Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

Knighthood

the training to become a knight started at seven years of age. girls

were not allowed to become knights, but boys began as pages in the

household of their father’s lord. Pages learned the rules of knightly

service and how to use weapons. At the age of 15 or 16, a page became

a squire. the squire was the personal servant to his master and learned

the skills needed for fighting on horseback. After five years, the squire

could become a knight. At first, this was an honor that any knight

could bestow on a squire. today, only English kings and

queens can grant knighthoods, but the title is a formal

one given to people who deserve national recognition

and has lost most of its original meaning.

Knights and heraldry

303

Find out more

nAming shiElds

the blazon, or description, below each shield

names the field and charge and gives their

colors and other details in a language based

on medieval French.

Azure a harpy or

Argent a

thistle proper

Or a lion

passant gules

Gyronny argent

and gules

Argent an eagle

displayed sable

Or a dragon sejant vert

Gules a rod of

Aesculapius or

Sable a cross

engrailed or

KEy to blAzons

Argent Silver

Azure Blue

Gules Red

Or Gold

Purpure Purple

Sable Black

Vert Green

Armor

Castles

Christianity

Crusades

medieval europe

Vert a unicorn

rampant argent

the knights of the round table

King Arthur and his knights are said to have held their court

at a round table in the ancient capital of Camelot. if it really

did exist, Camelot was probably built in the west of britain

some 15 centuries ago. According to legend, Arthur led his

band of Celtic knights in battle against saxon invaders. the

knights of Camelot became heroes and had many adventures.

Caerleon Castle, Wales, possible site of Camelot

Argent a rose

gules

Sable a boar’s

head erased or

shiElds

Each knight displayed his arms on a shield. the shield had two

parts: the field, or surface, painted in a plain color or a pattern;

and the charge, which displayed a symbol, such as an animal or

bird. the arms appeared everywhere on the knight’s equipment.

sometimes the area above the shield design might show an image

of a helmet with a crest, silk wreath, and mantling (a cloth for

protection from the sun). the knight’s motto, or slogan, could also

be added below the shield. the full combination of designs was

called a heraldic achievement (a herald was an expert in arms).

Vert a

garb or

Gules a barrel

palewise or

The charge is a dragon

vert (green). He is sitting

“sejant”—with forepaws

on the ground.

The field on this

shield is or (gold).

Dubbing a squire, or tapping him

on the shoulders with a sword,

made him into a knight.

Once he became a knight,

the squire had to supply

his own equipment.

Knights hosPitAllErs

Knights from northwest Europe fought in

the Crusades—a series of religious wars

between Christians and muslims that took

place in the middle East during the 11th,

12th, and 13th centuries. the warriors

formed powerful alliances, one of which was

the Knights hospitallers. this group set up

hospitals along the Crusaders’ routes to war.

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