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607 views49 pagesMedieval Knights
Medieval Knights
Uploaded by
Mihaela TurcuCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 49
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Py suseeale chee Medieval Knight:
Text & Color Plates by Justo Jimeno Copyright © 2006
by CONCORD PUBLICATIONS CO.
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publication.
ISBN 962-361-101-3
printed in Hong Kong Gs he, nroductio) as
Whe origins of knighthood are old and shrouded
in mystery, The first news we have in respect
to it comes from the great Roman historian, Tacitus,
in the first Century A.D. In one of his narratives he
describes an event in which a boy becomes a
man, ready for combat
in a clearing in the woods the entirety of a
amanic tribe meets in a circle, Everyone has 10
see it. The chief is in the centre. From among the
warriors the boy advances until he is but one step
from the chief, who with great solemnity, hands the
boy a shield and a double-bladed javelin, From this
day forth the boy must forget about his mothers
care in order 10 become a member of the warrior
community,
We also have an account of Charlemagne handing,
his thirteen year old son, Louis, the shield which
would transform him into a man, It was a great
ceremony which took place in Ratisbon in 791
AD.
In the 10th century these events had the Church's
support to such an extent that only clergymen were
able 10 name knights, Moreover, it was considered
completely necessary to bless the sword of a future
knight. It was an era full of superstitions and beliefs
in miracles, where such things as herds, flocks,
houses and fields all received a divine blessing.
The sword, as an instrument put into Gods service,
could receive no less.
Inthe 11th century the formal, “I ordain thee knight’
‘appeared. That is fo say, not only was he armed
and named knight, but he entered into the order of
knighthood. Order is from the Latin word orc,
meaning division, category, or social class_in
which each one supports the other. In the 12th
century the first orders appeared, like that of the
Templars 1123, that of Hospitallers 1118
Calatrava 1164, Santiago 1165 and Aledniara
1183.
The crusades gave knightly orders their maximum
splendor in the 12th and 13th centuries, In 1098 the
crusading knights 100k Antioch. The year 1099
marked a milestone in the history of knights as it
was the year they took Jerusalem, whose temple
gave name to the Order of the Temple. The
crusades extended into battles, conquests
heroism, sieges, sacrifices, and—why not say it—
excesses, until 1291, the year of the fall of San Juan
de Arce into the hands ef Sultan A-Ashraf Jalil
Afterwards, there came a
crusades,
ries of less important
From these events the songs of heroism can be
heard everywhere. Their royal achievements mix
with those of legend which then excessively
magnified them even further. In nearly all European
countries, writien “accounts and novels of
knighthood appear
As some anonymous verses Say—
Romance, romance, songs of France,
Bravery of noble Britany,
Legends of sword and lance
That grew in Germany
And had their splendor in olden Spain
tt is at the beginning of the 15th century that
decadence in knighthood begins. Archers and
Crossbowmen, at the beginning unappreciated,
became the masters of the battlefield (Agincourt,
1415). What definitely makes the knights disappear
{from the battle was the development and use of the
musket and harquebus weapons used. with
tremendous efficiency by the Spanish troops in
Pavia, In that battle, aside from taking
French King Francis | prisoner, the best cavairy in
Europe was written off. This was the epilogue of
the war between France and Spain. After this,
knights would only wear armor for presentations
and jousting with clothsipped lances of fragile
wood.
1525.
To conclude this introduction, this is a> brief
Decalogue of the knight
1. Believe in the Holy Church and vow to die for
Christ.
2. Defend and protect the Pope and the Church:
3. Defend the weak and the helpless such as
widows or orphans.
4, Become a knight of law and order.
the sword without justice.
Never retreat in combat. ‘Better dead than a
coward’
6. Go to the Holy Land 10 fight the infidel. The
Spanish knights are exempt by the Po
they have the crusade at home.
Be just and fulfil your military. charitable and.
feudal responsibilities.
8, Never lie. Be true fo your word.
