The classic image of a knight is that of a soldier fighting the enemies of his Lord and King on horseback, upholding the principles of chivalry. The knighthood is thought to date back to the Ordo Equestris, nobles at the turn of ancient Rome. The image of the knight, however, comes from the "Chanson de Roland" and other legends related to Charlemagne and his paladins, which spread between France and England with the conquest by the Normans in 1066. Historically, the Knighthood can only be hired by a small circle of people, but several ways to become a knight have sprung up in the last century.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Become a Medieval Knight
Step 1. Being born into the nobility
In the feudal era, the opportunity to become a knight was, in fact, restricted to the nobility alone, since only this possessed the necessary comforts to possess and maintain the horse, armor and weapons necessary for a knight to defend the lands of his lord.
A family could be made part of the nobility (ennobled) by the king if one of its members performed an extraordinary service worthy of a knight
Step 2. Being born male
Although in modern times both men and women can be knighted, historically it only happened to men as an established custom. In fact, the word "knight" (in English "knight") derives from the Anglo-Saxon term "cniht", or "boy". There were, however, some exceptions.
- In 1149, the Order of the Accept (Orden de la Hacha) was created to honor the women of the city of Tortosa in Catalonia (Spain), who dressed as men to repel the Moors who had invaded their city. They were made the equivalent of the knights.
- Legends related to Charlemagne present the adventures of a female knight named Bradamante (Bradamant), who was Charlemagne's nephew. However, Bradamante initially pretended to be a man until he met and fell in love with Rogero (Ruggiero).
Step 3. Learn from your parents what it means to be a knight
In the early years of his life, a boy learns the manners needed to be a knight from his parents, who tell him stories of chivalrous adventures and take him to tournaments. And play with swords and wooden shields against the feudal lord's imaginary enemies.
Step 4. Become a page
At the age of 7, a boy becomes a page (also called varlet, or "little vassal") in the service of a nobleman and the ladies of the court who reside under the nobleman's roof. He wears the colors of the lord and is placed under the tutelage of the older pages in his service. As a page, his services are divided between house duties, physical activities and education.
- Household duties include serving as a waiter and assistant waiter at the noble's table, looking after the lord's clothes and helping him dress (which includes helping the lord put on and take off armor during tournaments).
- Physical activities include learning to ride and hunt, both with weapons and with a hawk. The art of the sword learned with his parents becomes more formal here, and the page also learns to use the spear by riding a horse on wheels pulled by two pages towards a target.
- Education is based on manners learned from one's parents, and includes religious teachings and intellectual skills gained through games such as chess and backgammon.
- The more affluent the noble, the greater the prestige of being in his service as a page. But the more affluent the noble, the more pages he will have in his service and the greater the competition between them for status in his home.
Step 5. Become a squire
Generally at the age of 14, but sometimes even 10, a page is welcomed as an apprentice by a knight as his own armigero or squire, from the French "escuyer", which stands for "bearer of the shield". In this role, those who study as a knight were seen as a young man and, therefore, had greater obligations, responsibilities and expectations than when they were a page.
- The duties of the house linked to serving at the table of the noble are thus shifted in the same way in respect of the knight. The squire helps the knight with his armor and takes care of it, assisting him both in tournaments and in battle, also taking care of his horse. A squire who assisted the lord of the castle in this way was called "squire of the body" and was considered to be the one of higher rank among the squires of the castle.
- Sword and spear trainings on fake horses are now being replaced with real weapons. Squires also had to learn to swim and be able to storm a castle.
- Lessons on manners include the code of the knights (conduct in battle and consideration for those who the knight served and protected), as well as music and dance. Squires also learned the art of heraldry, their own symbols and those of other noble houses, so that they could distinguish enemies from friends on the battlefield.
Step 6. Being invested as a knight
Assuming that the squire has shown himself worthy in his own learning, at the age of 21 he was awarded as a knight (in some cases, such as the one of particular value shown in combat, he could receive this honor first, as well as many promotions are granted on the field nowadays, and with a shorter ritual). The formal assignment ceremony followed a very precise ritual according to the following passages.
- A night vigil in the castle chapel where the future knight serves, including a ritual bath to symbolically purify the candidate. The candidate was dressed in white, symbolizing purity, and covered with a red robe to represent nobility. On her feet and legs she wore black shoes and stockings to represent her life ready to be given to the service of her lord and cavalry if necessary. The sword and shield he would carry as a knight were placed on the altar of the chapel, while the candidate kneeled or stood in front of it in silent prayer for 10 hours.
- In the morning, a mass was held with a sermon on the duties of the knight. At this point, the candidate's friends and family were present. The priest blessed the sword and shield and passed them to the knight's sponsor, who then passed them to the lord who would conduct the ceremony. He could be the lord of the castle, a high ranking nobleman or even the king (in the time of Henry VIII, only the reigning monarch conferred the knighthood).
- Two sponsors presented the knight to the lord, in whose presence the knight swore an oath of allegiance by pledging to drive out traitors, to treat women with great respect and to observe all the rituals of the Church. The lord then presents the sword and shield to the knight and touches him on the shoulders with the plate of the sword or his hand, saying: “I name you Sir”. Sponsors put the sword and its scabbard around the knight's flank and spurs at his heels, and at this point the knight can use the term "Sir" himself.
- Becoming a knight means being able to afford the expenses associated with that honor. The squires who could not afford it were called "patrina weapon", and were allowed to carry lance and shield, but they did not possess anything else of the knight's trousseau.
