The 5th through the 10th centuries were a bleak and bloody era of chaos in Europe. FEUDAL EUROPE Feudalism = the social system in which the lord gives land to his vassals in return for service.

the age of chivalry Chivalry= comes from the french word meaning horse. By the 12th century, the code of chivalry (Loyalty, Humility,Mercy) was the basis for the conduct of the Medieval Knights.

Training: Describe the training of a Medieval knight Knights would spend half their lives studying the art of war. At age 7 a knight’s son would be sent off to serve as a page and learn how to use a sword and ride a horse. At age 14 he became a squire were he helped care for his masters horse and weapons, and helped the knights put on his suit of armor. At age 21, he became a knight during a religious ceremony in which he pledged to conduct himself with bravery, loyalty, and skill.

Arms and Armor: A knight’s armor included golden spurs, a breastplate, chain mail, plates of steel, a spear or lance, a shield, a battle ax, a dagger, and a sword. Some suits of armor weighed 120 pounds, took three years to make, and cost a fortune.

Battles: Battles were usually fought either on foot or on horseback. The Foot soldiers used the longbow which could pierce armor at 200 yards, and was five times faster than the crossbow.

ReLIGION: The knig hts swore an oath to use their swords to defend Christianity. During the Crusades, countless of knights honored their pledge to obey the church.

courtly love: The Knight was the master of his castle and his wife. Courtly Love glorified the relationship of a knight to his chosen lady, the romantic knight must be cheerful, secretive, and above all courteous.

End of the medieval knights : Gunpowder would bring an end to the Medieval Knights. After 1400, kings began to rely on paid armies rather than asking knights for help. Another factor which led to the end of Feudalism and the age of knights was the growth of towns.