Knighthood in the Middle Ages Developments in Weaponry and Armor

Preparing for Warfare To be a knight, you had to be wealthy Training was intensive: –Age 7: boy became a Page: servant to the Lord –Age 14: boy became a Squire: servant who also trains in weaponry –Learned codes of Chivalry: Bravery Courtesy Loyalty Honor

Typical Weapon Training Squires trained with: –Swords (sword handling) –Bow/arrow (later on crossbows) –Lance After extensive training, the squire would be “knighted” –Knights are always on horseback in battle (horse was a sign of wealth)

Competition and Armor Jousting: tournament to test the strength of knights What did they wear? –Can be broken into eras Pre-gunpowder Era Gunpowder Era

Pre-Gunpowder Era ( ) Most dressed in leather (because it was cheap – this was typically done by infantrymen (foot soldiers) Chain mail: interlocking metal rings – offered protection but was expensive Gauntlets: metal gloves to protect in battle Plate Armor: used later on (this was very expensive) – full metal plates used to protect the body

Gunpowder Era/Helmets Conical Helmet: looked like a cone on the head…protected neck and nose Helm: bucket like and offered good head protection Basinet: “fairytale” type helmet – face piece folds down Shields: made of wood typically – metal was too heavy/expensive