9. Be generous, especially to the Church.
10, Love your king. Respect and defend him.
ver use
ee {trey of Bouton (born In Bay, rabant 1060; dled in Jerusalem 1100)
wos pousby the most important knight of the Fist Crusade. He was
isealzed by many as tha “perect Crisian Knight ofthe Cruzadee™.Aeady
by the 12th century Gosttey of Bouilon nad become tne he inthe songs of
the troubadour wa #4 tha he blood that fowedin i vers was he very
seane os Charlemagne's. Hs presence was Imposing - he wos fal. wth long
‘blond ha ond a beard. He was known forhs Bravery and (not alway) fx Ns
‘benevelence and great relgousness So much 20 that he sometimes "soemed
‘move tke a monk than o knight”. He cordered he founder ofthe Kingdom
He wos reworced withthe Duchy of Lower Loraine by the German Emperor
Henry IV. for helong him fight apart Rudolph of Swabia (who Ht said
Goatey ated with nis own hands) ana against Pope Gregory Vi Hs religious
Botson. his het for adventure, ond the mediocre management of hs lands
made Godtey respond fo the fst call Pope Urban II made in 1088 to
Ccisionty to Hoerate the “Holy Lands” of the "Inigo". Godtey sold oF
pledged mary of hit estates i order fo france hk army and expedition nthe
Fast Crusade, Most of Goatey's troops were Velons and Fermi, Thay rede
trrough Hungary to Constantinople. piloging the countnide. The ory re
suppied at Constantinople an mace peace wih the Byzantine Emperor. ti
Deleved that more than 5,000 knights ond over 25.00 foot solders were
‘reent in Constantinople. On the way 10 Jerse the cy won Brake at
the bates of Nicaea, Dervlaeum and Antoch (1098).
Neo Berut the ay entered the lands ofthe Calphate of Fatimid of Cato,
ho os Shite Muss, were enemies of he Sells, Sunnis and the Catphate
of Baghdad. Pogtess was made in forced marches dung the net thee
rmenths. covering total of 1400 miles (an average of over 15 mos per doy).
There were many casvaties ding the tek. By June of 109%, some 1500
lnights ond tome 10.000 soksers comped cround Jerusalem. uit one year
eter ne Fatmids nad cccupled tne cy, and thus the Fist Crusade was
fought agan# the Fatimid and not the Sells. The governor of the ety wa
Certain that hey could noid out the siege unl renfrcements come in tom
Egypt The this hat he panties were ful. os opposedto he beseges who
edited upole.An ottock was sorted with oxoul towers agains the iy
\wals which had ihe frm of « somewhat euler pentagon. By sunset on Jy
11, Goat's soksos, th the oid f ladders, no token the ciy wats ang
(Plate 1)
wore obie fo open the Gate of Flowers and the Gote of Damascus Led by
Tancted and Raymond he whole crusade army were aba to enter the cy
The formes ence wos hen The Tower of Dovid, ter which the chet of
the Muslm defense were escorted out of the cy. Then there was @ great
rmasioere of al nor-Chisions, wth no exceptions. Tncted. the Was! rocco,
wanted fo avoid ths masocre, but he was not succes in stopping # The
tng sit debcted, and recent facts question atleast part of the lng.
AApporenty ome paid handsome forsoms forthe lve, ome became saves
fond some converted fo Crsionty
At ny rte, the objective o aking Jerusalem was accomplined thes years
ater the crusaders lat Europe. Many wars may have been st thst for
‘odventure and hes 0 the point of ensng i the Crusades to gan weath
cand noncr. Ieonly fa fo 2ay that without the relgous ferar, the goa!
‘would not have been accomplsed, Godtey of Boullon was cwarded he
te of King of Jerusalem, but he had changed to “Defender of the Holy
Sepulcie”,clalming, "I wil not wear a gold ciown whete Jens wore crown
‘of thos" (Almough hi brother Baldwin cid woar o crown of gold year ater
cfter Gattey’s death) .The biggest probiem was keeping the occupied lands
‘colcnted ond stocked wih sulci! suppes. In Jerusiom the Chisons a
‘et accomplth this that te erin any of he folowing Crates Promoting
{2 poly of repopuaton war citical in eer 1o Quarantee the succes ofthe
Ccampoign A contemporary example the Spon “reconqutta of Spain
‘fom the Musirs, This took almost eight centuries (ram 717 to 1492), But
\w0Ud nave been imposible without Me support ond selement by peoDle
ond oops of he conquered nd
The istoton presents one of he momentsin the bat to take Jerciom
by the so-caled troops of Chis. Godtey’s men, imbued wih Chrsion
fanatcten, aout the masive ws wih utter diregard forthe own hives,
Mot! of them oleve that Jesus hos come back and i among ther,
protecting them. Al ther resources re applied to try fo break nto the keep,
We can see hem as Mey clmb the ladders, contonng the defences wih
ety res. In the Background hand of knights foray out of an assault
tower dttacting the solders whe ate defending the walls where they were
