Who were knights, and what did they do?
The role of a knight developed slowly over the centuries with the earliest knights considered officers in the Greek and Roman armies. It was in the 11th century that the medieval knight most people are familiar with began to take shape. These early knights were foot soldiers who used basic weapons and armor. Later, knights became mounted and for this reason riding skills were imperative when deciding who to promote to this esteemed title. In the 13th century, also called the Iron Age, weapons and armor became more sophisticated and knights became responsible for defending their king and kingdoms. It wasn’t until the 15th century that the art of being a knight developed into the image we know today of a brave, chivalrous defender of the people. A knight was considered an example of exemplary behavior and was expected to be versed in subjects such as music, writing, the courts and land management. Often groups of knights banded together outside of the normal king-knight relationship. The
