THESIS STATEMENT Knights were a highly skilled troop in battle as well as skilled athletes during tournament events PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of this essay is to discuss how knights play an important role in battle as well as being talented athletes in sporting events like tournaments. INTRODUCTION A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a monarch or another political leader for service to the king and country. Historically, in Europe, knighthood has been bestowed upon mounted warriors. During the Middle Ages, knighthood was considered a class of lower nobility. By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the Christian warrior. Often, a knight was a …show more content…
When knights were taken as prisoners of war, they were usually held for payment in a rather comfortable setting. The same level or respect did not apply to non-knights (archers, peasants, foot-soldiers, etc.) who were often brutally killed after capture; these other troops were seen as a mere obstruction to knights' reaching other knights to fight them. Historically, the ideals of chivalry were popularized in medieval literature, especially the Matter of Britain and Matter of France. Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, written in 1485, was important in defining the ideal of chivalry which is essential to the modern concept of the knight as an elite warrior sworn to uphold the values of faith, loyalty, courage, and honor. Furthermore, Geoffroi de Charny's "Book of Chivalry" expounded upon the importance of faith in all areas of a Knights life. Chivalry is an important part of the way we think about knights without it the way we look at knights would be drastically …show more content…
They were supported in battle by foot soldiers and archers. Knights were often held in reserve for the decisive part of a battle. Knights were very powerful warriors, one knight was supposed to equal eight foot soldiers. During a siege, a knight would wait while the others scaled the walls, dug tunnels, etc. Then once the walls were broken the knight would enter the castle and begin to fight. Knights did not always fight to the death. The Church and the Code of Chivalry put the emphasis on capturing and treating an opponent knight honorably. Capture was more profitable, as it allowed for the ransoming of the captured