Smithsonian Magazine: Meet the Americans Following in the Footsteps of the Knights Templar
Knights of the SMOTJ wear the red cross pattée, believed to have been first used by the Knights Templar in 1147. Kristina Krug Joseph A. Auteri draws his sword and hands it to his Grand Prior, Patrick ...
Knight, now a title of honor bestowed for a variety of services, but originally in the European Middle Ages a formally professed cavalryman. The first medieval knights were professional cavalry warriors, some of whom were vassals holding lands as fiefs from the lords in whose armies they served.
Discover the detailed rankings of knights and the hierarchy of chivalry. Learn about the journey from page to Grand Master and the roles each knight held in medieval society.
Medieval knights were the most skilled and feared warriors of the Christian world of their time. They were cavalrymen in service of the church and the state and they went through extremely rigorous training to attain the title and position of a knight.
Knights were medieval gentleman-soldiers, usually high-born, raised by a sovereign to privileged military status after training as a page and squire. Originally knights were attendants or specialized foot-soldiers, but the status of knights was elevated around 800 A.D.
Knights were essentially mounted warriors, and in the hierarchy of medieval society, were considered to be part of the lower nobility. Nevertheless, knights could rise to the ranks of the higher nobility as well by acquiring land and becoming landlords.
During the Middle Ages, knights formed a trained group of mounted warriors who fought for kings and nobles across Europe. Their preparation usually began in childhood and trained them for war, tournaments, and service within the feudal system.