What is a knight? What is the concept of knighthood all about? Knighthood exists in two places simultaneously--in the world and in our imagination. We can speak of ideals versus realities, probably the central problem with knighthood and the chivalric ideals. Swords, horses, jousts, armor, castles, fair maidens, kings, queens-these are the words that come to mind when people mention the word knight. The mental image of a knight embedded in everyone's minds shows an armor-clad man on a horse. The noble beings beneath the armor are virtually unknown to many. Behind every knight's intimidating physical appearance lay the values, morals, and history of chivalry that has made these people great historical figures.
             In the fourth century A.D. the Roman Empire fell and various barbarian tribes invaded Europe. One of the dominant groups was the Franks of central and Western Europe, who gradually expanded their power until, in A.D. 800; their leader Charlemagne became emperor of the West. Charlemagne and his forebears added to the number of horsemen in their army, giving land to mounted warriors. In the ninth century the empire, torn by civil wars and invasions, broke up. Powerful local lords and their mounted warriors offered protection to peasants, who became their serfs in return. In this feudal system, which first developed in Western Europe, the lords themselves owed allegiance to greater lords, and all were bound by oaths of loyalty. All these lords, and some of the men who served them, were knights – warriors who fought on horseback. By the 11th century, a new social order was formed by armored knights, who serve a local lord, count, or duke, and were in turn served by serfs (Gravett, 40).
             How were knights made? When boys of noble birth who were going to become knights were around seven years old, they were usually sent away to a nobleman's household, usually of his uncle or great lord, to be a ...