Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

In English legend,

Saint George was a

chivalrous knight who

rescued a maiden from

a dangerous dragon.

Chivalry

The period between the 11th and 14th centuries is often

known as the “age of chivalry.” Knights of the time were

supposed to follow a special code

of chivalry—a system of rules

about honor, obedience

to God and the king, and

protecting the weak. in

reality, many knights

forgot the code. They

honored only people

of noble birth and

stole from the

poor and weak.

TournamenTs and jousTinG

Tournaments began in France in the

middle of the 11th century as peacetime

training exercises for knights. They soon

developed into major events with elaborate

rules. Teams of knights fought fierce mock

battles over great areas of land, and the

losing side paid a ransom or handed over

valuable possessions. during the 13th century,

tournaments became better organized and took place

in a single field. only two knights jousted at a time, or fought

with blunt weapons. later, tilting replaced jousting and the

knights used lances to knock their rivals to the ground.

a T housand years aGo, men who fought in battle on horseback were called knights.

at first they were just powerful warriors who terrified the enemy’s foot soldiers. But by the

13th century, the knights of western europe had an important role in society. They fought

in the armies of the king or queen in return for land. Knights also protected the peasants

who lived and worked on the land, and in exchange the peasants gave the knights their

service and produce. heraldry developed as a way of identifying knights in battle. armor

completely covered the knights’ faces and bodies, and they all looked alike. Thus, each

knight chose “arms”—a unique colored pattern

or picture that everyone could recognize. he

displayed his arms on a linen tunic worn over

his armor. This was his “coat of arms.”

The chosen pattern remained in the

knight’s family and was passed on

from father to son.

302

Sable a

bee or

Azure a fess

erminois

Gules a

lymphad argent

Azure an owl

argent

302- Knights and heraldry

Argent a

mullet azure

Vert a lily or

Ermine a cross

crosslet gules

Azure a

dolphin argent

Gules a lion

rampant or

Or a chief

indented purpure

Argent a talbot

statant sable

Vair a chevron

sable

A fall from horseback

meant defeat, and

often injured the

knight.

The knight's

symbol, or device,

was painted or

sewn on to all

his equipment.

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