. The most complex drawings were of knights who performed outstanding deeds. 

The basis of the coat of arms was a shield. 

Its form depended on the country where the warrior lived:

• oval — Italy.
• triangular - Normandy.
• square with rounded bottom — Spain.
• quadrangular with pointed end - France.
• figured — Germany.

Coats of arms were decorated with furs, precious metals and stones, enamel. They could be monochromatic or multi-colored, beveled or crossed. The shades used symbolized the qualities possessed by the knight. 

Red - passion and courage, green spoke of love of freedom and hope, blue meant clarity of mind and greatness, purple - power, gold indicated nobility and wealth, silver implied a noble character, black - modesty and sorrow. 

The older and richer the rider's clan, the more patterns were depicted on his coat of arms.

Definition of common drawings: 

crane - caution.

lion - courage and strength.

vulture - ferocity.

unicorn - invincibility.

wolf is anger.

cat - independence.

rooster - belligerence.

peacock - boasting.

Boar is fearlessness.

Arrangement of locks 

During the Middle Ages, many castles were built. In England alone, more than 300 of them were erected in a few years. In this era, the first castles were rectangular wooden towers surrounded by a garden, a moat and a rampart. The donjon consisted of several floors, and it was possible to move from one to another with the help of an attached staircase. On the first, ballast was stored, the second served as a warehouse, and on the third the feudal lord preferred to live with his family. 

Stone structures appeared at the end of the XI century. This material began to be used so that enemies could not burn and destroy castles. Although in the first years of the century, the transitions between the floors remained wooden, which is why fires often occurred. The central tower was supplemented with corner ones, and the moat in front of the fortress wall was filled with water. It was possible to get to the entrance to the knight's castle by a drawbridge. 

And it was also necessary to overcome one or more forged metal lattices. Usually there were two entrances: one for pedestrians, and the second for knights-riders. Some castles have retained their original appearance to modern times, the rest remain only a description in documents and books. 

The warriors were very brave. To capture the castle, they needed to fill in the ditches, put stairs to the walls and climb up them. The besieged often pushed them off the roof, and the women splashed boiling water and hot tar in their faces, poured ash and lime. Because of such difficulties, they tried to burn the castles, and anger was spilled out with the help of robbery, drunkenness and violence. 

Later, new and improved old stenobit guns were invented. Antique battering rams and motorhomes were popular, and then petraria appeared. This machine, by means of a counterweight, threw cargo on the walls of the castle. 

Greek fire was also often used. Special siphons launched a combustible mixture of resin, oil and sulfur into the towers. Knights were engaged only in military affairs, refused to conduct the household on their own, but at the same time they had their own property - castles, stables, estates. All affairs were conducted instead by managers and clerks. They reported to the knights on the condition of the property, monitored the fields and gardens, houses and jewels. 

Activities of the Knights 

Knights spent most of their lives in war: they participated in battles with other states, as well as in internecine battles. 

But when everything was calm in the country, they found other things to do: 

• hunt.
• Feasts.
• social gatherings.
• Tournaments. 

The life of the knights was well arranged. Since they were not engaged in housekeeping (this was contrary to the ethics of the military class), they had to look for other entertainment. The hardest times came in the winter. 

I had to sit by the fireplaces to keep warm. The rooms of the castles were well heated, but in the corridors the walls were covered with ice from the inside. In the evenings, the knights played dice and chess, arranged drunken fights. 

In the summer, the castles came to life, it became much warmer. Wandering circus performers came to the cities, they were invited to the knights. And traveling monks often became sources of new information. The study of history and the political situation is what the knights did in their spare time. 

The characteristics of feasts differ from those that will be held after 2-3 centuries. The tables in the knight's castles were better than those of the peasants, but in winter even the warriors had to starve. Cooks prepared game and birds caught on the hunt - deer, wild boar, hares, partridges, pheasants, river fish. And also on the tables there were always fresh vegetables and fruits, cheeses, sweet pies. It was not customary to drink water, so the thirst was quenched with milk, cider, beer. 

There is one interesting fact about knights: they did not know how to shoot a bow. These weapons were considered inferior, intended only for peasants. Birds were hunted with falcons, and boars and deer were walked with spears and daggers. 

For exercises in the military craft, young men participated in tournaments. They pursued different goals: they sought to become famous, to receive a monetary reward, to fall in love with a noble lady. Usually, knights acted as part of a team that was patronized by a captain or coach. Until the very end, they remained loyal to their vassal. But there were also uprisings for various reasons. 

Love relationships were of great importance to the knights. They married most often out of convenience, rarely the spouse was chosen because of feelings. But each rider had a lady of the heart, whom he praised - dedicated poems and fought in tournaments for her recognition. The theme of love was popular at the time. The more victories a knight has, the more successful he was considered in his circles.