Method 2 of 4: Becoming a Knight in the British Empire
Step 1. Be deserving in the field
While medieval knighthood was a prize for military merit, modern knighthood in the UK is bestowed for particular merit in one's field, be it business and industry, education, science, religion or entertainment.
There are five levels of honor in the Order of the British Empire: Knight of the Grand Cross (GBE), Knight Commander (KBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE). Only the first two are allowed to use the title before their name
Step 2. Be a citizen of Great Britain
The medieval knighthood was granted only to men, while the modern one can also be granted to women, who are called "Dama" instead of "Sir". However, in order to be called "Sir" or "Dama" one must be a British citizen.
Non-citizens cannot obtain knighthood, but can receive an honorary title on the recommendation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They do not get the official ceremony, and cannot use the title associated with being a knight or lady, although they may use the order's initials after their names such as knights with British citizenship. If they later became British citizens, they could apply for the full title of knighthood
Step 3. Being invested as a knight
The ceremony can be public or private and includes an investiture by the reigning monarch or a member of the royal family acting on his behalf. This is followed by the presentation of the sign.
- Unlike medieval knights, modern knights do not carry military obligations towards the Crown.
- Clergy members who obtain knighthood are not invested, as the use of the sword would not be appropriate to their state. They don't even use the title associated with becoming a knight or lady.
Method 3 of 4: Become a Knight in the SCA
Step 1. Obey the laws of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), your realm and related barony
The purpose of the SCA is to educate and entertain its members and others by recreating different aspects of medieval society, from daily activities to one-on-one combat. As a member of the SCA, you are subject to its laws and those of the regional (realm) and local (barony, canton, college, or county) group you belong to to maintain order, as medieval knights were subject to the laws of their own kingdom to ensure order inside. Just as medieval knights were seen as exemplary for the laws to which they were subject, so will you as a knight within the organization.
Step 2. Respect your superiors
Regional groups / realms are led by a king and queen, while smaller groups are led by a seneschal. You must show these people the respect due to them by virtue of their position; if you become a knight, you will have to take an oath of allegiance to them.
Step 3. Participate in SCA events
If you want to become a knight of the SCA, then you must participate in the events of the SCA. You don't have to participate at all, but at least try some of the different activities, finding the ones that suit you best. You will have to compete in tournaments, but you don't have to limit yourself to those. Participation also involves doing the following.
- Play your part to the best of your ability. You don't have to be perfectly realistic, but you do have to do a reasonably thorough job, and you can always ask for help if you want.
- Share your knowledge with others and be ready to learn from them. If you have knowledge or skills that other members can benefit from, share it. Likewise, be ready to learn how much they have to teach you; you may acquire new skills and new friends.
- Share your resources with others as much as you can afford. Referred to as “hospitality,” this means giving your time and talents to help other members beyond teaching. They range from lending your sword to someone who broke it to organizing an event.
Step 4. Demonstrate behavior worthy of a knight of the kingdom
You must treat with courtesy and respect not only your superiors, but also your teammates and, if you take part in a tournament, your opponents. You may be part of a culture where courtesy isn't exactly a hallmark, but you can't use it as an excuse to misbehave at an event (the Prince Valiant comic's protagonist was of Nordic blood, but he behaved appropriately for an event. knight of King Arthur's court, not as a Viking warrior).
- One form of courtesy expected of a knight is the defense of the honor of one's spouse (the SCA grants knighthood to men and women; your spouse is therefore your half). Wear a sign, or symbol, that identifies your spouse during a tournament; your actions in a tournament reflect not only on you, but on her as well.
- You can, however, incorporate those elements of your personality that suit courtesy, such as taking off your hat with a flourish when your horse shows up in front of the queen.
Step 5. Carry out your duties in combat mode
You need to develop your tournament fighting skills to the point where you can reasonably face any opponent, regardless of whether you win or not.
Step 6. Get honored by your monarch on the recommendation of other knights
Many realms have a council that suggests candidates for knighthood to the monarch. Knowing these people can help you in your quest, but it is only the monarch who decides.
- Although the best known, the SCA (born in the United States but also based in Europe) is not the only organization that evokes medieval history. Other similar organizations closer to you may also offer the opportunity to become a knight, presumably with similar standards to those of the SCA.
- Whatever organization you belong to, it will be better to focus on the path to knighthood rather than knighthood itself. Spend your time mostly honoring others and less worrying about when you will receive your honors.
Method 4 of 4: Other Ways to Be a Knight
Step 1. Join a civil or religious organization
There are several organizations that use the term "knight" in their titles, which can be acquired by climbing their ranks.
Step 2. Purchase the title
You can earn the title of "knight" simply by paying a membership fee in some organizations or by enrolling in a rewards program that includes the title of "knight".
Step 3. Join an organization that promotes the ideals of chivalry in the modern world
Some social organizations, such as the International Fellowship of Chivalry-Now, are dedicated to promoting the ideals of chivalry in everyday life, rather than having their members dressed in armor and spinning clubs.
Advice
- Many of the traditions of cavalry linked to the medieval one can be found in Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen consort of Louis VII of France and later of Henry II of England. A lover of King Arthur's stories, he tried to model his court on the basis of those legends and encouraged his storytellers to tell tales of chivalry.
- Although the image of the knight in armor includes an entire chain mail, this was only worn in the late Middle Ages. At the beginning of that era, the knights wore only the upper part called hauberk, also made only of leather to strengthen it. When cuirasses became common, knights often wore two, one for battles and one for parades.
- Not all knights and patron weapons fought in the service of the same lord or kingdom. Those who offered their services to anyone who paid them enough were called free-lancers.
