1. Becoming a Knight
At the age of 7, a young nobleman would leave his home to become a lord’s page
He would run errands, help around the house, serve the lady with courtly manner
The military apprentice traveled to the court of the King or a great Lord house and learned military matters, honor and behavior
As he grew older, he learned about weapons, armor, and how to use them
He would learn about hunting
Learn swordsmanship skills, horsemanship, archery etc.

2. At the age of 14, a boy was apprenticed to a knight to serve as a squire
His main jobs were to aid his knight…help him with duties (dressing, cleaning, looking after his belongings, and making his bed
They would follow him into battle and help him if he fell
In return, the knight trained the boy in endurance and strength

3. Only upon turning 21, did a young man become qualified to be a knight
Some boys didn’t want to be a knight, some couldn’t afford it, others became knights

4. In battle, the knight’s chief weapon was his sword
A knight’s armor weighed up to 55 pounds and included intricate chain mail and metal scaling
Weighed 2 ½ pounds, easy to bring into battle
Daggers, maces, axes, hammers, and lances also used

5. A knight’s shield displayed symbols which identified the knight/family
Heraldry is the study of such symbols and history
It was one of the symbols of knighthood
A disgraced knight had his spurs hacked off and his shield hung upside down as a sign of dishonor
her·ald·ry
noun \ˈher-əl-drē, ˈhe-rəl-\ : the activity of creating or studying coats of arms and of tracing and recording family histories
There's a great alternative to the oh-so-cliché "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters everyone has these days: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new family crest!
On Friday, Sept. 27, Prince William and Kate Middleton's Conjugal Coat of Arms was unveiled to the public. The Cambridges' official emblem features William's Royal Shield, given to him by Queen Elizabeth II on his 18th birthday, and the Middleton family shield, which was granted to Kate's family before the royal wedding in 2011.
Will and Kate's individual family shields are supported by a royal lion and a unicorn. Per the palace's press release, the unicorn is wearing a collar featuring a red shell derived from the Spencer Coat of Arms. This is an homage to the late Princess Diana's family and has been used on her side of the family for centuries.
PHOTOS: The perks of being a princess!
A Kensington Palace spokesman explained that the Conjugal Arms will belong to Will and Kate "forever," but as "their circumstances and roles" change, "elements of the accoutrements and the shields may change."
In addition to this Conjugal Coat of Arms, William and Kate will retain their own Coats of Arms "to represent themselves as individuals," the palace stated. Kate's individual seal features William's arms alongside her father Michael Middleton's arms.
Fancy. Commoners, feel free to join in the fun and create your own family shields!
PHOTOS: Prince George's first few days

6. A knight had high standards of courage and courtesy he was expected to live up to known as a “Code of Chivalry”
Intended both
Give themselves to Lord and lady
to bring knights together and for women
Chivalry was not defined until Christian principles became important
A moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of Chivalrous conduct
Qualities idealized by knighthood (bravery, courtesy, honor, etc.)

7. The Knighting Ceremony
1. The squire had his hair cut to humble himself in the eyes of the Lord
The hair is considered the best feature, therefore it was taken to pride

8. 2. Then the candidate bathed and cleansed himself of sin by going to confession
To begin a new life of dignity and pride

9. 3. He donned a white and red vesture while wearing black shoes
Black was a symbol of death—they would die someday
The red was a reminder that they would lay in heaven comfortably
White symbolizes purity….covered by a red robe symbolizing nobility

10. 4. Then the squire attended a large banquet where he ate till full
This would be their last meal for many hours
4. Then the squire attended a large banquet where he ate till full

11. 5. That night, the squire lay his weapons on the altar of the chapel to be blessed by a priest

12. 6. This was followed by a night of prayer in the chapel
This combined with his weapons on the altar was something called the “Vigil at Arms” and it reminded the squire to only use his weapons for the service of God
At least 10 hours

13. Called the accolade (touching each shoulder with a sword)
7. The next morning, the squire is brought before a crowded Mass where he listens to a lengthy sermon on the duties of a knight

14. 8. The candidate was then presented to the lord conducting the ceremony by two sponsors
One sponsor got the sword and shield from the altar and handed them to the Lord dubbing the new knight

15. 9. The knight then took his vows and swore allegiance to the lord (noble man) as well as Lord

16. The Oath of Knighthood that was taken was so sincere it was backed by a threat of divine retribution if betrayed
Anyone who broke the oath of knighthood was seen as having committed a crime against God---leading to eternal damnation
The knight swore an oath of allegiance to the lord….

17. Conditions of the Oath included the following:
“Never traffic with traitors”

18. “Never give evil counsel to a lady, whether married or not; he must treat her with great respect and defend her against all”

19. “One must observe fasts and abstinences, and every day hear Mass and make an offering in Church”

20. 10. The final step of the ceremony was the “dubbing”, in which a knight was slapped with the hand and/or tapped on each shoulder with his sword
Done by a local knight, a greater noble, or even a king with the words “I dub thee sir knight”
Sponsors then put spurs on the knight and his sword was girded on
At the end of the ceremony, the knight could claim the title “sir”
A knight was recognized by Middle Ages society as a man who possessed great combat skills and who adhered to the Code of Chivalry