oaty needed. sce o& we can 46, the Chishone ore forcing @ breach, A
‘he top tight we sean archer ring fo sop those coming out ofthe tower. 1 Krghts Tomar belonged tothe Order of Poot Knights of Chit anc ot
the Temple of Solomon. The Order wos founded inthe fst vars of the
Xergcom of Jrusclom when the foods o Jerusalem where sino! under tla
Cron cont ond the pigs who bravely went tothe Holy Lan found
‘many Musim bandits cn he rood Towards he yecr 1115 there wore groups of
CChition knights hat went tothe rescue ant helped he pigs
2.1 would not be unt 1119,nat mn ode to help the Crs pigs. gue
Payers de Burgundy and Goctey de Saint Adhemar decided 1 dedicate
thet sous ond bodies fo protect these plats in he Hly Lang They formed,
Co relgious community with that purpote, recrltng © smal grou of knights
whe came trom the noth of The knights etcorted caravans of
CCeisione that want tothe nal places such as the road tom Jeruciorn to
Joticho oc 10 the ver Jordon. Sch were the vows of poverty of the monks hat
they rode two fo @ hare, hence thal orginal name “The Poor Krights of
Chis" They only wore clothes donated to them and thelr only posesons
\wote tor weapons Seeing ther potential King Boiawin I alowed the
wing of the royal palace in the area ot the old Hebrew Temple of Solomon,
‘has a name changes to me Kniohs of he Temn® o he Templar knights
The Temper Knighs ad en octive role n the Holy Land and thelr numbers
cloned ropa A more precke and offal organzation was nacassary to
contol het Chtion anc mitary actives In 1124 Payens travel to Europe
to cele couruaing as to how to best make these changes. he Counc ot
the Church of Troyes France), ond Berrcxd, the abbot of the Cetercion
monattry of Clavaus, wote up ihe fist statutes which made the Order
cic Thus the fst mitry-elgiout oder of wariormonks was born. The
{2bbot wos fundamental acter forthe church to give permison foro meni
‘ol (cbvousy ony niet, Bernard stated hot of knights should folow thet
‘2xarp. nis wing On the Prato of the new Knighthood aye
‘here & dscibine ond unquailed obedence. Everybody comes ond goat
‘2ccorcing tothe wil ofthe commande Everybody wears the cress glen
fe him, ond no one goes about searching for food oF garments aceerdng 10
Fs whims. In 000 ond vestments, one content with the most necesary.
‘eiding anyting supertucus. They Ive n a community soberly and in joy
\wrnout wife and chicten. And to teach evangelcal perfection hey Wve in
the same howe, in the some manner without callng anything the own,
6
(Plate 2)
‘olictous to preserve the unity of pit the bonde of peace Impudent words,
Sensoless occupations, mmoderate ought whispering oF even supposed
Gloaing oe unknown. They have a hon of chees ond dice: they hate
hunting: they dont even erjoy the fight cf the falcon They despise mies,
Juggle. sorta, oy songs, perormances of butoons - al thees they
regard 0s vanes and inane flies. hey cut ther hal short because they
‘mow that te somata for 2 man to wear long, Never evercested. they
Dane rely anal re ay and heute. tanned by hel coats af mal and the
The Tempirs vided themselves int four types knights, sergeants, chaplains
‘nd servants OF eee, only te iris wore the Nypica white tune with the
er wos governed by the Grand Master ond each temple by
«@ commonder who owed allegiance to the Grand Mast Tentoraly the
Creer was divided inte provinces, each one with © commander. ond then
turer info owes of precepts with a Beutenart in charge. This system of
ranking wor mantainad Mw
The rules ofthe Templar Knights were smlar to those o he Citrcion monks
Any fout considered major was couse for expution fom the Order. Some
molec coutos could be eter, eaton, oF reveaing Intema! secrets
DDepencing on the seiouenets cf te fut he punishment could range fom o
cut n pvieges to eventual pxWotlon of Ibery Being wth @ woman wo!
Considered @ mine faut Al he Templo swore ncvduaty the ows of
poverty chasty and obedience. Besides datencing Chisionty, hey swore to
ght unt deat regordies of how ditcut the bate and to not atk fr oF
‘2ccep ony ransom. The fear the Mums hoa of the Knights Templo & now
Detter undenstood. he poseaon of hones wat kited fo teee plus cna far
the shots beorer.but ll materia goose longed fo the Order
The husroton represents the moment when the Templar Knights break the
‘ot Solodi' fomous omy Once again they gain a decisive victory over o
them to make thas rental attacks n the begining. the Templar Krighs owed abegiance to thelr paiorch in
Leruclem,.but upon seeng the worth of ete nigh. the Pope soon sought
‘hol services. n 1139 Pope Innacent placed the Temlors under his dct
ces. exempting them ftom reporing tothe bishop of the dioceses thot
wned thelr property. The Templars toon started recelving generout