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History >>Middle Ages for Kids
There were two ways that a man could become a knight during the Middle Ages. The first was earning the right on the battlefield. If a soldier fought particularly bravely during a battle or war, he may be awarded knighthood by the king, a lord, or even another knight. The second way was to become an apprentice to a knight and earn the title through hard work and training.
The Accolade by Edmund Leighton
Who could become a knight?
No doubt many young men growing up in the Middle Ages dreamed of becoming a knight, but only a few could afford to become knights. The first requirement of a knight was someone who could afford a knight's weapons, armor, and war horse. These items weren't cheap and only the very rich could pay for them. Knights were also people from the noble or aristocratic classes.
Page
When a boy, or more likely his parents, decided that he wanted to become a knight, he would go to live in the household of a knight when he was seven years old. There he would serve the knight as a page. As a young page he basically was a servant for the knight, performing tasks such as serving meals, cleaning his clothes, and carrying messages. While working for the knight's household, the page learned the proper way to behave and good manners.
The page also began to train to fight. He would practice with other pages using wooden shields and swords. He also would start to learn how to ride a horse using no hands and carrying a lance.
Squire
Around the age of fifteen, the page would become a squire. As a squire, the young man would have a new set of tasks. He would take care of the knight's horses, clean his armor and weapons, and accompany the knight to the battlefield.
Squires had to be ready to fight. They trained with real weapons and were taught fighting skills by the knight. They had to be in good shape and strong. Squires continued to practice their horsemanship, perfecting their skills at jousting and fighting from the saddle. Most future knights worked as a squire for five or six years.
Dubbing Ceremony
If a squire had proven his bravery and skill at battle, he would become a knight at the age of twenty-one. He gained the title of knight at a "dubbing" ceremony. At this ceremony he would kneel before another knight, lord, or king who would then tap the squire on the shoulder with his sword making him a knight.
At the ceremony, the new knight would take an oath to honor and protect his king and the church. He would be presented with a pair of riding spurs and a sword.
Interesting Facts about Becoming a Knight
- Squires often learned about castle and siege warfare from their knight. They would need to know how to defend their own castle as well as how to attack an enemy's castle.
- The word "squire" comes from a French word meaning "shield-bearer."
- Wealthy knights would have had several pages and squires to assist them.
- Squires would practice jousting using a wooden dummy called a quintain.
- Not all squires were made knights through an elaborate ceremony. Some were awarded knighthood on the battlefield.
- Before the dubbing ceremony to become a knight, squires were required to spend the night alone in prayer.
Activities
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FAQs
Middle Ages for Kids: Becoming a Medieval Knight? ›
At around seven years old, the boy was sent away to another noble household. There he worked as a page until he was about 13, when he was made a squire. As a squire he to learned how to fight and use weapons. He would be dubbed, or made a knight, around the age of 21.
How do you become a knight in the Middle Ages for kids? ›A novice had to complete several phases to become a knight. A page was a young boy who worked for a noble at seven to ten. He served as a squire from the age of fourteen to twenty-one. After that, he became a knight at the age of twenty-one, after being tested and found suitable.
How do you become a knight for kids? ›First, you would start out as a page, and train to use weapons and ride horses. After finishing training, you would become a squire. This meant you would train the pages and also serve a knight. If you were successful in going into battle with the knight you served, then this meant you earned status of being a knight!
At what age would a child start their process to become a knight? ›The process of becoming a knight began in early childhood, typically around the age of 7 or 8 years, when a boy was sent to his lord's household to begin his training to become a knight.
Could anyone become a knight in the Middle Ages? ›A knight had to be born of nobility – typically sons of knights or lords. In some cases, commoners could also be knighted as a reward for extraordinary military service. Children of the nobility were cared for by noble foster-mothers in castles until they reached the age of seven.
What stage of a knight at age 7? ›Until he was seven he might be taught a little by his mother or a priest at home. Then he would be sent to live in the castle of another knight and his family as a page. A page had to learn how to serve at his master's table, and how a castle was run. He also learnt how to ride well and to handle weapons.
Who was the youngest knight? ›The youngest knight in history was Prince George, the future George IV, who was aged three when he was made a knight of the garter in 1765.
What are 3 stages of becoming a knight? ›To become a knight the successful completion of three stages was required: page, squire, and knight. At the age of seven, a male born from a noble family would leave his home to become a page and begin training for knighthood.
What were 5 things a knight was required to do? ›Knights were known for their masterful skills with horses. A knight's code of conduct included: mercy, humility, honor, sacrifice, faithfulness, courage, utmost graciousness and courtesy toward women.
What is the code of chivalry for kids? ›To be generous and honest. To never lie. To live by honor and for glory. To help widows and orphans.
What is the order of becoming a knight? ›
Becoming a knight
To be a knight, a nobleman's son had to first become a page and then a squire. At around seven years old, the boy was sent away to another noble household. There he worked as a page until he was about 13, when he was made a squire. As a squire he to learned how to fight and use weapons.
In the Middle Ages, kings needed armies to defend their lands, and it was a lord's job to serve his ruler as a knight. A knight had to have his own armour and a horse. He also employed staff who followed him into battle. They helped him mount and dismount his horse, and they took care of the horses and weapons.
What is a medieval knight for kids? ›The knights were heavily armored soldiers who rode on horseback. Only the wealthiest nobles could afford to be a knight. They needed very expensive armor, weapons, and a powerful war horse. The first knights of the Middle Ages fought for Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, in the 700s.
Can a peasant be a knight? ›The only real option for a peasant or former serf would be to move up economically and then send their free born son to become a page at age seven, in which he would then train as a knight. The child would then move on to become a squire in his teen years, before moving towards knighthood in his adult years.
How were medieval knights chosen? ›If a soldier fought particularly bravely during a battle or war, he may be awarded knighthood by the king, a lord, or even another knight. The second way was to become an apprentice to a knight and earn the title through hard work and training.
How were knights chosen in the Middle Ages? ›In the early days of knighthood, in the 10th and 11th Centuries, a young man was made a knight by his father or liege lord, often on the field of battle. The new knight's sword would be 'girded on' (strapped to his waist) and the older man would give him a blow to the cheek with the flat of a sword.
What were the steps of becoming a knight in the Middle Ages? ›To become a knight the successful completion of three stages was required: page, squire, and knight. At the age of seven, a male born from a noble family would leave his home to become a page and begin training for knighthood. The page would be required to join the household of another knight or nobleman.
Who is a knight for kids? ›A knight then was a fighter of wars. He rode a horse and served a lord, or powerful landowner. In the Middle Ages, a knight started training at about the age of 7. He was sent to live in the house of a lord.