Knighthood
Knighthood: Serious Training, Serious WeaponsThe old adage goes "work, before play," but as a medieval knight, the young knight was required to "play" before he was able to "work." Tournaments were a major component of a knight's training and were used as a means by which young knights could acquire and refine the skills necessary for war ("The Knight and Chivalry" 159). The tournaments provided a social gathering place for all citizens, but the original main purpose of the tournament was for the knight to practice warfare while being mounted on his horse. The prevalent weapons used during the Medieval Ages gradually changed from sword and armor to a newfound focus on projectile weapons (200). However, knights rebuffed the progressiveness of these weapons and preferred to hold on to their time-honored traditions. The extensive and demanding training of knights, coupled with the quality of their weapons helped cement them as the prominent leaders and warriors of medieval history.The anonymous author of Beowulf writes "a thane, they declared, with the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand" ("Beowulf" 40). Beowulf's abilities and strengths may have been more profound than other knights, but the training knights endured
It has been noted that rarely, if ever, any squires or knights under the age of 18 participated in tournaments ("Tournaments" 6). Had it not been for the intensive training and quality weapons used by the knights, history may have run a different course. The hauberk, which was outerwear made of any number of metals, acted as the main type of body protection and stood for the protection of the knight's body from evil (234). Knights utilized various aids in preparing for tournaments; these devices include the quintain and the ring. was geared to prepare them physically and mentally for the responsibilities of knighthood. There were specific rules that had to be followed in order to preserve the integrity of the tourney. Other possible ways of acquisition include: as a gift from a feudal lord, on the battlefield, or as the prize in a tournament. Medieval towns famous for their weapon making skills include: Cologne, Bordeaux, Valencia, Milan, and Augsburg. One such rule was that no animal was to be injured or killed. Many knights believed that these weapons were for specialized use only and their thought proved correct. These workers included the bladesmith, the hiltmaker, the sheather, the girdler, and the furbisher (436).
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Acceptance Essays
