The Medieval Knight of Europe: Origins, Evolution, and Culture

[Peter1469]

An article about the Medieval knight as it rose from a mix of the Roman equestrian class and the rising barbarian kingdoms' mounted warriors to its decline as military technology made them obsolete.

The Medieval Knight of Europe: Origins, Evolution, and Culture

Whenever we talk about a medieval knight our reveries cling on to the resplendent image of a chivalrous warrior incredibly armored from head to toe, while being mounted atop a great warhorse. Now while the reality is not far from this imagery, there was historically more to the scope of knighthood than just mowing down the ‘lesser’ infantrymen in battlefields of the middle ages. In fact, the very term ‘medieval knight’ is a pretty generic one, and their roles across the realms and fiefs of Europe differed considerably, especially when it came to the administrative and land-holding side of affairs.

In essence, the role of a knight extended far beyond the battlefield and ranged into seemingly mundane avenues like petty judges, political advisers to even glorified farmers (at least in the initial years of the 11th century). Obviously, in this article, we will cover the martial scope of these warriors/social elites, and thus by ‘medieval knight’ we would denote the European knights of the middle ages who shared overlapping attributes in (mostly) military affairs.

Contents

• The Roman Connection to Knights
• Barbarian Origins of Knights?
• Final Evolution of the Medieval Knight Was Possible Due to Internal Strifes
• Catching On With The Latest Fashion Was A Tough Job
• Writing, Music, and Weapons
• From Brawls to Organized Spectator Sports
• War Armor and ‘Fashion Armor’
• Sword and its Symbolism
• The ‘Specialized’ Warhorse
• Chivalry and Contradictions

[Cthulhu]

The way I've always understood it was that knights were basically the middle class.

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[Peter1469]

The way I've always understood it was that knights were basically the middle class.

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That is a decent generalization even though it was later in the period when a middle class appeared. They started as lower classes, but with enough means to support the lifestyle. A horse, armor, sword, etc was expensive. Their class raised over time and they became lesser nobility (of course some were always from the elite upper classes).

[Mister D]

I was looking for the part about their eventual obsolesce, but I don't see it. I was under the impression for a very long time that technology was the primary factor but I no longer believe that is true. Like their rise, it was social and economic changes, particularly in so far as they led to the development of professional infantry, that eventually led to their demise.

[Mister D]

That is a decent generalization even though it was later in the period when a middle class appeared. They started as lower classes, but with enough means to support the lifestyle. A horse, armor, sword, etc was expensive. Their class raised over time and they became lesser nobility (of course some were always from the elite upper classes).

That's why this equipment was not only passed down from father to son but looted from the dead when possible.

[Cthulhu]

That's why this equipment was not only passed down from father to son but looted from the dead when possible.

"Ascending" to nobility could be done in those days if two generations were willing to suffer and sacrifice for the third. Even then success is not guaranteed.

Dark times. Dark ages.

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