Life of a Medieval Knight - Essay Example

YOUR FULL YOUR THE The Life of a Knight The life of a medieval knight has been portrayed in romantic literature and cinema as one of glamour and ease. We are given images of strong men on big horses, wearing iron suits and carrying large weapons, engaging in courtly courtesies with fair maidens. We are shown heroes defeating dragons or enemies of the kingdom and valiantly overcoming all obstacles. The reality, however, is more mundane; and more dangerous. While the medieval knight certainly wore armor, rode on chargers, and engaged in courtly politics, the reality is that he also lived his life under the constant stress of managing his estate, engaging in warfare both real and simulated, as well as conducting himself in such a way as to comport with the social expectations and the chivalric code of his day. Considering the everyday life that the knight actually endured, a thorough investigation reveals his existence to be more rigorous, dangerous, and demanding than that described in stories. One of the most easily-recognized aspects of the life of the knight is his castle. The romantic notion of a shiny building on a hill is not so realistic. The idea of even having a castle was rooted in the need to defend the land; it was a necessity for protection from Viking or other foreign raiders as well as rival political factions in the kingdom. Early castles were little more than dirt berms reinforced with timber beams. As civil society developed, the castle evolved into a center of commerce, more comfortable quarters for the knight’s family and servants as well as a key military defense post. In terms of its protective role, Singman notes that an “[e]ffective response to the military challenges of the medieval world required the power of a great lord...[and] the castle had arisen as the distinctive seat of a great feudal lords power” (105). The family of the knight also lived in the castle, and the local village populations looked to it as a source of protection, provision, and justice. In addition to providing military support for the kingdom, the knight was charged with overseeing the provision of the necessities of life and arbitrating the quarrels of the residents within his area. When he wasn’t fighting, the knight was ensuring that enough food, fuel, supplies, and entertainment were there for his people. He would also spend time sitting in a large room and settling the disputes of his serfs, much like a modern-day judge. His daily life, in addition to fighting or practicing his combat skills, was filled with family and social obligations. In terms of his management responsibilities, the knight was required to ensure that the land under his rule was used efficiently. This meant that he oversee the serfs’ planting, harvesting, and storage activities. Further, he was responsible for protecting his people from common criminals and raiders. The agricultural and social management of a large section of land, with its many residents, is often under-appreciated or unmentioned by those who portray the life of a knight. It is a fact, however, that being a knight involved far more than just fighting. His castle was an important and rigorous part of his life, and the upkeep, maintenance, and general management of the estate formed a large element of his daily concerns. The second key component for a knight’s daily life was focused upon his combat duties. These included training for war, engaging in tournaments, and fighting actual battles. The knight had a large personal choice of weapons, and his duties on the field of battle required that he be adept at both using and defending himself with the developing weapons of the day. It wasn’t just about swords. As Kagay points out, “longswords still faced competition from other popular weapons including the battleaxe, poleaxe, spear, and various [other weapons]..., the choice of weapons was a highly individual matter” (460). This meant that the knight was required to practice often on honing his battle skills just to ensure his survival in combat. Further, there were tournaments that provided both opportunity to practice non-lethal battle techniques, as well as social elements such as reputation for skill, entertainment for the people, and the opportunity to impress the royalty. In these mock battles, the knight could compete against his peers in swordplay, jousting, and other categories of practical combat skills. These tournaments grew in popularity and importance over the years, and as they did so, the knight was expected to participate. Finally, beyond training and tournaments, the knight was called upon to engage in actual mortal combat. Whether facing the enemies of his country or fighting foreign raiders and common bandits, part of the knight’s daily life was knowing that he might be placed in a very dangerous combat situation at any time. Medieval battle was terribly brutal, as anyone can imagine. This danger, and the potential for loss of life, was a daily possibility and stands as an example of the knight’s courage. Beyond the military and estate maintenance issues, and the combat practice and reality, the knight was expected to adhere to a specific code of conduct, known as chivalry. Chivalry is defined by author Prestage as “that peculiar and often fantastic code of etiquette and morals which was grafted upon feudalism in the eleventh and succeeding centuries” (2). There was a sense of honor, with its attendant actions, that governed the knight’s daily life and attitude toward his royal loyalties, his peer relationships, and his care of the subordinates living under him. It was within this code that the knight functioned both idealistically and practically. In terms of the ideal of chivalry, the knight carried an expectation that he would, in Edmund Spenser’s words, be “[r]ight faithfull true...in deede and word” (4). It was the principles of faithfulness and truth that governed the knight’s mindset. He was daily mindful of being faithful to his king or queen, his family, and those who looked to him for protection. He had to be truthful and just at all times, as he administered justice to his own people, and as he dealt with his peers and superiors. It was not good enough, however, that he merely keep to these ideals; he had to act in such a way as to demonstrate them every day. The knight’s behavior was the outward expression of his inward ideals. As Chaucer wrote in his The Tales of Canterbury, the knight was to be a worthy man, and Chaucer’s knight is described as loving “chivalrie, trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie” (3). It was within the element of courtesy that the chivalric code developed into a complex set of behaviors toward women, the underprivileged, and even enemies faced in combat. If a knight did not evidence these behaviors, he was not in compliance with the code of conduct that ruled his day. It was a demanding code that he lived by, and any violation of the rules was cause for a bad reputation, a loss of honor, and even the possibility of discipline from his superiors. In conclusion, it is fair to say that there have been many portrayals of the daily life of the medieval knight. Most of these focus on the high points of chivalrous conduct and brave battle. While containing a part of the truth, these presentations do not consider the full aspects of the knight’s daily life. His life was not one of ease; it was rigorous, dangerous, and demanding. As the knight awoke each morning, he knew that his day would be full of significant responsibilities, dangerous activities, and comportment with the highest codes of conduct. He was expected to be the very embodiment of the high principles and behaviors that reflected his society. Works Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. “The Knight’s Tale.” The Tales of Canterbury: Complete. Ed. Robert A. Pratt. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974 Eyewitness Books. ­Knight. New York: DK Publishing, 2004. Kagay, Donald J. The Hundred Years War: A Wider Focus. Boston: Brill Publishing, 2005 Prestage, Edward. Chivalry: A Series of Studies to Illustrate Its Historical Significance and Civilizing Influence. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1928 Singman, Jeffrey. Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1999 Spenser, Edmund. “The First Booke of the Faerie Queene.” Spenser Poetical Works. Eds. Smith, J.C. and de Selincourt, E. London: Oxford University Press, 1970. THESIS STATEMENT When one considers where he lived, what he did, and what he believed, the life of a medieval knight was not the glamorous existence portrayed in romantic novels and movies; it was rigorous, dangerous, and demanding. OUTLINE I. Introduction II. The Castle A. Necessity for defense B. Role for family and serfs C. Management of the estate III. The Combat A. Training B. Tournament Life C. War IV. The Code A. Chivalry B. Ideals C. Behavior V. Conclusion Read More