Knights Of The Middle Ages Essay, Research Paper
Knights of the Middle Ages
Knights and foot soldiers had to be strong and good to handle the
weapons and armor of the Middle Ages. Bows and arrows and
long sticks with a blade on the end were the usual weapons of
peasants (foot soldiers.) Knights preferred lances and swords and
morning stars.
Riding at a full gallop on a hoarse in the battlefield, a knight
tried to knock his opponent to the ground with a 10-foot
metal-tipped pole (lance.) On his feet a knight used his sword
with a lot of strength and ability.
The whole entire sword formed to what looked like the shape of
a cross. Sparkling jewels sometimes decorated the handle as well
as the scabbard (case,) that protected the sword’s 3-foot steel, rock,
or metal blade. Most knights also carried a dagger, a morning
star-a club with a chain attached to a ball with sharp spikes-a
battle ax, and a large shield.
At first knights wore cone-shaped helmets. Later, helmets
had visors that covered the face completely so that they couldn t
get hit in the face when they were pulled off their horse. To be
recognized, knights wore special symbols, such as lions and
unicorns, on their armor and shields, they were called coat of
arms. They identified that knight with its colorful pattern or
picture. These designs became family symbols passed down from
generation to generation. They helped other knights know who to
fight against
The earliest armor was made of metal rings sewn on a leather
coat. Some coats had more than 200,000 metal rings. However, a
sword could still pierce the little tiny space between them. A later
type of armor, called “chain mail,” was made of overlapping loops
of iron chains. But it did not completely protect the knight, either.
He could still get deep wounds and broken bones.
Over time, knights began to cover different parts of their
bodies with solid plates of metal armor, even though it was very
uncomfortable. Slowly they added more and more solid plates to
different parts of the body. By the 1400s a knight wore a
60-pound suit of gleaming armor that covered him from head to
toe. Hinges and straps held the separate pieces, such as the
shoulder guards, breastplate, and leg plates, in place. Underneath
his armor the knight usually wore a knee-length shirt called a
“tunic,” made of linen or wool, and long stockings. Sometimes the
knights also wore chain mail underneath their suit, too.
A knight in full armor weighed so much, he had to be lifted
onto his horse. The knight’s horse also wore armor for protection
on top of his head and down his back. Horses used in battle were
specially bred to be large and sturdy.
It was hard to move wearing a suit of armor, and sometimes
it felt as hot as an oven inside. Thrown from his horse, a knight
might lie flat on the ground, helpless as a turtle on its back,
because of all of the heavy armor.