The chain mail was made of small rings and was tailored to fit the knight. Both of these were known as “accolades,” and they were the only blows that the new knight would not ordinarily return!īeneath his protective armor a knight usually wore a woolen shirt, long linen stockings like tights, and breeches. In another type of dubbing, the eldest knight present at the ceremony gave the squire a mild blow on the neck or the shoulder. There was, of course, the custom of touching a sword to the squire’s shoulders and/or head.
The new knight was presented golden spurs (squires wore silver spurs), generally by someone not a knight, and his sword was buckled on by another knight.
The dubbing ceremony itself was usually performed the following morning. After the banquet, the squire spent a night of “vigil at arms” in a church, praying that he might uphold the honorable practices of being a knight, confessing his sins, having his weapons blessed, and being reminded that his weapons should only be used for God and goodness. Usually a banquet was held for squires the day before the knighting ceremony.
#MIDDLE AGES KNIGHTHOOD CODE#
Then, wearing black shoes as a symbol of death, he rested on a bed, which symbolized the eternal rest the knight-to-be would gain if he lived his life according to God’s teachings.Ī squire had to know and follow the code of chivalry, which included such things as obeying God, protecting the weak and helpless, defending and honoring women, fighting for his king, and living an exemplary life to show that he was worthy of his knighthood. His hair would be cut to show his obedience to God. The squire would first bathe as a symbol of washing away his sins and starting a fresh, new life. The ceremony of becoming a knight is called “dubbing,” and certain rituals had to be carried out before the squire was dubbed. If the squire mastered all of this and was otherwise worthy, then he might be made a knight in the service of his king. In his service of about five years a squire also had to learn the arts of fighting with sword, lance, and other weapons of war of those times, and he served on the field of battle with his master. He would help the knight prepare for battle or jousts by assisting him into and out of his armor and helping with the lance, sword, and other weapons the knight might call for. A squire’s duties were to assist the knight in whatever was needful. When a page was fifteen or sixteen and had proved himself worthy, he became a squire to a knight. He was little more than a servant to the family, but he was being tested to see if he had the personal discipline to carry out his tasks and to work industriously for his master and mistress. A knight usually began his training as a page to a noble family when he was about seven years old. Later a more special and ritualized method of becoming a knight was developed. It also carried with it a special code of gallant behavior and duty that a knight had to obey.Īt first, heroic men were simply knighted by their king on the battlefield. During the Middle Ages in Europe knighthood was conferred upon those men who had attained certain achievements.
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